Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Monday, March 29, Decatur County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Vincent Edmond received a tip from Bainbridge Public Safety that eventually led to the arrest of Douglas Herrington after a chase ensued.

Edmond was on duty when he received a phone call from Bainbridge Public Safety Investigator Chris Jordan.

Jordan informed Edmond that earlier that morning he had arrested an individual for forgery involving checks. While investigating the individual, Jordan noticed she was the daughter of Herrington, who was wanted for an outstanding felony warrant due to aggravated stalking.

Edmond had previously contacted Herrington and asked him to turn himself in, which Herrington refused to do.

Knowing this, Jordan had reached out to Herrington and asked him to bring in the checkbooks his daughter had used in regards to her forgery case. The two were set to meet at the Bainbridge Post Office, Jordan told Edmond.

Following up on the tip received, Edmond pulled into the Post Office and spotted Herrington’s truck and made eye contact with Herrington. According to reports, Edmond then got behind Herrington to initiate a traffic stop, when Herrington sped out of the parking lot. Edmond got behind Herrington and initiated his emergency lights, trying to initiate another traffic stop.

Herrington refused to stop and began to accelerate at a high rate of speed, blowing through four-way stop signs. As Herrington continued to become more reckless and unsafe in his driving, Edmond contacted E-911 and all assisting agencies to let them know he was terminating pursuit, due to the danger.

As Edmond deactivated his emergency lights, he watched Herrington blow through another stop sign and almost collide with another vehicle.

Edmond then opted to take out warrants on Herrington, including felony fleeing and attempting to elude, along with four uniform traffic citations for failure to stop at a stop sign.

Later that afternoon, Edmond was back in his office when he was informed by DCSO Patrol Captain Adam Mobley that he received information that Herrington was possibly located in the Blackjack Community near Chapman Hall Road.

Upon hearing this, Edmond and other assisting officers responded to the Blackjack Community. As Edmond was en route, Mobley informed Edmond he had located Herrington sitting behind an abandoned house on Dotson Drive.

Edmond arrived at the location and set up a plan with other deputies to disable Herrington’s vehicle when he attempted to leave the residence. They agreed to first try and make contact and if he fled, spike strips were set up to flatten his tires. However, before deputies could get set up, Herrington fled the scene.

Edmond hopped in his patrol vehicle and initiated his emergency lights, hoping Herrington would stop.
To no avail, Herrington continued to flee. BPS had set up a block on the intersection with their emergency lights on, but Herrington drove around the block with Edmond and other deputies still in pursuit and the vehicle traveling an excess of 100 mph.

Herrington eventually landed on a dirt road on Cedar Grove Road, turning onto a driveway that leads to Providence Dairy Farm.

Edmond noted that Herrington nearly lost control several times due to the speed and curves of the road.
Herrington finally came to a rest after he lost control of his vehicle while trying to make a right turn. The car went airborne and collided with a pine tree.

Deputies surrounded Herrington’s car following the accident and demanded he exit the truck. Herrington said he was having pain and could not, so officers approached and administered aid, while Herrington was still seated in the truck.

While administering aid, Edmond searched the truck and found a knife with a six-inch blade. Herrington also admitted to having a rifle in his toolbox. Edmond located the rifle, along with rounds of live ammunition.

GSP Trooper Steven Kornegay also was on scene and located a green bag containing suspected crystal methamphetamine residue. Edmond found Hydrocodone pills, and half a pint of liquor before Herrington was taken to Memorial Hospital for injuries.

Herrington will also receive warrants for possession of a firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm or knife during the commission of a crime and possession of a schedule II controlled substance.