High- Speed Chase Starts in Appling, Ends in Toombs

A high-speed chase that started in Appling County Monday morning ended in Vidalia around noon with a Toombs County officer tackling the fleeing suspect and making the arrest.

The suspect was identified as Cameron McLemore, 21, of Vidalia. He is facing multiple charges in Toombs and Appling counties.

Captain Scotty Tanner of the Appling County Sheriff’s Department said that a sheriff’s deputy first encountered McLemore in a routine traffic stop on U.S. 1 outside of Baxley. He said that after being stopped by the deputy, McLemore fled the scene and headed south on U.S. 1. He then made a U-turn on the highway and headed north toward Toombs County.

The Appling County Sheriff’s deputy in pursuit of the suspect said a handgun was tossed from the window of the fleeing car and was recovered later by authorities.

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Captain Jordan Kight with the Toombs County Sheriff’s Department and Deputy Nathan Coursey entered the chase after being alerted that a silver Nissan, which had been clocked at speeds over 100 miles per hour, was headed toward Toombs County on U.S. Highway 1. A deputy from Appling County, who had been chasing the Nissan on U.S. 1, advised dispatchers of the location of the vehicle. When the suspect diverted onto Harden Chapel Road from U.S. 1, Kight and Coursey headed south to intercept the north-bound suspect. Kight said as the suspect approached, Deputy Coursey set up stop sticks across the roadway. Kight continued to proceed south to intercept the suspect and to ensure he did not turn off of Harden Chapel Road. Kight encountered the subject at the intersection of Harden Chapel Road and Betty Zeigler Road and turned around to give chase. With Kight in pursuit, the suspect continued on Harden Chapel Road at speeds reaching over 100 miles per hour. When the suspect reached the stop sticks, he diverted his vehicle into a ditch and then returned to the road.

Kight said the chase continued north on Harden Chapel Road to the intersection of U.S. 1 where he ran a stop sign, then onto Aimwell Extension at Lyons Center where he ran another stop sign. The suspect proceeded into the City of Vidalia at a high rate of speed, leading the police on a chase down a number of city streets.

Officers in pursuit observed a female passenger open a door and tumble out of the speeding vehicle at 519 Epstein Street. One of the officers stopped to conduct a search of the area where the female jumped from the moving car, but the woman had already fled the area. Her identity was still unknown as of Tuesday morning.

The male suspect continued to circle through several city streets with police in pursuit before stopping the vehicle at Poe Street and fleeing on foot. Kight, who was in close proximity, exited his patrol unit, chased the suspect down and apprehended him. Soon after, members of the Appling County Sheriff’s Office arrived to take the suspect into custody and transfer him to Baxley. His vehicle was towed to Appling County to be processed as evidence.

McLemore is being held in Appling County on charges of felony fleeing and eluding, possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime and several traffic violations. Once he has made bail on these charges, he will be returned to Toombs County where he faces additional charges.