EAST POINT POLICE DEPARTMENT
INCIDENT REPORT

Case No. 9401000648

Incident Type:    Traffic Arrest
Premise Type:    Highway/Road
Location:    Semmes St.
Date:    1/14/94  Time:  1505

Offender:    Ralph David Abernathy III.     Race:   Black    Sex:  Male     DOB:    3/19/59
HGT:    507    WGT: 165   Hair:  Black    Eyes:  Brown

Police Officers Nesbit, Roberson and Mote

NARRATIVE

    On 14 Jan 94 (Fri) at 1505 hours, I was stopped at a red light at Southbound Semmes at Norman Berry Drive, East Point, Ga.   Officer Nesbit was stopped on the other side of the intersection.  Officer Nesbit was stopped at the red light Northbound on Semmes at Norman Berry Drive.  The traffic way flow for Southbound Semmes is as follows:  The curb lane is for thru traffic, and the left lane is a left turn lane.
    I was stopped in the thru land with two (2) vehicles in front of me.   The left turn lane had three (3) vehicles in it.
    I observed a Dodge Dynasty 4-door, blue in color, with Ga. Tag SS38 displayed, traveling South on Semmes.  The Dodge drove left of the traffic in the left turn lane waiting at the red light.  The Dodge was driving South in the Northbound lane of Semmes.  The Dodge drove thru the red light without stopping and turned right (West) onto Norman Berry Drive.  The Dodge continued west on Norman Berry Drive at a high rate of speed with its four-way flashers on.  I attempted to make an enforcement stop of the Dodge using blue lights and siren from a marked police car.  The Dodge failed to yield to the police car and passed a vehicle.  The passing was on a double yellow line in a curve going up a hill.  The Dodge continued west on Norman Berry Drive.  With the intersection of Delowe Westbound Norman Berry Drive had a red light.  The Dodge drove around the traffic stopped at the red light and drove through the red light.  The Dodge continued West on Headland Drive at a high rate of speed.  The Dodge passed four vehicles on a double yellow line, on a hill, and entered a 30mph school zone.  In the school zone the Dodge ran a vehicle off the road and almost hit another.  The Dodge was over 60mph in the school zone.   The Dodge entered the parking lot of Paul D. West Middle School and stopped.   The Dodge contained three people,  a male drive, a female front seat passenger, and a male in the back seat.  The driver jumped out of the car and ran toward me with a card in his hand yelling "I'm a Deputy Sheriff!  I'm a Deputy Sheriff!"  The male stated he had an emergency.  When questioned about the emergency he stated that he had a speaking engagement at the school and he was late.   Also he told me he had a blue light permit, but had not picked up the blue light.   The male was identified as State Senator Abernathy and two of his staff members.
    Capt. Mote arrived at the scene and Abernathy was released to give his talk at the school, while the male staff member took the citations that were issued to Abernathy.  Citation #'s 65390, 65391, 65392 (Red Light, Failed to Yield to Emergency Vehicle, Reckless Driving) Court date 2 Feb 94 1600 hours.  Abernathy's license was surrendered in lieu of bail.

Reporting Officer, Gerard Roberson.