Suspects caught after chase that wounded Georgia deputy

Published 8:59 am Monday, March 1, 2021

BAINBRIDGE (AP) — Both suspects accused of leading officers on a car chase that left a sheriff’s deputy in south Georgia critically wounded have been captured, authorities said.

Troy Phillips, 40, was in custody as of Sunday afternoon, hours after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said a manhunt was underway to locate him.

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Brad Phillips, 41, had been arrested shortly after the chase, news outlets reported.

A Lowndes County deputy and dog located one of the suspects.

Lowndes County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Welch and his K-9 unit located the suspect Sunday afternoon in a wooded area, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said.

Paulk sent deputies to the Bainbridge area to help in the manhunt.

The incident started Saturday when a Seminole County deputy was trying to stop two suspects in a white Chevrolet pickup truck with a Florida tag for reckless driving, the GBI said.

A second deputy joined the pursuit and the suspects began to fire their guns from the truck, the GBI said. Deputies returned fire and continued to chase them into Decatur County, where more deputies joined the pursuit.

The suspects drove into a driveway and tried to get in to a home by shooting through the door, authorities said. The homeowner returned fire, and the suspects fled the residence.

One of the suspects then shot at a Decatur County deputy’s vehicle, striking and critically injuring the lawman.

The suspects later crashed in a wooded area. Brad Phillips was reportedly taken into custody at the scene. The GBI didn’t say where Troy Phillips was captured Sunday.

The Valdosta Daily Times contributed to this story.