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Family, neighbors urge change to state pursuit policy after fatal high-speed crash in Little 5 Points
Summary
Speakers at the Atlanta City Council meeting called for changes to Georgia State Patrol chase rules after a high-speed pursuit in Little 5 Points killed a driver; family members and neighbors asked the council to support resolution 33-28 and press state authorities for policy reform.
Family members and neighbors of a woman killed during a high-speed vehicle pursuit asked the Atlanta City Council to press for changes to Georgia State Patrol chase policies and to support a pending resolution.
Why it matters: High-speed police pursuits in populated corridors pose public-safety risks. Speakers said state pursuit practice contributed to a fatal crash in a heavily populated stretch of Moreland Avenue and urged council support for tighter rules.
Katie Shanky, who identified herself as the mother of the victim’s child, described the May crash on Moreland Avenue that killed her son and asked the council to act. She supported a city resolution noted in the meeting as 33-28 and urged stronger oversight of state pursuit practices: “There needs to be some oversight when they're not laser on someone who's not just laser focused on ending this crash,” she said, referring to a high-speed pursuit in a residential and commercial corridor.
Scott Fleming, a Candler Park resident, said the crash near Little 5 Points occurred on a street with frequent pedestrians and stores and added that Atlanta should press the state for policy reform: “Our vision to this policy that has proven successful in other states can help our law enforcement better serve our communities and better protect our loved ones,” Fleming said.
Council response and limits: Several council members said they will advocate for changes at the state level. Councilor Liliana Bakhtiar clarified that the Georgia State Patrol — not APD — was responsible for the chase under discussion and that APD maintains an internal pursuit policy with limits; Councilor Antonio Lewis and others urged statewide reform. The council did not take a formal vote on a state policy change during the meeting.
What was not decided: The council did not pass a local ordinance or resolve binding the Georgia State Patrol. Any change to the State Patrol’s pursuit policy would require action at the state level. Council members said they would pursue advocacy and outreach to state officials on the family's behalf.
Next steps: Speakers and councilors said they would pursue the pending city resolution 33-28 and continue advocacy with state lawmakers and Georgia State Patrol leadership.
