A woman who refused to give up her vehicle to a man running from south Georgia police gave officers just the time they needed to catch up with him, authorities said.
The man, identified by police as Heyward Nash, allegedly grabbed the woman as she was getting into her car in the parking lot of a Valdosta business. Her small child was in the back seat, and she fought him off, according to Valdosta police.
Nash did not come easy, police said in a news release.
Officers began pursuing the man after observing him driving erratically in the 100 block of North Troup Street on Friday afternoon. Nash’s vehicle rear-ended another car, and Nash jumped out and took off on foot, police said.
After a short chase, Nash reportedly jumped into the bed of a pickup truck traveling down the road. The truck’s driver stopped abruptly, and police said Nash was off again.
The altercation with the woman in the parking lot followed next.
“Officers physically pulled Nash from the vehicle and tried to take him into custody,” a spokesman for the police department said in the release. “Nash began violently physically resisting the officers.”
The man got his hands on two officers’ stun guns and fired them toward the officers, according to police. When the barbs didn’t take, a physical struggle ensued.
“During the struggle with numerous officers and detectives, Nash attempted to bite several officers, making contact with one officer’s forearm, and he attempted to pull several firearms from officers’ holsters,” the spokesman said.
He was eventually restrained and taken to the Lowndes County Jail. On the ride over, police said Nash ripped a piece of radar equipment from the back window of the patrol car and tried to damage the vehicle.
During the ordeal, several officers received minor cuts and several pieces of equipment were damaged, but no one was seriously injured. It was later determined that the vehicle Nash was first spotted driving was reported stolen earlier in the day, according to police.
“We are thankful that no citizens or officers were seriously injured with this offender’s reckless disregard for others during his careless actions,” Chief Leslie Manahan said in a statement. “The outcome of this incident could have been much worse. We are grateful for the citizens who tried to assist our officers in getting the dangerous person off the streets.”
Nash is facing multiple felony charges, including theft by taking, aggravated assault, removal of a weapon from a public official, interference with government property and obstruction. He is also facing numerous misdemeanor and traffic offenses.
He is being held in the county jail without bond.
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