Chase Ends in Crash with Newton Police Patrol Car

A Newton Police Officer is in the hospital after a chase that ended in a head-on collision.

A deputy from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle near the courthouse square in Newton on a welfare concern around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The driver refused to respond to deputies. A scuffle ensued and the subject entered the deputy’s unit and left the scene headed south on Highway 87. An officer with the Newton Police Department took pursuit and after a 12 mile chase, the subject made a U-turn and rammed the Newton Police patrol car head on. Both vehicles received major damage. The subject then ran on foot into a wooded area while the officers pursued. The subject was apprehended and transported to Jasper Memorial Hospital where he was seen and released. The subject is now being held at Newton County Jail. The Newton Police officer was life-flighted to the hospital where he was treated for head injuries. The case is still under investigation. Stay tuned to Newton County News for more details.