JONES COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
An assist by deputies with the Jones County Sheriff’s Office evolved into a high-speed chase and ended with the suspect being tracked down and apprehended by K9s.
Chad Ervin Lowery, 34, was arrested Sept. 19 and charged with a probation violation, failure to stop at stop sign, seatbelt, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer for a felony offense and misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement officers.
Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece announced Lowery’s capture in a Facebook post.
“You can run, but you just go to jail tired and dirty,” Reece said. “Special thanks to the Georgia Department of Corrections K9 Unit and K9 Maybelle for helping us apprehend Chad Lowery this afternoon. Deputies and US Marshals have been chasing after Lowery all day. Thanks to everyone involved and all the citizens who called in to report sightings of Lowery.”
Earlier in the day, Reece let it be known that JCSO deputes, the US Marshals Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Georgia Department of Corrections K9 Unit were out in the area of Fortville-Milledgeville, Ethridge and Fifth roads looking for Lowery.
The sheriff said, while deputies were attempting to serve the warrant, Lowery fled in a vehicle, which he quickly abandoned and ran on foot.
A report of the search that led to the arrest of Lowery by JCSO Sgt. Kasey Carr stated he was assisting Investigator Gerry Nelson and the Southeast Regional Task Force execute a warrant service at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 19.
He said Nelson was aware that Lowery was known to be at a residence on Ethridge Drive. Carr said Lowery was wanted for probation violation warrants out of Jones and Houston counties.
The deputy said the suspect drove a dark gray Dodge Charger. He said, while enroute to the address, officers were advised Lowery had gotten into the car and was leaving the residence. As he approached the driveway, he saw the dark gray Charger coming toward the officers.
“The three vehicles in front of me attempted to stop the Charger, but it went around them at a high rate of speed,” Carr said.
Lowery was identified as being the driver, and the sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle. He said the vehicle accelerated in his direction and came at him head on. Carr said he had to put his patrol car in reverse and back off the road to avoid being hit.
The officer said he pulled behind the Charger and advised dispatch he was in pursuit. He said the vehicle continued to Ethridge Road and toward Eatonton Highway at a high rate of speed. He said the chase reached speeds around 110 mph in a 45 mph speed limit zone.
The vehicle then made an abrupt sharp right turn onto Fortville-Milledgeville Road.
Carr said he lost sight of the Charger as the chase entered the 800 block of Fortville-Milledgeville Road.
The officer said he advised responding units the vehicle turned off somewhere in the 700 block, and a short time later dispatch notified him that a lady on Fortville-Milledgeville Road called and stated the vehicle was in her backyard.
The sergeant said he and Lt. Wesley Ransom responded to the address and made contact with the homeowner. She advised them that a white male exited the Charger and began walking toward the wood line.
Carr said they secured the location and began setting up a perimeter around the area. The Georgia Department of Corrections K9 unit was called to assist with tracking the suspect.
The deputy said he and Ransom went into the woods and followed along with a DOC K9 Unit.
He later conducted a vehicle inventory of the Charger, and it was towed to the Jones County LEC.
Carr said he secured warrants on Lowery for felony fleeing and attempting to elude and obstruction of an officer.
A few hours later, he was notified Lowery was located in the woods off Ethridge Road and was taken into custody.
The following morning, Carr said he served the warrants on Lowery.
“While doing so, Chad stated he saw the men coming out of the woods. Chad stated he was smoking methamphetamine on the front porch and thought someone was going to kill him,” he said.
The sergeant said Lowery told him he saw the first group of cars and did not know they were law enforcement.
“Chad stated once he realized I was a Jones County Deputy he was already committed to running and continued to run,” he stated.
