An incident that began with an attempted traffic stop at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ended at 4:15 the next morning with the capture of an Atlanta man who now faces multiple charges, including weapons and drug offenses.
On Wednesday evening, Cpl. Dustin Lanier and his canine partner Pike tried to stop a black Ford Mustang after Lanier witnessed the car run the red light at Highway 301 South and Langston Chapel Road, according to Sheriff Noel Brown in a release from the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the Mustang then sped down multiple roads throughout the county and city with law enforcement in pursuit. Also, Brown said in the release that the Mustang matched a description involving a possible murder suspect from another jurisdiction.
After a lengthy chase, the Mustang was last observed on Clito Road by a Statesboro Police detective and it was soon found abandoned on Franklin Road at Sassy’s Lane, located just north and east of Statesboro Municipal Airport, Brown said.
Law enforcement K9’s searched the area along with Georgia State Patrol Aviation. After a lengthy search the suspect, who was identified as Marvin Simmons, 27, of Atlanta, could not be located.
The Mustang was stolen out of Atlanta. Simmons was determined not to be a suspect in a homicide, but multiple firearms were found in the vehicle. and a Glock handgun was thought to be missing from the vehicle.
Simmons was found around 4:15 a.m. Thursday when Sgt. Jody Deal, with the Bulloch Sheriff’s Office, stopped a white Challenger on Clito Road.
Brown said a family member, Melvin Simmons, had just picked Marvin Simmons up. There was a short chase on foot but he was apprehended a short distance from the vehicle. Both subjects were arrested.
Marvin Simmons faces charges of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, possession of a firearm by convicted felon or first offender, possession of marijuana less than 1 oz., obstruction of law enforcement officers – misdemeanor and possession of Schedule II controlled substance. Melvin Simmons, 46, also of Atlanta, is charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers - misdemeanor.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Brown said: “I would like to thank the Statesboro Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol and GSP Aviation, the Portal Police Department and the Brooklet Police Department for their help in the incident. We greatly appreciate the assistance!”