Police chase ends after driver jumps from bridge, dies in lake, SC coroner says
A driver running from deputies died after he jumped over a bridge along the Georgia-South Carolina border, news outlets reported.
The man apparently drowned after the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia first tried to pull over a Dodge Charger that was going 125 mph. The car had been traveling north on Interstate 85 overnight Monday, June 6, officials said.
There was a chase before the Dodge driver crashed near the South Carolina border, according to WSPA and WHNS. The man reportedly hit a guardrail and another car on a bridge that spans Lake Hartwell, a popular destination for water activities.
After the crash, the Dodge driver jumped off the bridge and into the water. He was trying to swim as deputies called for him and tried to rescue him with a rope, according to the Oconee County Corner’s Office in South Carolina.
The man’s was found dead at about 2 a.m., roughly four hours after the attempted traffic stop. His body was in more than 20 feet of water, the coroner’s office said in a news release.
The man was identified as 31-year-old Akeem O. Lukie of Greenwood, South Carolina. Officials said an autopsy scheduled for this week could help determine the cause of death.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on June 7.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 9:20 AM with the headline "Police chase ends after driver jumps from bridge, dies in lake, SC coroner says."
