Image: Tiffany Ann Wheeler/Courtesy: Banks County Sheriff
Two Winder women are behind bars after a car chase and an extended search on foot in Banks County last night.
Banks County Sheriff’s Sgt. Carissa McFaddin says deputies tried to stop a car on Faulkner Drive at Banks Crossing at 8:44 pm but the driver sped away.
According to the official report, she refused to stop for officers for more than 20 miles on county roads.
The chase ended when she crashed into a power pole near the intersection of Carson Segars Road and Highway 323.
McFaddin says the driver of the car took off on foot but officers were able to immediately detain the passenger, Amanda Susan Garmon. Garmon reportedly told officers that Tiffany Ann Wheeler had been driving during the chase and gave them a full description.
The search for Wheeler went on for several hours. It took so long that Banks County’s K-9 unit began to suffer from exhaustion and had to be relieved by the K-9 unit from Lee Arendale Corrections. The Georgia State Patrol Air Unit came in to assist as well.
McFaddin says they tracked her down in some woods near the crash site, “Wheeler denied being the driver and insisted a male was driving the vehicle.” Deputies have charged her with “fleeing or attempting to elude, reckless driver, driving while license suspended, illegal stopping in the roadway, and failure to stop at stop sign.”
In addition to the charges from the chase, both Wheeler and Garmon face drug charges and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as well as other probation violations. They also have outstanding warrants in Barrow County. Both are being held at the Banks County Law Enforcement Center.
