Emerald G. Parsons: Greene Publishing, Inc.
The events that unfolded early Thursday morning, March 30, left one teenager dead and one in critical condition.
According to multiple law enforcement reports, at 1:48 a.m. Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the Fast Track convenience store, located on SW U.S. 221 and Interstate 10, in Greenville, in response to a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the store clerks who reported that two armed males entered the store and demanded money. The offenders were able to obtain an undetermined amount of currency and were last seen fleeing north from the store on U.S. 221.
Approximately 15 minutes later, at 2:05 a.m., Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Inv. Dorian Bradley was traveling northbound on US 19 South, in an unmarked car, behind a 2005 Ford Explorer, when it abruptly came to a complete stop, in the middle of the highway. As Inv. Bradley drove to the side of the vehicle, to investigate, he noticed the passenger wearing some sort of mask around his face, as if to conceal his identity.
The Ford Explorer then abruptly turned into the medium, as if to make a U-turn, but began driving north, towards Monticello, in the southbound lanes. At this time Inv. Bradley activated his lights and sirens and gave pursuit.
The suspects continued driving into Monticello, traveled around the courthouse circle driving the wrong way, turned north on Cherry St., and then east on Pearl St. The pursuit continued onto Ashville Hwy, until the suspects turned right (south) on Hwy 221, heading back towards Greenville, with speeds reaching up to 100 mph.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reports state that all the while, during the pursuit, the suspects were throwing items out of the vehicle’s windows.
As the Ford Explorer was negotiating a right curve, on Hwy 221, it traveled off of the roadway onto the west shoulder. It then rotated clockwise and the left front driver’s side door and quarter panel collided with some standing trees. The Explorer then rotated clockwise and overturned until landing on the passenger’s side where it remained facing east. The vehicle burst into flames.
The driver, a 17 year old from Greenville, was ejected during the wreck and was taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville in critical condition.
The passenger, a 15 year old from Greenville, remained in the burning vehicle and was pronounced dead on the scene.
It was determined, during the investigation, that the Ford Explorer had been stolen from a residence in the City of Madison, earlier that morning.
The names of the teenagers had not been released as of press morning.