Georgia State Patrol car crashes during chase in Southwest Atlanta

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A man driving a stolen car led Georgia State troopers on a 20-minute chase Tuesday that ended in a fiery wreck on Langford Parkway, police said.

The incident has blocked Langford Parkway (Ga. Highway 166) eastbound, just west of Delowe Drive.

Scott Hazel, 46, of Acworth, was arrested after troopers pinned his car against a median wall on the road, police said. He faces several charges but also has outstanding warrants from Cobb County as well as Missouri, police said.

Authorities also arrested Marva D. Wagner, 42, of Atlanta – who jumped from the car as it was driving through side streets during the chase.

The chase started around 2 p.m. on I-285 near Hollowell Parkway when a trooper tried to stop a 2006 Nissan Altima that had an expired license tag.

The car took off, driving along side streets until it high the intersection of Hightower Road and Center Street.

Wagner then jumped from the car, police said. She refused medical treatment and was arrested. Authorities said Tuesday afternoon that Wagner did not face any charges.

The Nissan continued onto Langford Parkway where it sideswiped another vehicle on the on-ramp to the highway, police said.

A state trooper tried to stop the Nissan by tapping the back of the car with the front bumper of the patrol car. The Nissan hit the patrol car, sending it it off the road and down an embankment, police said. The undercarriage of the patrol car caught fire, but the trooper was not injured, police said

Another patrol car pinned the Nissan against the median wall, and troopers arrested Hazel. He was taken to Grady to be examined for injuries from the crashes.

Troopers later found additional identification in the Nissan, which was reported stolen from Chattanooga and originally identified Hazel as Ivan Sherrill, 50, of Chattanooga.

Hazel will go to Fulton County jail once he is released from Grady, police said. He faces several traffic charges including driving in the emergency lane, passing in a no passing zone, failure to obey a traffic control device and reckless driving.

He also faces charges of theft be receiving stolen property, felony fleeing and attempting to elude and driving on a suspended license.

Hazel also has additional warrants in Cobb County as well as in Jackson and Clay counties in Missouri, police said.

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