Man in Arlington police chase remains in critical condition as neighbors respond to damage

ARLINGTON, Ga. (WALB) – Arlington residents say they dodged a bullet after the police chase left a lot of destruction in their yards on Sunday.

The car being chased hit several objects, including neighbor mailboxes, a fire hydrant and two utility poles. You can still see some of these items lying around in people’s yards days after the chase.

A few days after the police chase, remnants of the police chase sit in neighbors' yards. — A few days after the police chase, remnants of the police chase sit in neighbors’ yards.(walb)

The Georgia State Patrol believed the car had been stolen from Bainbridge. Police said the driver was speeding through Arlington and lost control.

The driver, Jamal Wesley, remains in hospital with serious injuries.

John Hatcher, an Arlington resident who was home at the time and heard the crash, said the chase could have been fatal because exposed power lines fell into his yard.

“When it knocked out all the power on the side of the house and the live power line was there, we were usually right there in the yard and it would have been bad. Or when he was passing through here, if he hadn’t made such a turn (as) he did, he would have run straight into our house,” he said. “So we feel lucky. We feel as if God has laid hands on us. I pray that the young man is well.’

WALB will continue to share updates on driver conditions.

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