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Body camera video shows wild Newnan parking lot chase
A teenager's reckless attempt to switch stolen vehicles triggered a dangerous high-speed chase that sent cars scattering along a heavily congested Newnan shipping corridor.
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A dangerous high-speed pursuit unfolded in Newnan after an 18-year-old driver allegedly stole a vehicle from a local Walmart parking lot and drove down the wrong side of a busy road to escape deputies, officials said.
What we know:
Law enforcement converged on a Newnan Walmart parking lot after receiving reports that a car stolen from Spalding County was spotted there, according to Coweta County sheriff's deputies.
While authorities were arriving, a shopper reported that their Hyundai had just been stolen from the same parking lot.
Deputies spotted the newly stolen Hyundai on the Newnan bypass near the Ashley Park shopping center.
Body camera footage captured the 18-year-old driver accelerating to speeds exceeding 100 mph.
The driver then jumped into the opposite lane, fleeing from law enforcement on the wrong side of a congested road.
Lt. Toby Nix of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office stated that a deputy attempted to chase the vehicle down Lower Fayetteville Road but eventually lost sight of it.
Deputies later found the stolen Hyundai abandoned in a nearby neighborhood.
A short time later, authorities located and apprehended the shirtless driver.
The driver was identified as 18-year-old Evan Cole Knighten Smithee of Hampton.
Coweta County sheriff's deputies hit him with a total of nine charges, including felony fleeing, theft by receiving stolen property, reckless driving, and multiple traffic violations.
He is currently being held at the Coweta County jail without bond.
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Stolen car pursuit spills into busy Coweta retail hub
Coweta County sheriff’s deputies faced a highly dangerous pursuit over the weekend after an 18-year-old driver connected to multiple stolen vehicles swerved onto the wrong side of the road, accelerating directly into oncoming traffic through a densely packed retail corridor.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the identity of the shopper whose car was taken from the Walmart parking lot. It remains unclear exactly how long the suspect managed to evade deputies after abandoning the vehicle in the neighborhood.
Additionally, authorities have not announced the specific timeline for when another police agency will file separate charges against Smithee for the initial vehicle stolen out of Spalding County.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Coweta County Sheriff's Office, who provided body camera video and statements through Lt. Toby Nix, as well as reporting from FOX 5 News reporter Doug Evans.