SUPERIOR COURT
A Hinesville man pled guilty in Jones County Superior Court to charges received as the result of a chase with multiple law enforcement agencies that thankfully ended with no one injured.
Stephen La entered a guilty plea Feb. 9 for two charges of theft by receiving stolen property. He received 10 years for the first count and five years for second count. The counts are to run concurrently for a total of 10 years with the first two years served in confinement. The defendant was given credit for time served from his March 3, 2022, arrest.
The plea was the result of negotiations with the state.
A report the arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Travis Douglas stated that he received a call from Bibb County asking for an assist with the pursuit of La, who had entered Jones County.
He said the request was for Jones County officers to deploy spike strips ahead of the pursuit. Douglas said he and Investigator John Simmons responded, but as they approached, the pursuit entered the intersection of Gray Highway and Highway 18.
The captain said La was driving a Toyota Corolla south on Gray Highway in the northbound lane, causing vehicles to leave the road to avoid a head-on collision.
Douglas said the suspect was driving so recklessly that he was endangering everyone on the roadway. He said La was weaving in and out of traffic.
A state trooper was able to block northbound traffic, at which time the suspect crossed the median and started heading north in the southbound lane.
The captain said Gray Police Department Lt. Thaxton Pennamon was able to strike La’s car with his patrol vehicle in an attempt to stop him, however, the suspect was able to continue going north in the southbound lane.
Douglas said he was in the position to hit La’s vehicle headon, and he had decided to do so when La turned slightly. He said that allowed him to hit the Toyota on the passenger side, and Simmons was able to strike from the front to stop the vehicle.
Douglas said La was taken into custody and transported to Bibb County. He said a hold was placed on him for Jones County’s pending charges.
The captain said the car was towed to the JCSO impound lot, and a warrant was obtained to search it. He said items found inside the Toyota had been reported stolen, and the car itself was discovered to have been stolen from Savannah.
Douglas said La was charged in Jones County for interference with government property, theft by receiving stolen property, reckless driving, and fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement.
