Georgia Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Fleeing and Assaulting Law Enforcement
A Georgia man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for felony fleeing and eluding as well as four counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. The incident occurred on February 27, 2023, when Grant Anderson Billings, 34, from Lawrenceville, Ga., was spotted speeding in a white Chevrolet work truck on Spur 25, heading eastbound towards Interstate 94.
According to District Attorney Keith Higgins, a Glynn County Police officer attempted to stop Billings, but he refused to comply. Additional police units joined the pursuit, and although Billings initially pulled over, he quickly sped off again at high speed. The chase continued until the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office took over after the Glynn County Police Department terminated the pursuit.
Billings made the reckless decision to enter the Waverly Pines neighborhood, where he intentionally struck a deputy in the leg with his truck and pinned another officer against his patrol vehicle. Fortunately, a fire hydrant halted the momentum of the truck, thus preventing serious injuries to the pinned officer. Billings did not stop there and proceeded to ram his vehicle into the sheriff’s car while still fleeing.
The sheriff, Neal Jump, then utilized a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver, causing Billings’ truck to spin out of control and crash into the median of the Golden Isles Parkway. Billings was swiftly apprehended at the scene.
District Attorney Higgins revealed that Billings, a two-time felon from the Atlanta area, had a female passenger in his vehicle during the chase. The woman, who was also involved in his prior felony convictions, testified that Billings had been drinking whiskey. Her statement supported the fact that Billings was under a court order to have no contact with her.
After a trial, during which a Glynn County jury found Billings guilty of felony fleeing and eluding, as well as four counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane handed down a sentence of 50 years. Out of these, Billings will serve 30 years in the Department of Corrections and will be subject to 20 years of probation. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $7,500.
District Attorney Higgins expressed his gratitude towards the law enforcement officers in Glynn County and the surrounding circuit for their dedication to ensuring public safety. He emphasized the danger posed to the community by Billings’ reckless driving and commended the efforts of the officers involved in stopping him.
This incident serves as a reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face while protecting the public and upholding the law. It also highlights the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions when they put others in harm’s way.
