Crime & Safety

Forsyth County Police Chase Reaches 130 MPH Speed

The pursuit lasted more than two hours and ended with the assistance of Hall County authorities and the Georgia State Patrol.

A Gainesville man led police on a chase that reached speeds of about 130 mph, according to Forsyth County Sheriff's Office authorities.

Shortly before midnight Dec. 15, an FCSO deputy traveling on Highway 306 behind a black Mercedes and ran its license plate and learned the car allegedly had no insurance, according to spokesman Doug Rainwater.

The deputy tried to stop the car—driven by Eric Jefferson Sheffield, 34, a mechanic who lives on Old Thompson Bridge Road in Gainesville—at the intersection of Highways 306 and 53 near Cumming. But the 2006 model, 500 Series slid sideways and increased its speed.

Authorities say a lengthy police chase ensued.

With the assistance of the Georgia State Patrol and the Hall County Sheriff’s office, the pursuit came to an end at 2:25 a.m. on Atlanta Highway at Wade Orr Road.  

Although it's unclear how the chase ended, police say Sheffield got out of the car with his hands in the air. Described by a deputy as "talkative," Sheffield was clothed in dress pants, a long-sleeved shirt that was not buttoned and dress shoes. He wore no coat or jacket.

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Police administered an alcohol breath test, which indicated Sheffield had not been drinking, but authorities don't know if he may have been using drugs.

Sheffield was arrested and charged with driving with no insurance, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude police, failure to maintain a lane of travel, passing in a no passing zone and failure to obey a traffic control device.

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