ECHOLS COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - A man has been arrested after he led law enforcement on a multi-county chase in a stolen car in South Georgia.
Leon Shank was arrested Tuesday.
On Tuesday at about 10:30 a.m., Lowndes County Dispatch sent out a BOLO for a stolen car out of Valdosta.
An Echols County deputy was on patrol on Highway 129 when he spotted a car matching the description of the BOLO.
The car description was confirmed through dispatch out of Lowndes County and a traffic stop was initiated.
Shank failed to stop when the traffic stop was initiated and during the pursuit, he stopped on three different occasions but failed to surrender to law enforcement each time.
According to the Echols County Sheriff's Office, a civilian truck tried to block Shank's vehicle in, at which point Shank hit that vehicle and ran over a traffic sign and continued eastbound.
Shank continued to travel eastbound in the westbound lane head on into oncoming traffic on Highway 84 in Clinch County for several miles. As Shank tried to cross back over into the eastbound lanes, he hit a Lowndes County deputy vehicle and continued on at speeds over 100 mph.
The pursuit continued through the city of Homerville and continued northbound on Highway 441 towards Atkinson County.
Shank approached the bridge on Highway 441 at Red Bluff Creek at speeds over 70 mph, hitting two Atkinson County patrol vehicles.
Shank's car then hit the back of a parked semi truck, totaling his car.
Shank was then taken into custody without further incident and transported to Coffee Regional Medical center to be treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash.
The Echols County Sheriff's Office said the chase involved four counties including eight law enforcement agencies, totaling 47 miles, and lasting approximately one hour.
