Sheriff: Lawrenceville man arrested after trying to run over deputy

A Lawrenceville man accused of trafficking methamphetamine was arrested Monday after authorities said he tried to run over a sheriff’s deputy.

William Long, 30, was apprehended in the parking lot of a Loganville Kroger after multiple Walton County sheriff’s deputies pinned his Ford Mustang convertible with their patrol vehicles.

Long was arrested in the parking lot of a Loganville Kroger.

According to an incident report obtained by AJC.com, the maneuver did not stop the man from attempting to escape. An arresting deputy said Long continued to accelerate in the Mustang, repeatedly ramming it into the front of a patrol vehicle.

At that point, Long climbed out of the vehicle and tried to run away, the deputy said in the report. A brief chase followed, and Long was eventually taken to the ground by multiple deputies.

He allegedly continued to struggle.

“The amount of strength Mr. Long possessed caught me by surprise, as the four deputies attempting to arrest him are all in good physical conditioning,” the arresting deputy said.

Long was able to break away and tried to run again, he said. Authorities considered using a police dog to restrain Long and put him in handcuffs, but he was eventually subdued with a stun gun and taken into custody, according to the report.

Long was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault “due to his determination to escape even if it meant running over a deputy,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook

He is also facing charges of trafficking an illegal substance, obstruction and interference with government property. Deputies recovered 4.5 ounces of meth and $16,570 cash from the Mustang, according to the sheriff’s office.