Man: Fleeing Cop Car was 'Act of Desperation' Over Broken Headlight

A Dacula man told police he tried to flee when he saw the blue lights come on behind him in “an act of desperation.”

The man, who was stopped on Feb. 5 near Braselton Highway and Stancil Road, said he didn’t want a ticket for a broken headlight.

According to a Gwinnett Police incident report, police followed a Corolla from the QT gas station at Hamilton Mill Road and Braselton Highway. The car had one headlight out and no working tail lights.

The officer followed the car, which turned right onto Braselton Highway without stopping and accelerated quickly away.

The car then turned sharply onto Stancil Drive without signaling. When the driver turned off all the lights “in an attempt to disappear in the darkness,” the officer turned on his blue lights.

The driver turned down a long driveway off Stancil and continued until a locked gate prevented him from going any farther.

According to the incident report, the driver said he saw the police car follow him from the QT and didn’t stop later when the blue lights went on, “because my headlights were out and I did not want to get a ticket. It was an act of desperation.”

The officer smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath. He said he didn’t have anything to drink, but he later registered a .13 on an alco sensor machine.

He was charged with DUI, eluding police and traffic offenses.