Overview
- A white 2017 Subaru Outback reported stolen early Sunday was located around noon by a Georgia State Patrol trooper on Highway 17 in the Lavonia area.
- A trooper attempted a stop but the driver fled, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour before losing control on GA Highway 328 and crashing into a bridge guardrail.
- After the crash the driver ran from the vehicle and jumped into Lake Hartwell to try to evade officers while deputies and Lavonia police set a perimeter.
- A Hart County deputy and a Lavonia officer used a nearby civilian boat to reach and take 29-year-old Sean Austin Mays into custody; he was treated for minor injuries and faces felony theft, entering auto, fleeing and attempting to elude charges plus traffic offenses.
- Photos of the water arrest were posted by local departments on Facebook, the investigation remains active, and officials have noted the multi-agency response and civilian assistance in the capture.