Deputies make heroin bust after high-speed chase
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Two men are behind bars in Coweta County after leading deputies on a high-speed chase. Deputies said the driver tried to run from a DUI checkpoint but he and his passenger ended up in much more trouble. That's because deputies said they recovered heroin and more when they finally got the driver to stop.
During the case, deputies said they saw the two men in the car throwing items out. Afterward, investigators said deputies located heroin.
It was probably more attention than the two men had planned on. Surrounded by Coweta County deputies with guns drawn, including high powered rifles. When it was over Jerrell Alford and Richard Gemmel would be under arrest and facing multiple charges including drug possession.
Deputies said it had started on Shenandoah Boulevard at a DUI checkpoint. It was alcohol but the smell of marijuana that alerted deputies to trouble. When told to pull to a secondary spot, the driver Jerrell Alford put the car in gear and sped cars off down Shenandoah at a speed of over 80 miles an hour.
Video from police cameras shows the end of the chase after deputies deployed stop sticks and disabled the car. It is what is known as a felony car stop where the occupants are ordered out and directed to walk backward toward the officer giving commands.
Both men were taken into custody. Deputies said when they searched the car they found a passport in an unopened envelope that was not addressed to either Alford and Gemmel.
Jerrell Alford is the one facing the largest number of charges including fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, drug possession, and tampering with evidence.
Gemmel was the passenger and also faces drug charges as well as tampering with evidence.
Deputies said they found heroin and said other items were thrown from both sides of the car during the chase.
In all deputies, said they recovered 2 grams of heroin.
Jerrell Alford was still in jail as of Thursday afternoon. Richard Gemmel was released on $6,800 bond.