Chase near Lavonia ends after trooper forces car off interstate

A Flowery Branch man faces multiple charges after fleeing from an attempted traffic stop near Lavonia Sunday afternoon.

The incident began around 1 p.m. near the Georgia Welcome Center on Interstate 85. According to the preliminary incident report, a state trooper attempted to pull over a northbound vehicle that was wanted for a hit-and-run.

The driver of the Chevrolet Spark fled, and a chase ensued.

During the chase, the trooper performed a PIT maneuver that forced both vehicles into the grass median. The driver of the Chevrolet regained control and continued north in the median. After striking the cable barrier twice, the driver attempted to enter the southbound lanes of I-85.

“In an effort to terminate the pursuit, the trooper used the front of his patrol vehicle to strike the passenger’s side of the Chevrolet. After impact, the driver of the Chevrolet attempted to reverse, and the trooper used the front of his patrol vehicle to strike the front of the Chevrolet,” the report states.

The chase ended without injuries and law enforcement arrested the driver without further incident. The state patrol identifies him as 47-year-old Allen Gale Nichols.

Nichols faces multiple traffic charges including felony fleeing and driving under the influence of methamphetamine.

Georgia State Patrol Post 52 in Hartwell is investigating.