A Gainesville man was arrested after an alleged burglary, followed by a chase with law enforcement.
Hall County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson B.J. Williams said the burglary was reported by a passerby on Old Cleveland Highway just off of U.S. 129 at around 7:40 a.m. Tuesday. The witness told authorities he had seen the suspect, later identified as Zachary Martin Mize, age 30, inside the home and then leaving in a vehicle.
"This witness happened to know the homeowner and he knew that the person that he saw was not the homeowner," Williams said. "The witness was able to provide a vehicle description and a tag number to the dispatcher."
While a deputy was on the way to the home, he spotted Mize's vehicle heading south on U.S. 129 and tried to pull him over. Mize initially pulled over into a convenience store about a half of a mile south of the home, but then allegedly sped away.
Williams said Mize was driving erratically, nearly hitting other vehicles on the roadway while continuing southbound.
"At that point, that deputy suspended his pursuit, but there was a second deputy who located Mr. Mize and his vehicle about two miles south on Cleveland Higwhay (U.S. 129) behind a shopping center," Williams said.
Mize was arrested there.
The alleged burglary is still under investigation. Mize was booked into the Hall County Jail on a list of charges including first-degree burglary, fleeing and making terroristic threats for allegedly threatening the deputy who arrested him.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Mize remained jailed without bond.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/1/1283611/gainesville-man-arrested-after-burglary-police-chase