A driver is still on the loose after damaging several vehicles and businesses in southeast Atlanta during a police pursuit early Sunday, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The mayhem began when a trooper tried to stop a Dodge Charger on I-20 West for speeding. Authorities said the driver briefly stopped on the shoulder near Boulevard before driving up an embankment and onto the exit ramp. The driver allegedly sped north on Boulevard and lost control upon entering Carroll Street in Cabbagetown.
The Charger then struck vehicles and a telephone phone. The driver also crashed into several businesses, including Little’s Food Store.
The store posted photos of the damage on its Facebook page Sunday, showing that a large portion of its brick wall was completely missing. The store, which has been at the location since 1929, remained open Monday despite initial worries from owner Brad Cunard after the incident.
“I was pretty terrified,” Cunard told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “My goal (is) to keep that historic business and that historic building. And I didn’t want to lose that.”
Cunard said a neighbor who has been in Cabbagetown since the 1990s was working Monday afternoon on repairing the corner. In a stroke of luck, he noted the store happened to have a few extra bricks on hand.
Credit: Little's Food Store
Credit: Little's Food Store
“With all the support that the community and Atlanta show, I feel pretty great about how things are going,” Cunard added. “And it does my heart good to see this spot being fixed this quickly.”
Photos appeared to show the damaged Charger in front of the store after the incident. After crashing, the GSP said both the driver and a passenger fled the scene.
Credit: Little's Food Store
Credit: Little's Food Store
The passenger was located a few blocks away. The driver was identified, and warrants will be “secured” for him, according to the GSP.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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