Motorcyclist speeding away from police dives into Lake Lanier to escape, troopers say
A motorcyclist dove into Lake Lanier in a last-ditch effort to escape Georgia authorities — and failed, state troopers said.
The 38-year-old man now faces drug charges, according to Georgia State Patrol.
Troopers said they tried stopping the motorcyclist in Hall County at about 4 p.m Wednesday, March 20, when they noticed he wasn’t wearing a helmet. That’s when he sped away, leading authorities on a chase.
He turned onto a dead-end street, lost control and crashed his bike, troopers said. The man took off on foot and ran into the woods before jumping into Lake Lanier.
Troopers, with help from Hall County deputies, hitched a ride on a civilian’s boat to get to the man as he swam away, GSP said in a news release. He was arrested after authorities pulled him from the water, according to troopers.
He was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, troopers said.
Further investigation into the motorcycle crash revealed the man was carrying “a trafficking amount” of cocaine and methamphetamine, according to authorities.
He remained in custody at the Hall County Jail on a $12,160 bond as of March 22, online records show. He faces charges related to fleeing and reckless driving in addition to the drug offenses.
Hall County is about a 60-mile drive northeast from downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 10:59 AM with the headline "Motorcyclist speeding away from police dives into Lake Lanier to escape, troopers say."