Suspect bails from moving car leaving girlfriend with no driver

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - Coweta County authorities have arrested a driver who they say bailed out of a moving car during a police pursuit and endangered the lives of others on the roadway. Bodycam obtained by FOX 5 shows the car continuing to roll until a deputy stops it with his own car.

Deputies say that runaway car, continued rolling through a crowded hotel parking lot and a right toward a dance school with children inside.

The body cam video shows Raphael Kirkland bailing from the moving car and running away from deputies as they attempted to pull him over in a drug investigation.  They say the car kept moving with his girlfriend Olivia White trapped inside and unable to control it.  The video showed a sheriff’s office vehicle finally ending the danger while Kirkland ran away. 

Deputies say they caught up with Kirkland at his family’s Coweta County apartment, not far from the crash.  They would eventually took him into custody. 

They say they seized a pound and a half of marijuana, $3,000 in cash and a gun.  They say Kirkland is a convicted felon who had outstanding felony arrest warrants when taken into custody. 

Deputies say they had Kirkland under surveillance in an undercover drug operation in which they say they witnessed him selling drugs to motorists stopping in the apartment complex parking lot, but they say before they could take him into custody, he then sped away.

Deputies say they arrested his mother Vickie Renee Parks, who they say is a 50-year-old substitute teacher.  They say she is facing drug and weapons charges as wells aiding Kirkland’s attempted escape. 

A woman identified as Kirkland’s girlfriend is 20 year-old-Olivia White was also arrested on drug charges.  Remember, she was stuck in the runaway car.  Deputies say she had hidden drugs in a body cavity.

A judge has denied bond for Kirkland. He’s still locked up here at the Coweta County Jail.