Habershaun Co., GA - Suspect Steals Police Car - Wears Officer's Jacket - High Speed Chase - Lost Control - Flipped The Patrol Car

September 12, 2011

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The Habersham County Board of Education Police Department fleet is down by one patrol car after that unit was stolen and wrecked while the driver was being chased early Sunday.

According to BOE Police Chief Don Ford, “I got a phone call at home advising me that a Clarkesville city unit was in pursuit of one of my patrol cars.”

Ford initially thought officers were mistaken, but soon learned it indeed was a BOE patrol car.

“It was one of our cars – we have two of our cars parked at Fairview [Elementary] – it was the Crown Vic, it’s a patrol unit,” Ford said. “The guy was apparently was cutting circles at Ingles and that’s what got people’s attention.”

A Clarkesville police officer spotted the patrol car and gave chase, following the vehicle into Demorest, where the driver lost control and flipped the vehicle.

“The suspect’s name is Leslie Smith,” Ford said. “He basically told them on the scene, from my understanding, ‘I was tired of walking.’”

Ford said Smith suffered a scratch to his leg when personnel got him out of the wrecked car.

The chief explained how Smith allegedly took the car from the locked parking lot at Fairview Elementary School on Cannon Bridge Road.

“He took a piece of concrete and broke one of the windows on our Taurus that we have parked out there, and got in it and got an officer’s jacket,” Ford said. “Then he broke into the Crown Vic and took it and that was the one that he wrecked.”

While Smith lists his address as LaGrange, Ford said local law enforcement personnel have dealt with him several times and that Smith is living locally.

Smith faces numerous charges following the overnight chase and wreck.

“There’s a multitude of traffic charges that the City of Clarkesville’s going to take and probably other jurisdictions as well, since the chase started in Clarkesville and ended in Demorest,” Ford said. “We’re looking at the theft of the motor vehicle, interference with government property, criminal damage, things of this nature. Because he put on one of my officer’s jackets, we’re looking at the possibility as far as I’m concerned of impersonating an officer because he was in a police vehicle wearing a police jacket. At a minimum, we’re looking at that.”

After allegedly breaking into the patrol cars and taking the Ford Crown Victoria, Ford said Smith drove the vehicle through the fence at the school.

“I don’t know how much damage was done to the fence,” Ford said. “He drove right through it and that’s what started the damage, and he finished it when he flipped it. The car is a total loss.”

Habersham County School Superintendent Robert Costley praised local law enforcement officers for their work to keep the county safe and said system officials will be working with their insurance company to replace the vehicle as soon as possible.

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