Journalism student visits Atlanta, witnesses police chase

By Mashaun D. Simon

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When Sarah Ruf arrived in Atlanta for the weekend, she never imagined she would witness a police chase and arrest in Centennial Olympic park Saturday.

Around 4 p.m., Ruf, a student from Chattanooga, said she and a friend was walking near the water fountain when they suddenly heard a lot of commotion nearby.

That was when she saw a man drive through the park as he attempted to get away from police. He hit a minivan as he attempted to get away, causing major damage on the driver side.

“Little kids were playing around the fountain and people were watching in shock,” she said, as she jumped into mode and starting trying to get whatever information she could.

“The next thing I thought to do was to call the newspaper,” she said.

The unidentified man jumped from the car, ran across the field and was eventually caught by Atlanta Police officers in a bush, she said.

Details of the incident are yet to be released by police officials, but Ruf said from her investigating she learned that the man was wanted for identity theft.

“I was close enough to see when they pulled took his wallet and searched the car,” Ruf said. “They found female drivers licenses and IDs and it seems as though the car was stolen as well.”

The suspect and occupants of the minivan were taken to the hospital, said Ruf.

What started out as just a simple trip, turned out to be an opportunity for her and her friend to sharpen their journalistic skills.

“It was pretty wild,” she said.