Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS - Rockdale County Sheriff's Office deputies engaged in a high-speed chase along Iris Drive over the weekend that resulted in a crash and the arrest of a Newton County man and another from Morgan County.The men, riding in a green and black Dodge pickup truck, took the deputies on a chase that began at the Salem Gate shopping center and ended with the truck crashing into a tree at an office complex at 2213 Exchange Place at around 3 a.m. Saturday.Nathaniel Cain Womack, 23, of 397 Ga. Highway 212, Covington, was arrested at the scene after deputies tackled him to the ground as he allegedly attempted to run away. He was charged with public drunkenness.The driver of the truck, Timmy Lee Strange Jr., 24, of 2830 Centennial Road, Rutledge, fled the scene but was arrested nearby a few hours later.Along with loitering and prowling and providing false information, Strange was also charged with reckless driving, open container violation, improper lane change, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing or attempting to elude, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.According to the incident report, a deputy reported seeing the truck drive off the side of the road as it traveled onto Iris Drive from Flat Shoals Road. When the truck pulled in front of Dona Petra's restaurant at the shopping center, the deputy activated his blue lights and stopped the truck. The truck drove off as the deputy approached the rear of the truck on foot.The truck headed east back onto Iris Drive at a high rate of speed. The deputy stated in his report that speeds exceeded 90 mph during the chase.Two other deputies had blocked the intersection of Iris Drive and Flat Shoals Road. The truck swerved around both patrol cars, nearly striking them. The truck accelerated, then became airborne as it crossed the intersection onto Avalon Parkway, the report said.The chase continued when the driver of the truck appeared to lose control and run into a curve at Exchange Place and entered a parking lot. The truck hit a raised island in the parking lot causing the truck to drive into a grassy area near the building and strike a tree.The deputies reported seeing two men jump out of the truck. A deputy was able to grab one of the men who identified himself as Womack.Deputies found an open container of liquor, two large knives and ammunition for a handgun and a shotgun in the truck.Both men remained at the Rockdale County Jail on Wednesday, according to jail officials.Jay Jones can be reached at jay.jones@rockdalecitizen.com.