High-Speed Pursuit Ends with Discovery of Deceased Woman in Banks County

A routine patrol on I-85 North in Banks County led to a high-speed pursuit and the later discovery of a deceased woman near a vehicle matching the pursued car.

At approximately 2:14 AM on November 16, 2024, deputies with the Banks County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop on a white Kia passenger car observed failing to maintain its lane. The driver failed to yield, initiating a chase.

The pursuit took deputies off I-85 at mile marker 154 onto Highway 63. The driver ran through a roundabout on Highway 59 and headed south toward GA-15/Highway 441, crossing into oncoming traffic multiple times. Near the intersection of GA-15/Highway 441, the driver ran a red light, turned left, and continued southbound in the northbound lanes.

Deputies lost visual contact with the vehicle near Highway 326, prompting a multi-agency BOLO involving the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Commerce Police Department. Despite a thorough search, the vehicle was not immediately located, and deputies returned to their patrol assignments.

Later that afternoon, a white Kia matching the pursuit vehicle was discovered approximately 100 yards off the roadway near the intersection of Highway 98 and Highway 441. A deceased woman was found near the vehicle.

The Georgia State Patrol is leading the investigation, working in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies. Further details, including the identity of the deceased woman and circumstances surrounding her death, are pending.