Driver Involved In Crash Flees; Arrested After Police Chase

CARTERSVILLE, GA — The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident last week in Bartow County was arrested after a brief police pursuit. According to an incident report released by the Bartow County Sheriff's Office, a deputy witnessed an accident between a white passenger vehicle and red SUV around 3:13 p.m. Dec. 27 at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Mac Johnson Road.

The report notes the driver of the red Ford Expedition left the scene in the SUV. The sheriff's deputy began to follow the SUV, as did an unmarked patrol vehicle driven by an agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The deputy tried to perform at PIT maneuver on the SUV, which had significant damage to its rear, but couldn't perform the action due to the driver's "erratic driving."

The SUV continued westbound on U.S. 411, entered oncoming traffic at U.S. 411 and Burnt Hickory Road, and turned into an open field. According to the report, the SUV came to a stop, and the deputy and ICE agent gave commands for the driver to exit the car.

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"The driver, however, continued to press the accelerator while changing gears from drive to reverse," according to the report. "He then locked the door and continued to ignore several commands. I then used my baton to break the driver side window. At that time the driver jumped into the front passenger seat and opened the door."

The driver, identified as 25-year-old Tyler Lee Roden, was ordered at gun point to the ground, a command to which he complied. Roden, who was placed in handcuffs, told the deputy a woman gave him the car, but he did not know the vehicle's brakes were inoperable.

"Tyler tried to explain the reason he wouldn't stop was because the brakes weren't working," according to the deputy's report.

Roden was charged with reckless driving, driving unsafe/improperly equipped vehicle, hit-and-run, obstruction, driving without a license, fleeing/attempting to elude police and failure to obey traffic control signal. He was booked into the Bartow County Jail at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 27 and remains held with a $6,900 bond.

Image via Bartow County Jail