A convicted felon with outstanding warrants from multiple states led Twiggs County deputies on a high-speed chase Saturday before crashing and being taken into custody.
What’s Happening: At 5:36 p.m. on March 14, deputies were running a DUI checkpoint on the Highway 27 East on-ramp when they tried to stop a black GMC Denali. The driver, Royjeri McClendon, drove through without stopping and nearly hit multiple deputies.
What’s Important: McClendon is a convicted felon and validated Blood gang member. He had outstanding warrants from multiple Georgia counties and a full extradition warrant from Missouri. Those warrants include charges for armed robbery, hit and run involving serious injury or death, failure to appear, and additional felony offenses.
What We Know:
- Deputies from the Twiggs County Crime Suppression Unit chased McClendon at speeds over 100 mph
- McClendon allegedly tried to ram the lead patrol car and is believed to have fired a shot at deputies during a PIT maneuver attempt
- Deputies successfully executed a PIT maneuver after McClendon tried to force the lead car off the road, ending the chase when the Denali crashed
- The vehicle caught fire with McClendon still inside
- Deputies used fire extinguishers to put out the fire and pulled McClendon from the vehicle
- McClendon resisted deputies after the crash and continued to struggle inside an ambulance, refusing treatment
- He was taken to the hospital by patrol car
- A handgun and multiple pounds of marijuana were recovered from the vehicle
The Path Forward: The investigation is ongoing. Deputies say additional charges are expected.
