A North Georgia man faces murder charges after authorities said he repeatedly rammed a car carrying a young couple last week, killing them.
Murray County deputies responded to the fatal crash on U.S. 411 in Chatsworth about 7:15 p.m. July 29, authorities said. Investigators initially thought 19-year-old Tommy Nickels and his 20-year-old wife, Kristen, were killed in a hit-and-run, Chief Deputy Jimmy Davenport told AJC.com.
Witnesses, however, said the suspect pursued the couple for at least a mile, repeatedly ramming their vehicle with his 2006 Suzuki Reno before driving off, according to the sheriff’s office.
“The more we dug into it, the charges shifted,” Davenport said.
The investigation led deputies to the home of 34-year-old Anthony “Tony” Brown on Tuesday afternoon.
After a brief foot chase, Brown was taken into custody, Davenport said. Behind his home, investigators discovered the burned remains of the silver Suzuki used in the crash.
Brown was taken to the Murray County Jail, where he is being held on two counts of felony murder and one count each of aggravated assault by vehicle and second-degree arson, records show.
Investigators are still interviewing witnesses and working to determine what led to the crash.
A funeral service for Tommy and Kristen Nickels was held Thursday morning in Dalton, according to their online obituary.
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