Crawford County deputy returns fire, kills man following high-speed chase

A Crawford County sheriff’s deputy returned fire, striking and killing a suspect following a high-speed chase Monday night, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Jamie Lamar Darley, 33, was taken to the Medical Center, Navicent Health, where he was pronounced dead, according to a GBI news release. Darley earlier had reportedly been involved in a domestic incident.

Here’s what the GBI has released based on its preliminary investigation:

At 6:18 p.m., Crawford sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a domestic dispute at 2570 Richardson Mill Road where Darley reportedly threatened people with a gun inside the home.

Before deputies arrived, Darley fled in white Chevrolet truck. They caught up with him on Blasingame Road in Crawford County and tried to pull him over.

A high-speed chase ensued with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The pursuit came to a halt back on Richardson Mill Road in the yard of the same residence of the domestic dispute.

“Darley exited the truck holding a silver firearm in his hand,” the release read. “Darley pointed the firearm at the deputies and fired at least one shot. One Crawford County deputy returned fire, striking Darley.”

Deputies rendered aid to Darley until paramedics arrived. No officers were injured in the incident.

The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

Once completed, the GBI is expected to turn its investigative file over to the Bibb Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review. The judicial circuit includes Crawford County.

The incident marks the 35th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate in 2020, compared to 84 officer-involved shootings investigated by the GBI in 2019, according to Natalie L. Ammons, deputy director of the GBI’s Office of Public Affairs.

This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 10:37 AM.