High-speed chase arrest: Newton County man charged in hit-and-run crash

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Marquis Dukes (Newton County Sheriff's Office)

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Newton County man is facing a long list of charges after deputies say he caused a hit-and-run crash and then fled from law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit.

What we know:

Deputies responded around 11 a.m. on July 23 to a hit-and-run incident on Cook Road. Witnesses reported a black Acura SUV traveling in the wrong lane, forcing at least one vehicle off the roadway and striking a stop sign before fleeing the area.

The vehicle was later located near Bypass Road at Lower River Road. When deputies attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to stop, leading authorities on a chase that ended on South Lake Drive, where he was taken into custody.

A search of the SUV revealed cocaine, marijuana, pill bottles containing oxycodone and Xanax, and a handgun.

What we don't know:

No word on his next court appearance.

What's next:

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Marquis Dukes of Covington, is a convicted felon. He faces charges including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; possession, purchase, manufacture or sale of marijuana; possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; two counts of possession of drugs not in their original container; improper lane usage; weaving over the roadway; and failure to fulfill the duty upon striking an unattended vehicle.