Cobb Police Chase Ends With Patrol Car Atop Suspect's Vehicle

MARIETTA — A Dahlonega man is in jail after a Cobb County police chase that ended in Atlanta with a patrol car atop the suspect's vehicle Tuesday, Cobb County Police said Wednesday.

Police said officers were trying to conduct a traffic stop on a Jeep Gladiator around 9:15 p.m. near Sandtown Road and Hollyridge Drive in Cobb.

The driver, who police identified as 50-year-old Robert Shirling, was accused of not complying with the stop and evading officers.

Police said Shirling tried to ram an officer with the Jeep, causing a chase that entered an interstate in the southbound lanes toward Atlanta.

The chase, which included Cobb officers and members of a local joint task force, continued through multiple surface streets, police said.

At the Northside Drive/17th Street intersection, Shirling was accused of crashing into two vehicles before making a left turn onto 17th Street.

Police said Shirling then crashed into a third vehicle while heading south on Howell Mill Road.

A Cobb DUI Task Force officer then executed a PIT maneuver, causing the Jeep to rotate and roll over before landing on its roof with a patrol car on top of it, police said.

Both of the vehicles uncontrollably rested on Howell Mill, police said.

Shirling had minor injuries and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, police said. He was then released and taken to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

Police said Shirling was charged on suspicion of aggravated assault, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, driving while license suspended or revoked, failure to maintain lane and violation of a traffic control device.