THOMASVILLE — A man driving a Toyota Corolla that did not belong to him fled when the vehicle wrecked early Sunday morning at the intersection of Fletcher and Varnedoe streets.

Police, who were unable to locate the driver a few minutes after 5 a.m., found a bag of spice in the vehicle a few minutes after 5 a.m.

“He got away. Law enforcement is looking for him,” said Toby Knifer, Thomasville Police Department Criminal Investigations Division commander.

Officers said they were responding to an incident at Wood Valley apartments a little earlier and saw Henry Mathis driving the car recklessly when leaving the apartment complex.

The owner of the Toyota was located and said she had allowed a friend to use the car for the night. The friend told police she was at Wood Valley when Mathis drove away in the car, a TPD incident report states.

The friend, Minnie Renee Adams, 49, 107 Harvell Lane, gave police a false name and is charged with giving false name to police.

The drug in the car was spice, a synthetic marijuana, said Louis Schofill, Thomas Count/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division commander.

Warrants for Mathis’ arrest were issued Monday by narcotics/vice.

The 28-year-old suspect, 630 Marshall St., is charged with possession of a Schedule I drug, open container, driving while unlicensed, duty to make immediate report of accident, too fast for conditions, failure to stop at stop sign and striking fixed object. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820