A vehicle pursuit Saturday by Tift County deputies ended in a cotton field with a Tifton man’s arrest on 71 traffic violations.

According to Lt. Col. Bobby Brannen with the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Cherry Street in Ty Ty in reference to a suspicious vehicle driving reckless. Also, one of the responding deputies was told shots had been fired.

A description of the suspect’s vehicle was given. Another responding unit met the vehicle on Highway 82 between Tifton and Ty Ty and checked it on radar at an excess of 100 mph.

Brannen said the offender refused to stop for deputies and a pursuit began. During the pursuit, the suspect rammed a patrol car and committed numerous traffic violations.

The pursuit ended off Salem Church Road when the suspect drove through a cotton field and his vehicle over heated.

Johnathan Ray Kelley, 22, of 85 Perdue Road was arrested and charged with DUI, an open container violation, four counts of duty of driver to stop at or return to the scene of an accident, two counts of aggressive driving, aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, operating a motor vehicle creating danger to persons or property/laying drag, 14 counts of improper lane change, two counts of improper use of central turn lane, driving on the wrong side of the road, three counts of failure to stop at sign, passing in a no passing zone, reckless driving, a safety restraint violation, driving with a suspended or revoked license, failure to dim headlights, nine counts of failure to obey a traffic control device, 19 counts of failure to maintain lane, two counts of failure to use signal, four counts of speeding and too fast for conditions.

To contact reporter Latasha Ford, call 382-4321.