This browser does not support the Video element.
North Carolina teacher killed in Atlanta chase
A 51-year-old North Carolina teacher was killed at an Atlanta gas station during a high-speed police pursuit, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
ATLANTA - An innocent North Carolina grandmother visiting her sisters was killed Monday when a fleeing suspect slammed into a car at a southeast Atlanta gas station during a high-speed police pursuit.
Atlanta police chase
What we know:
The Georgia State Patrol attempted to pull over a suspect, identified as Fre'shum Thai White, who was driving 90 mph in a 55 mph zone. Officials said White refused to stop, began recklessly backing into traffic, and ultimately lost control of his vehicle.
Fre’shun Tyai White (Cobb County Sheriff's Office)
The chase came to a violent end at the Shell gas station on Hill Street in southeast Atlanta when White slammed into a parked car. Chatanna Patterson, a 51-year-old math and robotics teacher from North Carolina who had three children, was standing outside next to her sister Heather's car when the impact occurred.
Patterson, who was in town for a holiday weekend sisters' retreat, was killed. Her sister Tiawanna Patterson described her as "the glue to our family" and a "prayer warrior."
Patterson's sister Heather, suspect Fre'shum Thai White, and a passenger inside White's vehicle all sustained injuries in the crash. They are currently being treated at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Fleeing suspect crash
What we don't know:
It remains unclear what initial traffic violation prompted state troopers to attempt the stop before White sped away. Law enforcement officials have not yet disclosed the specific criminal charges White will face upon his release from Grady Memorial Hospital. Additionally, the current medical conditions of Heather Patterson, White, and his passenger have not been released.
Pursuit policy debate
What they're saying:
The grieving family is demanding that law enforcement agencies ban high-speed pursuits, especially during inclement weather.
"When do you stop putting people on high-speed chases, especially in the rain," Tiawanna Patterson said. "Where I thought it was the law that they don't do that anymore, but I guess it's not. So when does it end? When do, how many people do we have to bury for them to stop chasing people?"
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia State Patrol, who provided the initial crash details and suspect information, as well as Tiawanna Patterson, who explained the events leading up to the crash and shared her family's perspective.