After leading a Greene County deputy on a 12-mile chase eastbound into Taliaferro County in the early morning hours of Aug. 10, a Hephzibah woman wrecked her vehicle, got arrested, and rode 35 miles westbound in the back of a patrol car to the Morgan County Jail.
Eternitee Kennyr Savez Brigham, 21, faces charges of speeding (112 mph in a 70-mph zone), reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and violating headlight and taillight requirements.
According to reports, Sgt. Jordan Knowles was monitoring traffic on Interstate 20 when he observed a white Chevy Impala coming up behind him at a high rate of speed. Knowles activated his DSR RADAR and clocked the vehicle at 112 mph.
When the vehicle passed, Sgt. Knowles activated his emergency lights and siren. The vehicle then began to accelerate, and the driver turned its lights off near milepost 136.5.
Knowles advised dispatch he was in a vehicle pursuit. Although the driver continued turning the vehicle’s lights on and off, Knowles could see the light reflecting off the rear.
Knowles said the vehicle reached speeds of approximately 130 mph as it traveled east into Taliaferro County, turning its lights on to pass and turning them off again after passing.
The vehicle exited I-20 at exit 148, and as Knowles approached the top of the off-ramp, he saw the car sitting on the right side of the road in the brush with minor damage. Knowles advised dispatch of the accident, drew his duty-issued weapon, and began to give verbal commands to the vehicle's driver.
Brigham complied and exited the vehicle with her hands in the air.
Knowles ordered her to the rear of his patrol vehicle, placed her in handcuffs, and put her in the rear of his patrol vehicle.
Neither of the two passengers in the vehicle were injured, but they were detained in Sgt. Antavious Hall’s patrol unit.
Taliaferro deputies and Georgia State Patrol troopers arrived on the scene, and GSP worked the vehicle accident. The two passengers were cleared for release.
Knowles and Hall searched the vehicle and found a black digital scale on the driver’s side floorboard with apparent marijuana residue on it, according to the report. On the front passenger floorboard, deputies found a tray with more apparent marijuana residue on it.
Deputies found more traces of marijuana in a plastic bag inside a backpack. Deputy Gurley then transported Brigham to the Morgan County Jail without incident.