GBI Investigates Death of Blackshear Man After High-Speed Chase and Traffic Stop Incident

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating the death of 33-year-old Corey Ray Beale of Blackshear, Georgia, following a traffic stop and subsequent high-speed chase.

The incident began when a Blackshear Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop on Beale’s vehicle along Highway 84 in Blackshear. After a brief interaction with the officer, Beale sped away, prompting a pursuit by local law enforcement. The chase continued through Blackshear and entered Brantley County, with additional support from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).

As the chase reached Highway 32 near the intersection of Highways 32 and 301, a Georgia State Trooper performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver to stop Beale’s vehicle. After the car came to a halt, authorities found that Beale had shot himself while inside the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The GSP is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the PIT maneuver, while the GBI has been requested to conduct an independent investigation into Beale’s death.

Beale’s body will be transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Pooler, Georgia, for an autopsy as part of the ongoing investigation.