A woman from Rabun County was arrested early Monday morning after she led three agencies on a wrong-way chase in Athens across the SR 10 Loop.
According to an incident report from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Ann Marie Hicks, 53, of Clayton, was allegedly first spotted driving the wrong way on the SR 10 Inner loop near the Oglethorpe Avenue entrance ramp around 3:21 a.m.
The ACCPD officer that first spotted Hicks driving the wrong way eventually caught up to her around the Mitchell Bridge overpass. Hicks began to slow down and came to a complete stop, at which time the officer got out of his vehicle. Hicks then took off and continued traveling the wrong way on the loop.
The black Toyota Corolla that Hicks was driving passed into Oconee County at about 65 mph, and made no signs of slowing down.
Officers deployed stop sticks at the exit ramp to Timothy Road from the Inner loop. Hicks did run over the stop sticks but continued driving the wrong way. The report states the stop sticks deflated the front left tire of the Toyota, but Hicks continued to drive the wrong way at about 70 mph.
Eventually, the pursuing ACCPD officer was able to match the speed of Hicks' vehicle, at which time she allegedly looked in the officer's direction and held up her middle finger.
After passing the Milledge Avenue exit, a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop Hicks' vehicle but was unable to do so. They then tried a second time and were successful in moving the vehicle towards the median with the help of an Oconee County Sheriff's Deputy. The Toyota eventually came to a stop near College Station Road.
According to SFC Tim Meyer from the Georgia State Patrol, Hicks was arrested and is facing numerous traffic charges, as well as suspicion of DUI drugs.
As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Hicks remained in the Athens-Clarke County Jail on a $1,500 bond.
