Metro Atlanta

Police chase ends with driver hitting abandoned gas station, igniting car

Two people were taken to hospital after police say driver was ‘laying drag.’
APD Stock Photo (Courtesy Atlanta Police Department)
APD Stock Photo (Courtesy Atlanta Police Department)
July 4, 2025

Two people were taken to a hospital Friday morning after a vehicle caught on fire when the driver struck an abandoned gas station while fleeing an officer, according to Atlanta police.

A little after 2 a.m., a police officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a car that was “laying drag,” or driving in a zigzag or circular course, near the 3000 block of Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway NW, police said.

The driver fled the officer and struck an abandoned gas station at 2980 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway NW.

The car caught on fire while the driver and passenger were inside, police said.

Officers were able to remove the passenger from the car, and Atlanta Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene and removed the driver, according to the police.

Both occupants were transported to the hospital, conscious and breathing, for medical care.

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

About the Author

Olivia Wakim is a digital content producer on the food and dining team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.

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