By Sarah Stephens
Elmore Autauga News
The Tallassee Police Department released information Wednesday night about a vehicle pursuit involving their officers that eventually ended in an arrest with the help of Elmore County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
According to the information released by Tallassee, Patrol Officers were originally dispatched to the 200 block of Main Street in Tallassee in reference to a suicidal subject. Contact was made with Jason Downs, 35, who refused to exit his vehicle and then fled the scene, refusing to stop. The subject led police officers on a high and low speed pursuit through the Tallassee’s police jurisdiction where the driver, later identified as Jason Downs, 35, hit two separate patrol units with his vehicle and attempted a head on collision with a third.
“After the pursuit left our jurisdiction, south on U.S. Hwy 229, in an abundance of caution for innocent civilian life and the subject’s, the pursuit was cancelled by our department,” the information states.
The subject then turned north bound on U.S. Hwy 229, briefly returned to the Tallassee jurisdiction, then turned west on Rifle Range Road where Deputies with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department were able to locate the fleeing subject and continued the pursuit.
The subject eventually wrecked his vehicle in the 1900 block of Rifle Range Road and was subsequently taken into custody by the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department with minor injuries.
Jason Downs, of Deluth, Georgia according to records, has been booked into the Elmore County Jail with the following charges listed as of 5:20 a.m. this morning. No booking photo was available at the time of this report.
Booking #: 49639
Booking Date: 04-02-2025 11:03 PM
Charges: Driving Under the Influence (Controlled Substances)
Attempt to Elude
Improper Lane Usage
Resisting Arrest
Failure to Possess Ex-Felon Registration Card
Driving on Wrong Side of Road
Reckless Driving
Reckless Endangerment
No Insurance
Criminal Mischief 1st-Other
Obstructing Governmental Operations
No Passing Zone
Speeding
Obstructed Windshield
Disorderly Conduct/Disturbing Peace
Improper Lights
Failure to Register Vehicle
Bond: 7,500.00
The Tallassee Police Department would like extend its gratitude to Sheriff Bill Franklin and the Elmore County Deputies for their assistance in ending the pursuit and apprehending the subject before anyone was seriously injured.
“This is a prime example of multijurisdictional cooperation with the singular goal of keeping our collective communities safe,” the release stated.
