A domestic complaint led to more serious charges against an Alexandria man Wednesday after law enforcement officers tailed him in a pursuit from Alexandria to Liberty.
Alexandria Police Chief Jim Baker says Paul Comer is charged with reckless endangerment, evading arrest, and a first offense of driving under the influence.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has also charged Comer with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment
Chief Baker says Alexandria Police Officer Josh King and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy Nathan Miller responded to a domestic call at 309 High Street Wednesday at 7:49 p.m.
While Officer King was trying to keep Comer and a female from arguing, Officer Miller had to leave after receiving another domestic complaint.
King says he instructed Comer to stand at the garage on the property while he talked to the woman, but Comer got in a Pontiac Grand Prix and drove away.
Officer King got in his patrol car and followed Comer from Hall Street to Highway 53, and then to Highway 70 east.
Deputy Miller later joined the pursuit and when the officers tried to get Comer stopped, he began swerving on the highway.
According to Officer King, ” We were still on Highway 70 and approaching Highway 96 when the subject went over on the emergency lane and tried to hit Deputy Miller. Near Tater Knob Road, the subject started driving in the westbound lane head-on at traffic.”
County Deputy Jon Slager joined the pursuit and Comer apparently stopped after the officers were able to get him boxed-in.
Officer King reports that ” Deputy Slager was on the subject’s driver side, Deputy Miller was in front of him, and I was behind him. The guardrail was on the right side of the subject.”
“As we exited our patrol cars, the subject turned his head, looked at me (King), and then punched the throttle and drove toward Deputy Miller. He (Miller) then fired several shots and the subject started driving toward Deputy Slager. I (King) then fired shots toward the driver’s side back tire causing it to go flat. The subject then drove east on Highway 70 and in the westbound lane of traffic with the back left tire blown out.”
“Deputy Slager was able to get in front of the subject in the city limits of Liberty. The subject tried to rear end Slager’s car and then swerved back to try to hit Miller. The subject turned left onto Highway 53 in Liberty.”
“Deputy Chris McMillen joined the pursuit and the subject made several attempts to run him and me (King) off the road. I was able to gain control and pass the subject on Cave Springs Road. The subject then stopped.”
The officers on the scene got the subject (Comer)out of his vehicle and placed him in custody. He was taken to the DeKalb County Jail.
No one was injured.
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