Authorities arrested a wanted man Thursday after a Bulloch County sheriff's deputy chased him down — on the suspect's bicycle.

Michael A. Andrews, 22, of Peachtree Street, was acting suspiciously when he spotted deputies around 4:30 p.m. Thursday as they questioned others on Mikell Street about reported drug activity, Deputy Mark Guarino said in a report.

Guarino and Sgt. Jason Kearney, members of the Sheriff's Targeted Enforcement Patrol, or STEP, unit, were assisting Bulloch County Drug Suppression Team agents when they noticed Andrews "... walking through the yard while pushing a bicycle ... (shielding) his body to the side" and reaching into the area of his waistband, Guarino wrote.

Andrews "... began to hurry towards the rear of the yard ... while feverishly digging near his waist," Guarino stated. Guarino ordered Andrews to stop for questioning about his odd behavior, but the suspect fled, the report says.

Guarino chased him, jumping a chain-link fence and sustaining a minor injury. As he spotted Andrews approaching South College Street, he saw him drop an unknown object in some bushes, but when deputies later checked the area, nothing was found.

Guarino continued pursuing Andrews, where another deputy intercepted him, which caused him to drop his bike and run "down College Lane in the direction of South Walnut Street," the report says.

Guarino grabbed Andrews' abandoned bicycle, "commandeering it for the remainder of the pursuit," Guarino wrote. "I began peddling towards the fleeing suspect as other deputies in marked vehicles joined in attempting to contain him within the block."

Guarino lost sight of Andrews as he rounded a corner on South Walnut Street, but a bystander gave him directions and said Andrews "ran through his yard in the direction of South Main Street," he stated in his report.

After notifying others involved in the chase, Guarino rode the suspect's bike in continued pursuit until he caught sight of him. Separated by a fence from Andrews, Guarino told others where he was headed, and Kearney and Deputy Ross Norman caught up with him in a nearby parking lot, Guarino said.

As Guarino biked to the other deputies' aid, he heard sounds of a struggle. Andrews continued resisting until a deputy subdued him with a Taser, the report says.

Andrews was wanted on outstanding warrants from the Statesboro Police Department for simple battery and theft by taking. He was also charged with obstruction because of his flight from deputies.

Before Andrews was placed in the patrol car to be taken to jail, Guarino gave him some advice, according to reports.

"I returned the suspect's bicycle to him ... advising him that the front brake was not working correctly," he stated.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.