Authorities said the two-county pursuit began after officers located a vehicle allegedly taken following an assault on the driver’s mother.
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — A 19-year-old Georgia man faces a series of felony and traffic charges after police said he fled officers in his mother’s vehicle, drove at speeds approaching 100 mph and crashed in Gordon County at the end of a two-county pursuit.
Authorities identified the driver as Elijah Parker. Cartersville police said the pursuit developed several hours after Parker allegedly attacked his mother in a grocery store parking lot and drove away in her vehicle. Officers in Adairsville later spotted the vehicle and tried to make a traffic stop, according to police.
Parker allegedly refused to stop and accelerated away from officers, beginning a chase that moved from Bartow County into neighboring Gordon County. Police said speeds during the pursuit neared 100 mph. The available reports do not specify the full route of the chase or how long officers pursued the vehicle.
The pursuit ended after Parker crashed into another vehicle and knocked down a stop sign in Gordon County, authorities said. Officers then took him into custody. Police have not released details about possible injuries to the person in the other vehicle, leaving the medical consequences of that collision unclear.
The events leading to the pursuit began earlier in Cartersville, police said. Investigators allege Parker attacked his mother while the two were inside a vehicle parked outside a grocery store. Cartersville Police Capt. Greg Sparacio said the woman reported that Parker began choking her and that she feared she would lose consciousness.
Police said the woman managed to get away and ran into a nearby business for help. Parker allegedly took control of her vehicle and drove away before officers arrived. Law enforcement then circulated information about the vehicle to agencies in the surrounding area, leading to its later discovery in Adairsville.
Investigators said Parker later acknowledged during questioning that he had intended to kill his mother and that she escaped before he could do so. Authorities have not publicly identified the woman or disclosed whether she needed further medical treatment. Police also have not announced a suspected reason for the alleged attack.
Parker faces aggravated assault, false imprisonment and theft by taking charges stemming from the broader incident, according to authorities. Police said he also faces more than 10 traffic violations and a charge of driving without a valid license. The charges are allegations, and Parker is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case now combines allegations of a violent domestic encounter with a high-speed pursuit spanning two counties and a collision involving another vehicle. Parker remained in custody as of the latest reports. Authorities had not released information about his next court date, bond status or whether an attorney had been appointed or retained to represent him.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.