CUMMING – One person was hospitalized and two were arrested following a brief chase Thursday evening that started with a traffic stop on Buford Highway at Ronald Reagan Boulevard and ended in a three-vehicle crash.
Jay Bradley Sanders, 37 of Madison, Ga., was charged with felony fleeing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana less than one ounce, driving on a suspended license and driving a motor vehicle without insurance, according to Deputy Epifanio Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
Sanders, who also had an outstanding warrant – it was unclear from what jurisdiction – remained detained in the Forsyth County Jail as of Friday without bond, Rodriguez said.
Instead of pulling over when a Forsyth sheriff’s deputy turned on his lights to stop the 1998 Ford Mustang about 6:20 p.m. Thursday, he reportedly sped up and ran through a red light heading east on Buford Highway (Hwy. 20).
As the Mustang went through the light against the signal, it struck a Toyota Corolla that was in front of it, knocking it into a motorcycle that had started through the intersection.
Although the motorcycle flipped, knocking the rider off, he told officers he was not injured, and was up and walking around the scene.
“He got lucky,” said Rodriguez said of the motorcyclist’s lack of injuries.
The female driver of the Toyota was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, Rodriguez said.
Neither the Toyota nor the motorcycle had any passengers.
As soon as the Mustang wrecked, Sanders reportedly jumped from the car and fled behind the nearby Hampton Inn, where he was caught by deputies less than 10 minutes later.
A passenger in the Mustang, 38-year-old Kara Rickard from Gainesville, was arrested on outstanding warrants for probation violation in Hall, Jackson and Habersham counties, Rodriguez said.
She was booked into the county jail without bond.
Traffic at the intersection, a heavily commuted entrance to both Ga. 400 and the Market Place Boulevard retail corridor, was affected for less than 30 minutes.
Staff writer Kayla Robins contributed to this story.