Man being sought slams into deputy’s patrol car before running off

A man being questioned by Houston County deputies took off midinterview, prompting a car chase that ended soon after he crashed into a deputy’s car.

A woman had called police Wednesday morning after witnessing a suspicious man in a white truck take mail from a neighbor’s mailbox on Bowen Drive.

The woman’s neighbor contacted her bank and learned that there had been checks in the mailbox.

Authorities soon had a suspect, 38-year-old Ronald Jaimeson Embry, and secured a felony warrant charging him with identity fraud. They also began looking for his 1996 Ford truck.

About 5:20 p.m., sheriff’s Capt. Jon Holland spotted the white truck and tried to stop it at Russell Parkway and Moody Drive.

“While he was talking to Embry ... there was a deputy who arrived on the scene to assist him,” Capt. Ronnie Harlowe said. “At that point, Embry decided to flee the scene.”

The chase went on for about a mile. Deputies followed Embry up Moody Road and Feagin Mill Road, and then “right before the end, Embry ran into one of our patrol vehicles, drove about another 50 yards, then fled on foot,” Harlowe said.

The crash caused significant damage to the patrol car, but the driver, deputy Patrick Rutherford, was OK.

“When you use a vehicle in an offensive manner, ... you’re looking at aggravated assault,” Holland said, adding that Embry would face more charges related to the chase.

Embry was jailed Wednesday evening, charged with three traffic-related offenses, aggravated assault on a peace officer, fleeing or attempting to elude and identity fraud.

This story was originally published August 10, 2017 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Man being sought slams into deputy’s patrol car before running off."