Chase leads to 2 arrests

Jan. 25—Two Milledgeville men who reportedly led local and state law enforcement authorities on as many as two car chases over two days have been arrested.

The suspects now face criminal charges.

One suspect is accused of nearly hitting a deputy sheriff with a car while the deputy was standing outside his patrol car last week during a chase.

Baldwin County Sheriff's Office Capt. Lee Williamson identified the pair as Demarcus Denard Braddy of the 100 block of Highview Drive, and Jaylan Latrell Mason a residence at The Milledgeville Manor Apartments.

Williamson said Braddy was charged with aggravated assault against a peace officer, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, failure to stop for a stop sign, theft by taking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and a parole violation.

Mason was charged with two felony counts of probation violation, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and theft by receiving stolen property.

Both men are currently jailed in the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center.

About 8 p.m. last Thursday, Deputy Saralynn Henderson attempted to stop a 2014 Honda Accord because she had reason to believe that a wanted man was inside the vehicle.

"That wanted person was Demarcus Braddy," Williamson said, noting that she received an alert from a Flock security camera. "The alert was just that a wanted person was inside the car."

The deputy attempted to stop the car along the 1500 block of Irwinton Road.

"The vehicle slowed down but did not stop," Williamson said.

Henderson turned on her blue lights and siren to stop the driver of the car.

A short time later, one of the car doors partially opened and the vehicle made a sudden stop in the roadway, Williamson told The Union-Recorder during an interview Tuesday morning.

"Once the vehicle came to that abrupt stop, both occupants jumped out and ran," said the road patrol captain.

A manhunt for the suspects was launched, which included a K-9 tracking dog and officer from the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Search efforts failed to turn up either suspect.

"The [vehicle] owner came to the sheriff's office a little later on and identified the driver whom she had loaned her car," Williamson said.

The woman provided the name Jaylan Mason.

The next day, several officers with the Georgia Department of Community Supervision saw another car that Demarcus Braddy is commonly known to drive.

Williamson said the state officers radioed the information to the sheriff's office about 2 p.m.

Trooper James Spisak of the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville happened to be in the area where the car was spotted.

"The state trooper also tried to stop the car," Williamson said. "The state trooper got behind him in the area of Hancock and North Irwin streets."

As soon as Spisak turned on the blue lights of his patrol car, the driver of the car turned right onto North Irwin Street where Deputy Lt. Ken Kirby was located.

"Lt. Kirby kinda blocked the road with his patrol car and actually got out with his service weapon drawn," Williamson said.

The driver of the car stopped since he wasn't able to drive any farther on Irwin Street with Lt. Kirby in front of him with his patrol car.

The driver, later identified as Braddy, turned around and nearly struck Kirby, Williamson said.

"The driver went back down South Irwin Street, took a right on East Hancock Street, then went one block and turned right onto South Tattnall Street," Williamson said. "When he got to the intersection of South Tattnall Street and Franklin Street, Trooper Spisak performed an effective pit maneuver which ended the chase."

The car went down an embankment and wrecked along the railroad tracks.

The suspect then jumped out of the car and attempted to run away.

"He ran north along the railroad tracks," Williamson said of Braddy.

The suspect later failed down at which time Spisak was able to arrest the suspect.

Mason was arrested along with two women on outstanding probation warrants. The trio were taken into custody at a residence at The Milledgeville Manor Apartments.

The two women arrested were charged with misdemeanor offenses of obstruction of a law enforcement officer.