A man suspected of shooting three people in Forest Park on Friday, killing one, remains in the hospital after he was seriously injured in a crash that ended a high-speed chase in Cobb County.
The crash took place on Richard D. Sailors Parkway, the same road where five people were injured in a wreck during another high-speed pursuit less than two weeks earlier.
Victor Baymon, 33, was taken to the hospital in critical condition after Friday’s crash, Forest Park police said, although further details about his injuries were not disclosed.
Dashboard camera video recorded by Powder Springs police shows the stolen car speeding down the wrong side of the divided highway before the suspect drove onto the median and hit a tree at high speed. The video, which was obtained by Channel 2 Action News, shows the front of the sedan catching on fire briefly before officers swarm around it. One officer used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
In a later video from the scene, Powder Springs police Capt. Anthony Stallings emphasized the serious nature of the crash.
“The driver was injured and has been transported,” Stallings said, pausing before he continued.
“He is going to make it, presumably,” Stallings finished.
Baymon was located Friday after an hours-long manhunt when the stolen car he was driving was detected by license plate readers in Powder Springs, Stallings said. Authorities had identified Baymon as the suspect in a deadly shooting spree that began in Forest Park just after 10:30 a.m.
He was accused of following his ex-girlfriend into a tax office where he shot two people, one of whom was an employee, Forest Park police said. The suspect allegedly stole a car from the tax office parking lot and crashed it nearby, then carjacked a second vehicle. Next, police said he drove to a home about two miles away, where he shot a construction worker before continuing to flee.
The deceased victim was identified as 43-year-old Brandon Harris, a father of four, according to Channel 2.
Later Friday evening, license plate readers in Cobb alerted police when they detected the stolen car driven by Baymon. Powder Springs police tried to pull over the car, but the driver sped away and led the officers on a dangerous pursuit on busy suburban roads. Police told Channel 2 that the suspect was driving more than 100 mph when he passed a school bus on Richard D. Sailors Parkway.
Friday’s chase and crash took place in the same area as another serious crash related to a high-speed chase the day after Christmas. Flock cameras alerted Powder Springs police that a stolen car had been detected. Officers located it and a chase ensued.
As the officers chased the stolen car, one of the police vehicles was T-boned at the intersection of Richard D. Sailors Parkway and New Macland Road. The police car was hit by a Toyota 4Runner, which caused it to spin and hit a Honda Odyssey. All three cars were seriously damaged and five people were taken to the hospital. Police did not share the extent of any of their injuries.
The chase continued another two miles beyond the crash scene until the driver took the stolen car behind a house on Rushing Wind Court, where it got stuck in the mud. Three teenagers fled from the car and two were arrested. The third, who has not been publicly identified, remains at large.
Discussion of Friday’s shooting spree, high-speed chase and crash eventually entered the political arena.
The fatal shooting of Harris inspired his cousin, Georgia House Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex, to re-introduce a gun safety bill at the state level. She addressed fellow lawmakers Monday, asking them to consider the legislation she authored, Channel 2 reported.
House majority leader Chuck Efstration, R-Auburn, told Channel 2 that his party’s public safety priorities were focused on better compensation for law enforcement officers rather than gun control measures.
Forest Park police have not responded to questions about Baymon’s condition.
About the Author
