Ga. Man Held After Multi-State, High-Speed Chase

OCEAN CITY — A Georgia man is being held without bond this week in Worcester County after allegedly leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a high-speed chase last Friday.

Around 10:20 p.m. last Friday, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Communications Center started receiving numerous calls from citizens regarding a reckless driver on Coastal Highway in the area of 33rd Street and again at 70th Street. Callers reported the silver pick-up truck with Georgia tags was traveling at a high rate of speed and had nearly caused two accidents, according to police reports.

An OCPD officer observed the pick-up truck, driven by Roger Forrest, 42, of Decatur, Ga., driving northbound on Coastal Highway in the area of 64th Street at an estimated 100 mph in a 40-mph zone. The officer activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the truck failed to stop.

The officer continued in pursuit to the area of 112th Street and observed Forrest allegedly swerving back and forth as it traveled through the Gold Coast Mall parking lot. It was later determined Forrest’s vehicle struck a parked and unattended vehicle in the parking lot before continuing back out onto Coastal Highway. The officer continued the pursuit as Forrest allegedly drove south on Coastal Highway at a high rate of speed, reaching 80 mph at 100th Street, for example.

Another OCPD officer positioned near 62nd Street observed the pick-up truck turn right onto Route 90 westbound out of Ocean City, according to police reports. The officer attempted to deploy stop sticks, but Forrest swerved to avoid them, nearly striking the concrete median. The pursuit continued westbound on Route 90 at speeds over 100 mph, according to police reports.

OCPD officers in pursuit observed Forrest cross the center double-yellow lines numerous times to pass other vehicles on the highway. The high-speed pursuit continued west on Route 90 and then onto northbound Route 113 into Delaware. After about 25 minutes of pursuing Forrest, the Delaware State Police were able to disable the vehicle and take Forrest into custody. When it was all said and done, Forrest led police from at least six different law enforcement agencies and two states on a reckless pursuit for 31 minutes and a distance of over 43 miles.

According to police reports, Forrest showed signs of being visibly intoxicated and was belligerent with officers on the scene. Forrest was arrested in Delaware where the pursuit ended and he was arraigned and released in Delaware the next day.

OCPD officers applied for and received a warrant for Forrest, charging him with 19 total counts for the portion of the chase that occurred in Ocean City. OCPD officers went to the hotel at 112th Street where Forrest was staying on Sunday and arrested him.

It was during that arrest that witnesses came forward about Forrest hitting a parked car in the parking lot during that aspect of the pursuit. Forrest has a bail review hearing on Monday and was ordered to be held without bond.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.