A 26-year-old Cornelia man has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and hit-and-run after driving a vehicle into several other vehicles and a local apartment then fleeing. Garth Allen Bearden turned himself in to authorities within hours of the incident, Cornelia Police Chief Chad Smith says.
Around 5:30 p.m. on January 4, Smith says Bearden was involved in a verbal altercation with some other people in the parking lot of the Cliff C. Kimsey Apartments. Bearden allegedly got into a Ford Expedition and drove toward the others who were in a Toyota Camry.
“[Bearden] intentionally struck that vehicle and hit a Suzuki motorcycle before jumping the curb and striking the apartment building,” Chief Smith says. Bearden fled the scene in a black Dodge truck.
Tyler Ridings of Baldwin witnessed the incident. He tells Now Habersham the driver, later identified as Bearden, was acting erratically and fled the scene.
“[He] jumped out, jumped in another vehicle, and took off,” Ridings said. “They were really freaked out, I have no idea why he went off, he just got really angry and psychotic and got in [the car] and just left.”
No one was injured in the incident.
“After a BOLO was placed for him, Mr. Bearden called Habersham County 911 requesting to speak with officers,” Smith says.
Habersham County deputies were dispatched to Bearden’s location and took him into custody without incident. In addition to the aggravated assault and hit-and-run charges, police charged Bearden with reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.
Eyewitnesses reported the truck was stolen, but Chief Smith says he is not aware if that was the case.
