Sgt. Steven Laska said that at about 9:32 p.m. Monday he and another Tifton Police officer were traveling north on Tifton-Eldorado Road when a black Mitsubishi Galant almost caused a head-on collision with them. Laska said the Mitsubishi came over almost a car’s width into their lane and that as they turned around to catch up with the Mitsubishi, the car was still straddling the center lane of the highway.

Laska said they turned on the sirens of their patrol car and then the Mitsubishi turned down Evergreen Drive, stopping for about one second and then continuing down Evergreen driving down the center of the road before making a wide right onto Valley Drive. He said that on Valley Drive the car was going only about 15 miles per hour and then turned onto Hillside Drive. He said there the driver accelerated hard and then slammed on the brakes as the car turned onto Tifton-Eldorado Road.

Laska said the driver, later identified as Emanuel Matt Uzowihe, 17, of Tifton, pulled into a residence on Tifton-Eldorado Road. The officer said that Uzowihe got out of the car and ran away on foot, stripping articles of clothes off as he ran. Laska said that while Uzowihe ran from the police one of them identified him; however, the man was able to escape on foot.

Laska said that the police went back to the Mitsubishi and found a clear bag containing a substance believed to be marijuana inside the car near the driver’s door. The suspected marijuana was taken into custody by the police, Laska said.

Laska said the police visited Uzowihe’s home and told his parents to call them when he got home. However, Laska said that Uzowihe later called to report that his car had been stolen. The officer said that Uzowihe was instead identified as the driver during the chase. He was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving without insurance.