On April 15th, 2025, at approximately 1330 hours, members of the Georgia State Patrol Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) were alerted by current law enforcement tracking technology that a homicide suspect was traveling in 2010 gray Nissan Altima bearing Georgia tag SJD6502, on Memorial Drive near Candler Road in Dekalb County. The suspect, Antonio Watson, was suspected of committing a homicide just hours earlier at a hotel in Dekalb County. Troopers with the CSU responded to the area and began saturating the main and side roads for the vehicle. While in the area, Troopers were again alerted that the vehicle was traveling west on Memorial Drive approaching Candler Road once again. Multiple Troopers including myself were in the immediate area and began diligently searching for the vehicle. I began patrolling west on Memorial Drive from Candler Road. As I approached Eva Davis Way I observed the suspect vehicle in traffic, and as Troopers approached from behind with emergency equipment activated, the vehicle immediately began improperly passing traffic utilizing the center turning lane. Due to the nature of the homicide charges, time of day, traffic conditions present, and the area of which the pursuit would have continued into, I decided to immediately execute a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver at a lower speed to prevent the pursuit from becoming reckless and to prevent the potential loss of life. The PIT maneuver was successful, causing the fleeing vehicle to rotate counterclockwise in the intersection. The suspect vehicle skidded backward into a stationary car at the intersection, striking it and causing it to come to an uncontrolled rest. Troopers immediately pinned the vehicle in from the front and the side to prevent further fleeing. The driver and passenger both presented their hands and were taken into custody at gun point from the vehicle. During the arrest at the vehicle, the driver failed to put the vehicle in park and as Troopers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, it rolled backward, striking the bystander vehicle once again. Corporal Bullock was then able to put the vehicle in park and the driver was removed. The driver was positively identified as Antonio Watson, the suspect of the homicide. The passenger was identified as Byron Thomas, who also had outstanding warrants for his arrest from the Dekalb Police Department for obstruction as well as fleeing and eluding. Dekalb County Homicide detectives were immediately contacted, and they advised Troopers not to disturb the contents of the vehicle. Detectives dispatched transport officers to take custody of both Watson and Thomas. Officers Craddick and Carson took custody of the individuals on scene. South Side Towing responded to impound the suspect vehicle for the detectives. Corporal Bullock conducted the crash investigation regarding the PIT maneuver, and TFC Brown conducted the secondary crash investigation regarding the vehicle rolling backward and striking the bystander vehicle during the arrest.

Police Chase High Speed Chase Police Pursuit High Speed Pursuit Georgia State Patrol Georgia State Patrol Pursuit Georgia State Trooper GSP GSP Pursuit GSP Chase Trooper State Trooper PIT Maneuver PIT Georgia State Patrol Charger Dodge Dash Camera Dash Camera Video GSP Dash Camera Georgia DPS Highway Patrol Georgia State Patrol Dash Camera Georgia police cops Atlanta Georgia Atlanta Police Atlanta Crime Atlanta Pursuit Nissan GTR GTR