Man arrested after deadly crash, day-long chase in Paulding County
PAUDLING COUNTY, Ga. - A man is under arrest in Paulding County after leading multiple law enforcement officers on a chase following a deadly crash near Mulberry Rock Road and Cohran Road.
The crash happened at approximately 6:49 a.m. Oct. 31, according to the Paulding County Sheriff's Office, Multiple people were injured, and one person later died at a local hospital.
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office, Georgia State Patrol troopers, and U.S. Marshals spent the better part of the day chasing the suspect, 41-year-old Michael Anthony Morgan.
They eventually caught up with him at a home in Temple.
Michael Anthony Morgan
He was arrested without incident and taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries he sustained during the crash. He was later transported to the Paulding County Jail and is being held without bond. He is facing the following charges:
- Homicide By Vehicle
- Hit and Run Resulting in Serious Injury or Death
- Serious Injury by Vehicle
- Driving on the Wrong Side of the Roadway
- Failure to Maintain Lane
- Driving on a Suspended License
- No Proof of Insurance
- Defective Tires
- Multiple Warrants From Various Jurisdictions
Grandmother of Paulding County crash victim reacts to arrest
Marybeth Wilborn, 24, was killed in the wreck Tuesday morning.
"Every time she wanted to learn something her eyes would twinkle," said Roni Tewksbury, Marybeth's grandmother.
Morgan left Marybeth and another female passenger, who was injured, and took off running, police say. A woman in the car Morgan hit, was also seriously injured.
"He just took off, because he didn't care. He knew he had warrants, he didn't have a license, he was at fault, and he knew he was going to jail," said Paulding County Sheriff's Sgt. Ashley Henson.
Paulding County Sheriff's deputies, Georgia State Troopers and the US Marshals began searching the area, determined to find Morgan.
"Unfortunately he was a step ahead of law enforcement for the majority of the day. He would show up at a home, people would call 911, he would take off. The same thing kept happening intermittently throughout the day," said Sgt. Henson.
Around nightfall, Morgan was found at a home in Temple where he was arrested.
Marybeth's family says they've never met Morgan before and don't know how Marybeth knew him.
Marybeth's aunt faced him in court Wednesday morning.
"I looked at him when we faced him this morning in court and I said you left my baby, because he did, he left her," said Brandi Clark, Marybeth's aunt.
"She was a gift to the world, and now we've lost her," said Roni Tewksbury.
The driver of the other car that Morgan hit is a local teacher. She's in the hospital with serious injuries.
If you have any information related to this tragic incident, please reach out to the Georgia State Patrol Post 29 Paulding at (770) 222-6174. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible and safe driving on the roads. #PauldingSheriff #GSP #HitAndRun #Arrested