A Clayton County police officer was arrested Thursday night after authorities said he was clocked at over 100 mph on his motorcycle in Butts County.
“He thought he was being followed” by someone other than police, Butts County Sheriff Gene Pope told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Clayton Officer David Eugene Carter was leaving Jenkinsburg, southeast of Locust Grove, when he passed Butts County sheriff’s deputies, authorities said.
A deputy driving a black Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle got behind Carter’s motorcycle, and Carter sped up, Pope said.
Carter turned west onto Georgia State Route 16, heading toward I-75 and sped up, reaching speeds of up to 108 mph at times on the two-lane road where 55 mph is the posted speed limit, Pope said.
The deputy flashed his blue lights and Carter slowed down, Pope said.
“After he was taken off the motorcycle, he identified himself as a cop, and said he was speeding for a reason,” Pope said.
Pope said Carter told the arresting deputy he was afraid for his safety along the sparsely lit state road.
“He said in Clayton County, cars following motorcycles sometimes try to bump the rider off the bike and take the bike,” Pope said. “He couldn't tell on that dark road that the vehicle following him was police.”
Carter was charged with violating the Georgia Super Speeder law -- an offense that warrants arrest, Pope said -- and evading an officer. The evading charge likely will be dropped given that Carter did stop when he was flashed, Pope said.
Carter was not wearing a police uniform or carrying his police-issued handgun, Pope said.
Clayton County police officials were unable to comment on the incident Friday evening.
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