Two high-speed U-Haul chases through Columbus wreck police cars, injure officers

Columbus police are piecing together information on two separate late-night, high-speed chases of the same U-Haul truck that left three patrol cars damaged, two officers with minor injuries and two Harris County men behind bars.

Kevin Brian Davis, 34, was arrested Monday and Brandon Barfield, 35, was arrested late Tuesday night after leading police on separate chases in the same U-Haul truck, Columbus Police Maj. J.D. Hawk said.

“Our information has linked them together in criminal events,” Hawk said.

The major did not disclose the nature of those events except to say that police were investigating the connection to possible burglaries and other thefts. Multiple Columbus Police Department divisions, including Patrol, Robbery and Assault and Burglary and Theft, are investigating.

The men face a long list of felony charges related to the chases.

Davis, who lives on Slash Pine Road in Fortson, was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon, interference with government property, fleeing to elude law enforcement, hit and run, speeding, reckless driving, improper backing and other minor charges.

He appeared in Columbus Recorder’s Court Wednesday morning and waived a probable cause hearing. Judge Julius Hunter bound the case to Muscogee County Superior Court.

Barfield, who lives on Calhoun Road in Hamilton, was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon, interference with government property, fleeing to elude law enforcement, driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, hit and run, and fraudulent registration and plates. He is scheduled to appear in Recorder’s Court Thursday morning.

Police are still trying to determine whether the truck was rented or stolen, Hawk said.

The ordeal started just after midnight Monday morning when a U-Haul truck police said was driven by Davis rammed and disabled two Columbus police cars at two different locations, Hawk said.

It started at 12:44 a.m. at J.R. Allen Parkway and Schomburg Road, where one police car was damaged. At 2 p.m., police encountered the truck again at J.R. Allen and Moon Road. A second Columbus police patrol car was damaged when it was rammed by the truck.

The truck left the scene without an arrest, Hawk said.

Later on Monday, Davis was identified to police as the driver, Hawk said. He was arrested, but the truck was not found, Hawk said.

“We were looking for the truck,” he said.

It was discovered it about 11:25 p.m. Tuesday. This time it was being driven by Barfield when it was spotted in the North Highlands area at 42nd Street and Meritas Drive, Hawk said.

The driver hit the front of a patrol car. Despite being rammed, the officer was able give chase, which at times reached high speeds, Hawk said.

“The speeds exceeded the posted limits,” Hawk said.

He did not give the exact route that was taken, but the chase ended near Miller and Milgen roads.

“The driver made a maneuver that disabled the truck,” Hawk said.

The truck was stuck off the road. Barfield then attempted to run away by crossing Miller Road, but officers caught him in the Old Town neighborhood and arrested him.

Two Columbus police officers suffered minor injuries and were treated and released at Piedmont Medical Center, Hawk said.

Barfield was treated at the Piedmont Medical Center before being released and booked into the Muscogee County Jail, Hawk said.

This story was originally published April 18, 2018 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Two high-speed U-Haul chases through Columbus wreck police cars, injure officers."