GORDON COUNTY, GA — A high-speed police pursuit ended in tragedy Saturday afternoon when a fleeing driver caused a head-on collision that left one person dead and two others severely injured, according to a statement from Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston.

The incident began around 2:40 p.m. on August 23, when a deputy sheriff observed a Mercedes vehicle pass dangerously close to his patrol car on the southbound entrance ramp at Exit 317 on Interstate 75. The deputy followed the vehicle, which was reportedly driving erratically and weaving through traffic.

When the vehicle exited the interstate at Exit 312 (Fairmount Highway), the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, however, accelerated aggressively, leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit eastbound along Fairmount Highway. The chase continued onto the State Route 53 Bypass near Blackwood, with the suspect heading back toward Calhoun.

According to the sheriff’s report, the driver reached speeds well over 100 miles per hour as he recklessly evaded law enforcement. Upon reaching the intersection of the Bypass and State Route 53/Rome Road, the driver crossed the median and entered oncoming traffic, heading westbound in the wrong direction.

Deputies immediately halted their pursuit to avoid endangering other motorists. Moments later, the Mercedes collided head-on with a Honda CR-V. The impact resulted in a deadly crash, with one person killed and two others suffering serious injuries. Both vehicles caught fire following the collision.

Deputies rushed to the scene to provide aid, working to pull victims from the burning wreckage and administer first aid until emergency services arrived. Fire, rescue, and EMS teams responded quickly, and three injured individuals were airlifted by helicopter for urgent medical care.

The identity of the Mercedes driver has not yet been confirmed. He is reported to have sustained severe injuries in the crash.

The Georgia State Patrol is leading the investigation, in coordination with the Gordon County Coroner’s Office.

Further details, including the identities of the victims and the condition of the injured, have not yet been released.