A Gainesville man was arrested Monday after allegedly ramming into a Hall County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle while attempting to flee from a traffic stop.
According to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, a Hall County deputy saw Joey Patrick Dunagan, 45, driving erratically at about 3 p.m. Monday on Wild Smith Road. The deputy turned on his patrol lights in an attempt to stop Dunagan, but Dunagan accelerated and fled down several back roads to Cleveland Highway. He eventually turned west on Highway 52.
"The deputy said when Dunagan came to the intersection of Highway 52 and Mt. Vernon Road, the suspect slammed on his brakes and began driving in reverse, first on Highway 52 and then on Mt. Vernon Road, eventually striking a concrete wall," a release from the sheriff's office said.
A second deputy pulled in front of Dunagan's vehicle to prevent him from leaving, but Dunagan put his vehicle in drive and slammed into the second deputy's patrol vehicle, hitting the driver's side door with the deputy inside. Dunagan then stopped his attempt to flee and was arrested.
Neither Dunagan nor the deputy were injured.
Dunagan faces 13 charges, including speeding, attempting to elude and eight other traffic offenses, felony possession of marijuana, possession of drug-related objects and aggravated assault on a peace officer.
