Bystander critically injured in aftermath of police chase

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Friends of a man critically hurt in the aftermath of a police chase fear those responsible won't pay for his mounting medical bills.

Terry Grizzle suffered critical internal injuries and underwent surgery Friday afternoon at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Grizzle flew around 25 feet through the air when a truck, pushed off the road during a police chase, struck him on Wednesday in Lumpkin County while he was working on a ladder. His friends want the state to pay for his medical bills because of the circumstances surrounding his injury.

Channel 2’s Tony Thomas spoke with Grizzle’s friend Kevin Marshall, who says days after the crash he can still see and hear the moment his friend was critically injured.

“I knew he was busted up, and probably a lot more than some people thought,” said Marshall.

Georgia State Patrol says a trooper was reportedly chasing a stolen pickup truck down Morrison Moore Parkway and purposely spun out the fleeing truck. The truck went out of control and slammed into the sign Grizzle was working on, throwing him some 20 feet off his ladder.

“He was just doing his job,” said Marshall. “I’m sure this will probably get me a lot of tickets or whatever from now on, but Georgia State Patrol needs to do right by Terry.”

Marshall says at first troopers told him the state would cover any damages, but he's since been told that may not happen.  Thomas emailed a GSP spokesman and was told Marshall and Grizzle can file claims with the state.

“Terry Grizzle is going to need some help with medical bills and I don't think he should be responsible for it,” Marshall told Thomas.

Grizzle owns his own electrical company and is also a bus driver for Lumpkin County.

WSBTV