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Teen leads police on high-speed chase

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

An initial attempt Sunday night to run a Fairburn Police officer off the road led to a high-speed chase and multiple charges against a 17-year-old driving a stolen car.

Cecil Thicklin, of an unknown address, was charged with aggravated assault on an officer with a motor vehicle, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and theft by receiving a stolen vehicle along with misdemeanor charges of possession of a firearm without a license, speeding, reckless driving, fleeing, running a red light and running a stop sign, according to Fairburn Police.

Officer and acting watch commander Bob Justus first encountered the Ford Explorer on West Campbellton Street at 10 p.m. as the vehicle approached him traveling 66 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone. Justus turned on his blue lights only to have the vehicle enter his lane, forcing the officer off the road, reports said. Justus turned around to pursue the vehicle, watching as it picked up speed after turning on to East Broad Street.

The vehicle made several turns in the city and, during another occasion during the pursuit, ran a stop sign and a stop light and attempted to hit the patrol with the Explorer, Justus said. The vehicle eventually turned onto Ga. Highway 138 and on to South Fulton Parkway, traveling at excessive speeds and coming close to turning over when the driver failed to properly negotiate the turn, according to reports. The driver slowed the vehicle down near the intersection and jumped out, leaving the vehicle to roll slowly off the road and into a line of trees, Justus said. Officers subsequently subdued the driver, finding a loaded .25 caliber handgun laying on the ground where he was apprehended, according to reports.

A search of the driver revealed a plastic bag containing nearly two dozen small rocks of suspected crack cocaine with an estimated street value of $300 and a do-rag containing seven .25 caliber rounds.

“I’m glad we got this dangerous person off the street,” Justus said Tuesday.

The driver was transported to Fairburn Police Department, where he was initially booked as a John Doe because he refused to provide his name or other identifying information. He was transported to South Fulton Municipal Regional Jail. The man later identified himself as Thicklin but did not furnish an address, officers said.

Chief Charles Long said Wednesday he had received unconfirmed reports that the stolen vehicle had been involved in a carjacking in Atlanta earlier in the day.