Homer, GA – Two people are behind bars in Banks County after leading police on a four-county chase through north Georgia on Tuesday.
GBI Special Agent in Charge Mitchell Posey with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) says the Banks County Sheriff’s Department and ARDEO initiated a surveillance based on a tip that Perry Williams was selling methamphetamine from the Howard Johnson room 136 and that he may be armed with a handgun.
According to a press release issued by Posey through the ARDEO, agents confirmed that arrest warrants were previously issued for Williams in Jackson County and Gwinnett County. Agents observed two people leave room 136 and enter a Maroon Pontiac Montana. Braselton Police Department Officers initiated a traffic stop of the Pontiac Montana. The driver Tressey Shuman and Williams initially complied with the traffic stop, however, when officers approached the vehicle and asked for identification, they fled in the Pontiac Montana. A pursuit followed that spanned Jackson, Gwinnett, Hall, and Barrow Counties.
During the pursuit Williams and Shuman swapped position and Williams became the driver of the vehicle. Williams struck four civilian vehicles and two law enforcement vehicles to included Williams ramming a Braselton Police Unit in the rear. There were no injuries reported in the crashes.
Posey says during the pursuit, Williams discarded 30 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $3,300 from the vehicle. The methamphetamine was later recovered. A handgun was not located.
The Georgia State Patrol eventually intercepted Williams and safely conducted a Pursuit Immobilization Technique (P.I.T.) maneuver which ended the chase. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Hall County Sheriff’s Office and Gwinnett Police Department were also involved in the pursuit of Williams and Shuman.
The 40-year old Williams and 45-year old Shuman, both of Homer, were arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine. They’re being held in the Banks County Detention Center.
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office, ARDEO, Georgia State Patrol, and Braselton Police Department are continuing the investigation. Additional charges are expected.
The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following Sheriff’s Offices: White County, Lumpkin County, Towns County, Banks County, Habersham County, Stephens County, and Rabun County, along with the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
