ATLANTA — An Atlanta police officer and a child were hospitalized after a tow truck involved in a police chase slammed into a home.
Boy recounts close call after tow truck crash
Reginald Jones said he watched the wild scene come to an end. His cousin lives at the home on Cologne Drive that the truck crashed into.
"She is real upset, real shook up," he said.
Atlanta police said it all started when an officer tried to pull over the driver of a tow truck because it was improperly towing a full-sized Chevy pickup truck.
"On the interstate, the vehicle being towed started sparking and everything because it was unsecured," Atlanta police Capt. Van Hobbs said.
But the driver refused to pull over, and a chase ensued, Hobbs said. Then, they reached Crown Road in southeast Atlanta.
"At that point, the truck being towed came off the wrecker and hit a patrol car, causing the officer to go up an embankment and into a fence," Hobbs said.
Police said the tow truck driver kept going until he reached Cologne Drive. Then, police said, the driver jumped out of his moving truck and started running.
"The wrecker continued through the yards, clipping the corner of one house, taking the corner off and it came to rest on the side of the second house," Hobbs said.
Barry Hammond, 12, was treated and released from an area hospital. The officer involved was also treated and released.
Police said the tow truck was stolen and that the driver, Thomas McDaniel, didn't have a license.
Polce said Michael Smith was in the passenger's seat and that both men are charged with theft by taking. McDaniel is also charged with driving without a license and a slew of traffic charges.
"For something to happen like that, it's real crazy. It's real crazy," Jones said.
Police said they have run into problems lately with people using wreckers to pick up cars found on the side of the highway.