Driver Who Led Police On High Speed-Chase Indicted On Charges

WOODSTOCK, GA — A Cherokee County grand jury has indicted a Woodstock man on charges stemming from a high-speed chase that injured his passenger. Zachary Tyler Bowers was indicted on fleeing and attempting to elude, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving and possession of methamphetamine charges in connection to a series of events that began when officers tried to conduct a traffic stop on an SUV along Highway 92.

A Woodstock officer tried to pull over the white Dodge SUV due to the vehicle not using its turn signals when it left Moe's Southwest Grill. The vehicle departed the parking lot and began traveling westbound on Highway 92.

The Dodge got onto Interstate 575 northbound and it changed lanes several times without using its signals, according to an incident report provided by the Woodstock Police Department. The officer, who observed a lot of movement taking place inside the vehicle, decided to conduct a traffic stop just before the Towne Lake Parkway interchange.

The SUV exited the interstate at Towne Lake Parkway, made a right turn and made an unlawful U-turn at the Woodstock Parkway intersection. The vehicle traveled westbound and got back on the interstate using the Towne Lake Parkway exit ramp to travel southbound in the northbound lanes. At that moment, the Woodstock officer saw the female passenger had been ejected from the SUV near the exit ramp and was found lying in the roadway.

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A trooper with the Georgia State Patrol took over the pursuit of the SUV, which was traveling southbound on the northbound side of I-575. With the state trooper taking over the pursuit of the SUV, the officer decided to render aid to the woman. However, upon returning to that scene, the officer observed the woman was being treated by Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad agents, so he decided to see if he could help in the pursuit of the SUV.

The chase continued southbound in the northbound lanes into Cobb County. According to the Woodstock incident report, the officer got off the interstate at Chastain Road and saw the suspect on the ground in handcuffs.

The Georgia State Patrol said a total of three PIT maneuvers were attempted on the SUV during the pursuit. Following the third maneuver, the driver, identified as Zachary Tyler Bowers, 23, of Woodstock, tried to flee on foot, but was apprehended by the trooper, who had to use his taser on Bowers.

The passenger, identified as 23-year-old Jennifer Smith of Jesup, was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital for treatment of her injuries. The state agency noted the woman was not ejected due to one of the PIT maneuvers the trooper attempted on the SUV.

Bowers was taken into custody and transported to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.