Suspects in High-Speed Chase Identified

Franklin County authorities have released the names of the two men involved in a high-speed chase down I-85 late Tuesday night.

Franklin County Sheriff Stevie Thomas identifies them as 24-year old Adarius Dennis of Greenville and 28-year old Shavario Jenkins also of Greenville.

Thomas said Dennis is charged with obstruction of an officer, giving a false name, possession of marijuana less than an ounce and has a hold for Greenville County on a felony probation charge.

Jenkins is charged in Franklin County with entering an auto, auto theft, probation warrant, burglary second degree and obstruction.

Thomas said more charges are coming from the Georgia State Patrol.

The high-speed chase started on I-85 southbound at about 11p Tuesday, according to Georgia State Patrol Hartwell Post Commander Al Whitworth.

“Trooper Fuller of Post 52 was operating radar on I-85 and clocked a vehicle on I-85 going approximately 98 mph,” Whitworth said. “Once the vehicle was pulled over, as the trooper approached, it proceeded to flee the scene. As the vehicle sped down I-85 southbound, it was passing tractor-trailers in the emergency lane. When the suspect passed the weigh station he was doing about 115mph.”

Whitworth said the vehicle got off at Exit 166, then doubled back and tried to get back on the Interstate headed northbound.

“Trooper Fuller was able to execute a PIT maneuver, and both occupants fled the vehicle on foot,” Whitworth said.

At that point, Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies joined in the pursuit.

Sheriff Stevie Thomas says the suspects ran in different directions.

“The trooper gave chase to the driver, but he was not able to catch him,” Thomas said. “The dogs were brought out and the search continued in the heavy rain until around 1a.”

Thomas said meantime his officers were able to locate one of the passengers who was hiding nearby.

“We got a call about a suspicious person behind the Echo,” Thomas said. “We were able to arrest the passenger who was laying out in a field behind the restaurant.”

The search continued overnight for the driver and Thomas said early Wednesday morning his officers and Post 52 troopers received word of a suspicious person at the Wilco truck stop off Exit 166.

“As the officer approached the Wilco, he ran out the door,” Thomas explained. “They gave chase around the back of the Wilco. They lost him, and we called the dogs again. While the officers were doing a sweep of wooded area and the buildings and houses directly behind there, one of the officers observed a pickup there in a garage.”

As the officer stepped around the garage he spotted lights on inside the vehicle and the suspect inside.

Thomas said deputies pulled him out of the vehicle and arrested him.

Meantime, Thomas said investigators are going through the suspects’ vehicle.

“We found a billfold in the car that did not belong to either of the suspects,” Thomas said. “Greenville is checking to see now where that billfold came from.”

Late Wednesday morning, Thomas said there may have been a third passenger in the car who has not yet been located.

“Some people came from Greenville to get one of the suspects and we intercepted them,” Thomas said. “They told us there had been a third person in the vehicle with Jenkins and Dennis, but we did not locate anyone else. That person may have gotten away and gone back to Greenville, but we will continue to look and ask people to remain very cautious.”

Jenkins and Dennis are being held in the Franklin County Detention Center. spec