Rossville, GA - Suspect Steals Police Car - Runs Over Officer - Crashed On Rail Road Tracks In Chattanooga, TN - Escapes
Rossville officer struck by suspect who
took patrol car
09/03/08
Walker County Messenger
Sid Adams, Rossville police chief
Authorities believe a man who ran over a Rossville police officer Wednesday
morning had burglarized a church.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the officer’s name had not been released
publicly, pending notification of additional relatives.
Rossville Police Chief Sid Adams said two officers were checking out a
suspicious pedestrian on West Lake Avenue near the Tennessee line about 1 a.m.
Wednesday when the incident occurred.
“One of our night shift officers noticed the individual on foot … walking on the
railroad tracks and …. the other officer came to assist him,” Adams said. “They
were attempting to stop him and check him out and see what he was doing in the
area, at which point he ran from the officers.”
Adams said the man jumped into a police car and ran head-on into one of the
officers. The man ditched the car from the fallen officer and took off on foot.
“The vehicle was actually recovered on the Chattanooga side of Calhoun
(Street) and 50th Street,” Adams said. “He had ran over some railroad tracks and
punctured some of the tires on the car, at which point he got out and left it.”
The police chief said evidence points to the suspect being involved with a
church burglary before the incident occurred.
“It would appear, right now, that the suspect burglarized the church,” Adams
said, referring to Simpson United Methodist in Rossville. He said the suspect
dropped some articles taken from the church.
The injured officer is at Erlanger Medical Center. His injuries are not
life-threatening, Adams said.
Rossville Police Department, Walker County Sheriff's Department and Chattanooga
Police Department are looking for the suspect. He is described as a white male,
20-30 years old, and was last seen wearing a ball cap and white T-shirt.