Cherokee SWAT standoff ended after I-575 chase, squad car wreck

A SWAT standoff ended without incident late Monday night, just a mile north of Cherokee County.

But not before a Canton man claiming to be suicidal tried to run down a Cherokee County sheriff's deputy, and led police on a high-speed chase that wrecked a squad car and injured another deputy.

Cherokee deputies were called to a Canton home off Scott Road around around 9:42 p.m. Monday to reports of a man threatening to kill himself, Cherokee Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jay Baker said.

Before deputies arrived, 53-year-old Thomas Cook left his home,

After getting a description of Cook's vehicle, deputies were able to find him stop him on Hickory Flat Highway near Cherokee Overlook, Baker said.

"While conducting a traffic stop, the individual brandished a firearm, then almost ran over a deputy," Baker said.

More deputies were called and a chase began going north on I-575, at times reaching more than 80 m.p.h., authorities said.

During the chase, a deputy wrecked her squad car at I-575 at Riverstone Parkway near Canton, Bakers said.

The deputy was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta with minor injuries.

Georgia State Troopers used stop sticks to stop the Cook's car just inside Pickens County at Worley Crossroads on GA 515, State Patrol spokesman Lt. Paul Cosper said.

When Cook's tires were flattened, he stopped the car in the middle of GA 515 just a mile north of the Pickens County line, authorities said.

The Cherokee SWAT team and hostage negotiators, and Pickens County sheriff's deputies surrounded Cook's car as he refused to leave his car and continued to wave his weapon, Baker said.

The standoff in Pickens County lasted about 90 minutes, Baker said, during which time the Georgia Department of Transportation reported all lanes on Worley Crossroads closed at GA 515.

I-575 also was shut in both direction for approximately two hours, authorities said.

Cherokee negotiators were able to convince Cook to peacefully surrender just before midnight, Baker said.

Cook was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and attempting to elude police, authority said.

He is being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center in Canton with a bond set at $38,900.