Cop Injured In Crash Following High-Speed Chase

ALPHARETTA, GA — An Alpharetta officer and suspect were injured in a crash following a high-speed chase early Saturday in North Fulton County.

The officer was traveling southbound on Ga-400 near Old Milton Parkway around 1:55 a.m. April 21 when he saw a vehicle approaching him from behind at a "high rate of speed," Alpharetta Department of Public Safety spokesperson Officer Howard Miller said.

The officer clocked the vehicle, a white Mercedes 300, traveling at 100 miles per hour. The vehicle and its driver, identified as 49-year-old John Bolling, went around the officer and slowed down to roughly 65 miles per hour.

"We attempted to initiate a traffic stop and as another officer arrived to assist, the Mercedes accelerated to speeds in excess of 143 mph on GA-400," Miller said.

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The chase continued into Sandy Springs where the Mercedes got off Ga. 400 at the Abernathy Road interchange and traveled eastbound towards Roswell Road. The Mercedes turned right, continued to flee northbound on Roswell Road/S.R. 9.

Once he crossed over into Roswell's city limits, officers from that jurisdiction aided Alpharetta in the pursuit, and the Georgia State Patrol also responded to the incident. While stop sticks were deployed at multiple locations, Miller said Bolling and the Mercedes were able to avoid them. Bolling allegedly ran multiple red lights and stop signs and drove on the wrong side of the road at times, Miller added.

Bolling tried to turn left onto Rucker Road where the pursuing officer collided with the Mercedes in the rear. The 49-year-old suspect was taken into custody and was transported to North Fulton Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the crash. The Alpharetta officer was also transported to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and later released.

Bolling, who was wanted on an aggravated stalking warrant out of Forsyth County and DUI charges from Broward County, Florida, is charged with felony fleeing and eluding, speeding (143 in a 65 mph zone), DUI less safe, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, failure to signal/changing lanes, driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to obey traffic control devices and driving while unlicensed.

Images via Alpharetta Department of Public Safety