A Georgia deputy’s patrol car was wrecked Friday night after a suspect, seated in handcuffs in the car’s backseat, managed to steal the vehicle.
Shawn Tippins of Jacksonville, Florida, was stopped by officers at Bedell Avenue and West Fourth Street in Camden County, according to an arrest report from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office. He was suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The arrest report said the deputy who pulled Tippins over questioned the Florida man and asked him to perform a walk-and-turn test. Tippins wasn’t able to complete the test. He refused to take a breath test to measure his blood alcohol content and the deputy placed him under arrest.
According to the report, Tippins began yelling at another deputy. Still handcuffed, he was led to the back of the patrol vehicle and placed in the back seat.
The deputy said he cracked the center divider in the patrol car to allow air conditioning to reach Tippins.
The arrest report said that Tippins, who is 5-foot-2 and 100 pounds, slipped the handcuffs, climbed through the center divider and drove away in the patrol car at a high rate of speed.
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Tippins wrecked multiple cars and caused significant damage to the patrol car he stole, deputies said.
After a chase, Tippins was recaptured and taken to jail.
Tippins faces 19 charges including theft of a police vehicle, improper driving, reckless driving, aggressive driving, and unlawful use of a vehicle.
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