GRADY COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - One man is facing several charges after deputies said a late-night chase ended in Grady County on Sept. 13.

The sheriff’s office said 18-year-old Micharian Richardson was behind the wheel with three passengers after leaving a football game in Tallahassee.

Richardson is charged with DUI refusal, fleeing and attempting to elude an officer, speeding, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, passing in a no-passing zone and a seat belt violation.

Deputies said they first clocked Richardson’s car going 20mph over the speed limit. When they tried to stop it, he sped off, turned off his lights and started passing cars in no-passing zones.

The sheriff’s office said Richardson reached speeds of 147mph before entering Cairo, where he struck a deputy’s patrol car on the 5th Street overpass.

Deputy Jaron Brown said his focus was on protecting the community.

“My goal is to protect the citizens of this county. That’s what I was hired for. At the end of the day, I was trying to make sure I could do that and make it back home to my family,” Brown said.

Sheriff Earl Prince said reckless driving like this puts everyone on the road at risk.

“I don’t care what you’re doing, how fast you’re going, pull over. You’ve been caught. Hold yourself accountable because if you continue doing this, you’re going to hurt yourself or kill somebody else. It’s not worth it,” Prince said.

Deputies said they got a call earlier that evening about four vehicles racing. Three of the drivers were stopped, but one got away. When deputies responded to the later high-speed chase, they realized it was the same fourth vehicle seen racing just hours earlier.

The sheriff’s office is now asking the court system to take reckless driving cases more seriously.

“I would love to see the judges hold them accountable when they do go to court. Stop being so lenient and hold them accountable to the consequences that my guys and gals out here on the street put them in court for,” Prince said.

Richardson was later released on bond.

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