GREENE COUNTY
A Greensboro man was arrested by deputies after a brief chase on I-20 that reached speeds of more than 110 mph.
Oswaldo Hernandez, 20, faces charges of reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, failure to signal when changing lanes and speeding (101 mph in a 70-mph zone).
According to reports, Sgt. Hudson Bell was near milepost 129 mile marker when he clocked a Ford Mustang driven by Hernandez traveling at 101 mph westbound and still accelerating.
Bell activated his emergency equipment, and Hernandez first appeared to be slowing down for the traffic stop but then accelerated to reach 110 mph.
Bell notified dispatch that he was in a vehicle pursuit westbound on I-20 and asked dispatch to notify Morgan County as they approached the county line.
According to the report, “Hernandez swerved from the right lane into the left lane and started to go around an 18-wheeler on the left shoulder but then swerved back into the right lane.”
Hernandez then accelerated and cut off the truck and other vehicles, causing them to slam on their brakes. Bell had to also apply his brakes in order to avoid the decelerating vehicles and make it through safely.
It appeared that once Hernandez saw that Bell had cleared the vehicles, he decided to pull over to the shoulder of the road near the Morgan County line.
According to the report, Bell exited his vehicle and held Hernandez at gunpoint, ordering him to place his hands out the window.
Hernandez complied but then pulled his right hand back in, and Bell shouted to place both hands out the window once again. Hernandez complied, and Bell told him to reach out with his right hand and to open his door.
Hernandez then exited his vehicle, and Bell instructed him to lay face down on the ground with his hands behind his back.
Once the suspect was on the ground, Bell approached him and placed him in handcuffs, according to the report. Hernandez was then searched and placed in the back of Bell’s patrol vehicle.
Bell notified dispatch that he had Hernandez in custody and requested a wrecker. Hernandez was transported to the Greene County Jail without further incident.