Pickup truck driver slams into cop car during police chase in Gwinnett County
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A man is behind bars in Gwinnett County after police say he led them on a dangerous pursuit that began in Lilburn and ended in Norcross.
The suspect, Salvador Torres-Mandujano, 33, of Coffee County, faces several charges, including fleeing and aggravated assault on a police officer.
Lilburn police said the chase started on Sunday afternoon at around 11 a.m., when they attempted to stop the driver of a white Dodge Ram.
People in another car called 911 to report the pickup was following them into a Walmart parking lot on Lawrenceville Highway.
"They tried making lane changes, they tried going in the parking lot," Veronica Arnold, a special police officer with the Lilburn Police Department, said.
Police said the victims eventually drove to the Lilburn Police Department, where they met with officers to report the incident.
Lilburn police station
While speaking to police, one of the victims saw the Dodge Ram drive past the station, police said. Officers immediately attempted to stop the truck, but the driver refused to pull over. Dashcam footage from the incident shows the truck plowing into a police car.
"The officer was behind the vehicle, another officer tried to get beside it to slow it down and that’s when he hit him from behind," Arnold said.
Despite efforts by Lilburn police, including the use of PIT maneuvers and stop sticks, the truck continued down Lawrenceville Highway.
Gwinnett police eventually took over the pursuit as it entered Norcross, cops said.
The suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, but officers located and arrested him about a mile from where the truck was left.
"The driver had abandoned the vehicle, so they just started looking for the driver, which they located about a mile away from where he had left the vehicle," Arnold said.
Salvador Torres-Mandujano allegedly slammed into a police car, then kept going during the chase.
Torres-Mandujano is now facing several charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer for ramming a patrol car during the chase.
Jail records indicate that he is behind bars in Gwinnett County.
"The car got pretty messed up, but luckily, our officer is fine," Arnold said. "He did have bruising, and the airbags deployed, but overall, he’s doing pretty good. He’s back at work today."
Arnold said the people in the other car did the right thing by calling 911 and going to the police station.
"If you know you’re being followed, if you’re not sure what’s going on, it’s always a good idea to call 911," she said. "We’ll come out there. Drive to a safe place. If you need to get off the road, get off the road."