Four arrested after Paulding County deputies use PIT maneuver on U-Haul
Deputies stopped a fleeing truck carrying copper wire during a chase that began at a demolished gas station.
By Lauren Foster ·
Paulding County authorities took four people into custody following a vehicle pursuit that ended with a U-Haul truck being stopped by a PIT maneuver.
The incident began on Tuesday when deputies responded to a call regarding suspicious activity at an abandoned gas station on Dallas Acworth Highway. Upon arrival, officers found individuals inside the structure, which had a broken glass window. Deputy James Turner stated that the people inside refused initial orders to exit the building. Shortly after, a woman left the front entrance and climbed into the U-Haul while a deputy followed closely behind.
Body camera footage recorded a deputy shouting for the woman to get out of the vehicle. The glass of the truck shattered, and the woman responded that she would exit. Dash and body camera recordings show the U-Haul accelerating away as deputies pursued it. The driver navigated around traffic cones and other cars, driving off-road at one point before a deputy executed the PIT maneuver to halt the truck.
Officers arrested the driver, identified as Bobbie Eveans, after she exited the stopped vehicle. A search of the truck revealed a five-gallon bucket of copper wire, according to the sheriff's office. Three other individuals, Steven Haynes, Phillip Evans, and Dana Garrett, were also taken into custody and charged with loitering. The property owner did not press trespassing charges for the break-in, and the gas station was demolished shortly after the event.
As of Friday afternoon, jail records indicate that Eveans remains in custody. The other three suspects have bonded out. Deputy Turner explained that officers evaluate several safety factors before using a PIT maneuver to end a pursuit. He noted that traffic conditions and weather are key considerations in those decisions.
Investigators have not yet determined the origin of the copper wire or if theft charges will be filed. Authorities have not disclosed the distance of the chase, the legal status of the truck's rental, or whether anyone was injured during the pursuit.
