Man Leads Police On Chase In Alpharetta; Captured In Johns Creek

ALPHARETTA, GA -- A routine call of a suspicious vehicle turned into a multi-jurisdictional manhunt after a driver allegedly fled police as he was being handcuffed Monday morning in Alpharetta. Dispatchers received a call of a suspicious vehicle around 8:43 a.m. July 17 and were dispatched to Pinehigh Drive in Alpharetta. The responding officer arrived on the scene to find a male wearing only gray shorts and one gray sock sleeping inside a tan Honda CR-V parked in front of a residence in the 11000 block.

The officer woke up the male and asked how he ended up asleep in the SUV parked in front of a home.

"He stated that he had just dropped off a friend down the street and he fell asleep," according to an incident report released by the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety. "He could not tell me where it was that he dropped off his friend, but stated that he dropped him off about 10 minutes prior to me waking him up."

The officer asked for the man's identification, which he didn't have, but provided the officer with a name. However, the officer was able to confirm the name the subject, later identified as John Collie Ackland, provided was that of his friend. As he walked towards the back of the CR-V to see if Ackland could find his ID, the officer said he noticed there were "multiple syringes and a small plastic bag in the door compartment of the open driver door in plain view," according to the report.

The officer requested for backup and Ackland appeared to get nervous. Believing the 23-year-old could be a flight risk, the officer begin to detain Ackland as he waited for assistance to continue the investigation.

"I maneuvered his left arm behind his back and noticed his muscles tensing up as he began to plead for me not to put him in cuffs," the officer added. "He then began resisting by pulling away from me more. John Ackland began to pull away from me as I attempted to maintain a grip on his arm. I wrapped my arms around him as we traveled behind the vehicle and into the grass of the yard. I put my right leg in front of his legs and caused him to trip. I held on to his shirt as we scrambled on the ground and he was able to break free of my grip by coming out of his shirt."

Ackland took flight and ran behind a home. The officer chased the subject, who circled the house and got back into the Honda. The officer deployed his Taser, but the Gainesville resident was able to block the probes by closing the door.

The 23-year-old started the car and fled along Pinehigh Drive towards Kimball Bridge Road. The vehicle turned right on Kimball Bridge Road -- running a stop sign in the process -- and continued driving in a northeasterly direction, the report notes.

The officer followed and was flagged down by a driver in a white pick-up truck who said Ackland allegedly ditched the vehicle and fled the area on foot. The vehicle was located in front of Messiah Lutheran Church on Kimball Bridge Road. A looses perimeter was established, and Johns Creek police were notified since officers were on the city's border.

A Johns Creek K-9 officer arrived on scene and began a track for the suspect. As he was working the scene, the officer was informed by a detective that he "made contact" with Ackland at a cafe at in the 11000 block of Jones Bridge Road. The cops made their way to the area and met up with a Roswell K-9 officer who also joined the search.

Johns Creek police eventually located Ackland on Taylor Road at Saddle Bridge Drive and he was taken into custody. The male, who complained of foot pain, was transported to WellStar North Fulton Hospital for treatment.

Numerous syringes and several small plastic bags were located inside the car. One syringe, according to the report, was "loaded with a brown liquid."

"I also located a small plastic bag with a few clear crystals in it in the same console as the loaded syringe," the officer added, noting there was not enough of the crystal substance to conduct an on-site test. A plastic wrapper from a cigarette carton allegedly containing marijuana and a joint were also discovered in the front right pocket of a pair of shorts inside the car.

Ackland was transported to Alpharetta's jail and the officer said the male "apologized to me" upon seeing him at the station.

Ackland was charged with giving false name, willful obstruction of law enforcement officers, fleeing or attempting to elude police, reckless driving and possession of marijuana less than an ounce. Fulton County Jail records show Ackland remains held with a $6,500 bond.

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