Warner Robins man sentenced to 10 years after high-speed chase

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. - A Warner Robins man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after turning a routine traffic stop into a dangerous, high-speed chase that injured several people, including his own passenger.

What we know:

Bobby Lee McGhee, 64, pleaded guilty in Houston County Superior Court on Sept. 15 to fleeing and eluding police, false imprisonment and three counts of aggravated assault. Judge G.E. "Bo" Adams sentenced him to 10 years in prison followed by 20 years of probation.

McGhee was pulled over for speeding on Nov. 16, 2024, by Deputy Garrett Painter of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office on Moody Road. McGhee told the deputy he had no license but was driving a female friend to the hospital. An ambulance was called, but McGhee sped away before it arrived.

He then led deputies on a more than 12-minute chase through Warner Robins, reaching nearly 100 mph on residential streets, running red lights, driving into parking lots and even traveling on the wrong side of the road. McGhee struck another vehicle at American Boulevard and Hawaii Avenue, injuring three people, including a child. His female passenger was also injured when she tried to escape the car and he accelerated again.

Deputy Dalton Windham ended the pursuit with a precision immobilization technique, and McGhee was taken into custody. Authorities noted that McGhee drove past Emory Hospital multiple times without stopping for medical care for his passenger.

What they're saying:

Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith, who prosecuted the case, praised deputies Painter and Windham, calling their efforts "heroic." He added, "Each and every person traveling on our local roadways should feel safe while driving or riding. The District Attorney's Office remains committed to protecting the community and ensuring that fleeing motorists always go to prison following a conviction."

District Attorney Eric Z. Edwards said McGhee’s actions showed "no regard for anyone’s safety," adding, "The ten-year prison sentence in this case makes clear that when fleeing motorists turn our roads into danger zones, they will be held accountable and they will go to prison."