Driver Flees from Oconee Deputies, Crashes in Athens

For allegedly fleeing from Oconee County deputies Friday night and crashing in Athens, a Nicholson man is facing multiple charges. 

It all started around 11 p.m. on Aug. 16.  A deputy was parked at the intersection of GA 316 and Virgil Langford Drive when he noticed a Nissan 300ZX, missing a headlight, changing speeds and swerving in the roadway as it headed east.

The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop at the intersection of GA 316 and the Oconee Connector. At first the car appeared to slow down as if it were going to stop. But, according to a sheriff's report, the car then turned abruptly into the left lane and sped up to approximately 50 mph.

The deputy pursued the vehicle as it turned onto the outer SR 10 Loop and toward exit four "reaching speeds of 100 mph," the deputy wrote in the report.  

The chase continued onto southbound US 441 where the driver next turned onto White Oak Drive and into the Highland Oak subdivision, continuing until he reached a cul-de-sac.

"I believed at that point he was about to jump out of the vehicle and run on foot but he turned, going over the curb, and proceeding [sic] back to 441.  At this point I lost visual contact and other units continued the pursuit," the deputy wrote.

The driver ultimately wrecked at the intersection of Timothy Road and Tanglewood Drive in Athens. 

Keith Andrew Reinemann, 28, was arrested and charged with fleeing or attempting to elude, reckless driving, no headlight and driving while unlicensed.