Speeds reach 105 mph in chase
Published 11:02 am Saturday, March 30, 2019
By Beth Alston
AMERICUS — A driver led authorities from multiple agencies on a high-speed chase late Wednesday afternoon in Sumter, Dooly, and Crisp counties.
According to Sumter County Sheriff Chief Deputy Col. Eric Bryant, the incident began around 4:30 p.m. when a Sumter County deputy met a Kia Spectra driving on the wrong side of the road on Lamar Road about one mile east of Ga. Highway 195. The deputy, Keith Gary, turned around to stop the vehicle when the driver took off.
The driver continued on Highway 195 with the deputy in pursuit. Speeds reached as high as 105 mph, according to scanner traffic. The Kia driver crossed Ga. Highway 27 East and entered Dooly County where authorities had been alerted as well. The driver circled around Turkey Creek Road and returned to Highway 27, according to Bryant.
The fleeing driver turned right onto River Road in Dooly County. Sgt. Richard Peck of Georgia State Patrol Post 10, Americus, who with Trooper Josh Willingham, was also in pursuit at the request of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, said the Kia driver crossed into Crisp County on Cannon Road where the car side-swiped a Ford Fusion. The impact disabled the Kia and the driver pulled over, exited the vehicle, and was taken into custody. The driver of the Fusion was not injured, Peck said.
The Kia driver is identified as Lewis Eugene Camp, 65, of Arabi. He is charged with failure to maintain lane, felony fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, reckless driving, driver use of due car, driving while license is suspended or revoked, too fast for conditions, failure to yield right of way to emergency vehicle and DUI.
Camp was still scheduled to appear before a Sumter County Magistrate judge Friday afternoon on the felony charge. He is being housed in the Sumter County Jail.