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Photo courtesy of the Lamar County Sheriff's Office.
ZEBULON - On December 23, 2017 shortly after a midnight, Sgt. Michael Newman of the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office was running stationary radar on Georgia Hwy 7 when he spotted a vehicle with no tag light in which the driver appeared to be having problems maintaining his lane. A chase ensued that ended in Pike County with the help of the Georgia State Patrol.
A check of the license plate revealed that the plate belonged to a Toyota truck rather than the Lexus that was on the road in front of the deputy. 29 year old Cody Ray Kahler of Milner was driving a white four door Lexus ES 300, and he did not stop when Sgt. Newman and his Field Training Officer Dep. Saunders initiated the traffic stop.
Kahler drove at excessive speeds on both back roads and Georgia Hwy 7 before entering Pike County on New Hope Road and eventually ending up on Hwy 19/41 where Cpl. McEntire performed a pit maneuver which caused the chase to come to an end when the Lexus came to stop in the south bound ditch.
Throughout the chase, it was noted that Kahler was all over the road without regard to anyone else on the road and ran off the sides of the road as well. In the arrest report, Sgt. Newman noted the overwhelming odor of alcohol coming from Kahler during his arrest.
Twenty warrants are pending for Lamar County including: 8 stop sign violations, 1 count of speeding 110 mph in a 60 mph zone and 90 mph in a 55 mph zone, driving while suspended, unlawful use of a license plate, canceled registration, fleeing attempting to elude police officer, obstruction, no seat belt, tag light, reckless driving, and no insurance.
Pike County advised that they were placing a hold on Kahler for pending warrants as well.
This Cody Ray Kahler appears to be the same individual who was charged in an October 2016 car wreck in Lamar County that involved him abandoning a wrecked vehicle with an injured passenger in Lamar County, and then stealing a different vehicle to escape to Spalding County where he was later found and arrested while hiding in a barn in Spalding County.
Thanks to Peggi Payton for the heads up on this chase as it was coming through Pike County.
UPDATE 1.8.18: Major David Neal from the Pike County Sheriff's Office advised that Cpl. McEntire of the Georgia State Patrol brought Cody Ray Kahler to the Pike County Sheriff's Office after he was checked out at the hospital. GSP charged Kahler with open container, DUI, and failure to obey stop signs.
Pike County turned Kahler over to Lamar County approximately 48 hours after he was booked into the Pike County Jail because the Lamar County Sheriff's Office had a hold on him for charges for offenses that occurred in their county.