UPDATE: Suspect stopped at lights, signs and used turn signals

A Fayetteville man led deputies on a brief low-speed chase Friday afternoon in north Fayette County, but he gave up after encountering a roadblock of law enforcement vehicles, police said.

Randy W. Rattery, 51, also had one of the tires on his truck flattened by none other than Fayette County Sheriff Randall Johnson, who used stop sticks to help slow him down.

Prior to Johnson’s intervention, Rattery was driving at speeds up to 50 and 60 mph, but after the tire was flattened by the spikes of the stop sticks he slowed down to about 20 mph, said Capt. Bryan Woodie of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.

Throughout the pursuit, Rattery stopped at stop lights and stop signs, and he also used his turn signal, but deputies were unable to get ahead of Rattery and box him in, Woodie said.

But when Rattery came upon the roadblock, his truck went off the road into a ditch, and deputies “encouraged” him to exit the vehicle before arresting him, Woodie said.

After leaving the truck Rattery apologized to the deputies for not stopping, Woodie said.
A deputy initially tried to stop Rattery on Kenwood Road near north Fayette Elementary School, as the deputy knew Rattery’s license had been suspended, Woodie said. Rattery pulled over once but took off just after the deputy exited his patrol vehicle, Woodie said.

Rattery was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, driving with a suspended license and driving with an expired tag. The pursuit went on Ga. Highway 92, Davis Road, Wagon Wheel Trail and Westbridge Road before it ended, Woodie said.

Deputies declined to charge Rattery with littering even though two beer cans were thrown out of the vehicle during the pursuit, Woodie said.