This information is preliminary and details will change. Due to the number of agencies involved, information has been hard to get overnight. The narrative below comes mainly from the POV of Coweta County and what information they were able to get from other agencies over the time period of the incident. I will continue to update as I’m able to get more confirmed details from each agency involved.
Fulton County transfers call from OnStar to Coweta County
Just after 12:30 AM, July 31st, 2025, Coweta County E911 was transferred a 911 call from Fulton County 911 regarding what was originally classified as suspicious activity.
Once Coweta County E911 was able to take over the call it was found that the caller was a representative with OnStar, a subscription-based in-vehicle safety and security system, primarily offered by General Motors. The caller reported advised that a 2018 Gray Chevy Equinox was located at the 56 MM on I-85 heading south and that the vehicle was involved in a possible kidnapping – that it was a possible carjacking with a child in the vehicle.
Units with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office immediately started heading for the area for a possible intercept of the vehicle as dispatch worked to get more information regarding the incident and vehicle location.
Hit and Run reported just south of Exit 56
Around 5 minutes after dispatch received the call transfer from Fulton County, Coweta County E911 received a call from a motorist that had been traveling south on I-85 in the area of the Exit 56 bridge when a vehicle, that they could only describe as an SUV, side swiped them while speeding and failing to move far enough over as they passed the caller.
This diver pulled to the side of the interstate and called 911 to report it while the SUV that had hit them continued south on the interstate. A deputy was dispatched to the location of the vehicle as well as EMS and Fire.
Fairburn Officers spot suspect at Exit 51, heading back north.
Moments after the Hit and Run was dispatched, units notified dispatch that Fairburn PD units had eyes on the suspect vehicle which was now headed back north from Exit 51.
As Fairburn PD units following the suspect vehicle passed the 54 MM, CCSO units worked to get turned around and catch up to the units to assist what had now become a pursuit as the suspect vehicle began running from the officers behind him.
A CCSO was able to close the distance, reaching the northbound pursuit just as it hit the 60 MM. Within moments the deputy would report that the vehicle had crashed and that it’d flipped. The next update was that there’d been positive ejection from the vehicle.
I’ve been told now, by multiple sources, that the wreck was the result of a PIT by Fairburn PD units. I’ve reached out and am waiting for confirmation regarding this detail.
A CCSO deputy was able to close the distance, reaching the northbound pursuit just as it hit the 60 MM. Within moments the deputy would report that the vehicle had crashed and that it’d flipped. The next update seconds later was that there’d been positive ejection from the vehicle and to roll EMS 10-18 ( aka Code 3, or Fast as F*ck ).
Units immediately went to the driver, who had been ejected from the vehicle during the crash, and began rendering aid that included CPR.
Confusion, Chaos, Etc.
When the OnStar representative spoke with dispatch, they originally stated that they believed from what they’d heard from the vehicles microphone that there was a female child in the vehicle.
Given this information, units frantically searched the vehicle and surrounding areas for a possible child victim.
No victim, other than the suspect, was located. It was thankfully determined that there was no child involved in the incident.
From what I’ve been able to gather, and this is preliminary information and will change, the suspect and a female found themselves fighting in the front cabin of the vehicle, somewhere in Union City. At some point during this, the female pressed the OnStar emergency button in the vehicle which instantly contacted the vehicle to an OnStar representative who could both hear from a microphone inside the vehicle, and speak through the console.
The OnStar representative instantly started hearing the fight and commotion between the suspect and the female victim and believed from what they heard that there was an active carjacking. At some point the OnStar rep heard a change in the voice of the female victim and believed they’d heard a female child as well that was still in the vehicle when the suspect took off from the location without the female victim.
They then called 911 and relayed what they’d heard and what they believed to be happening, which is why it was originally reported as kidnapping.
Multiple agencies respond due to location, severity.
Due to the location of the wreck being just over the county line in Fulton, and due to the severity of the accident, EMS and FIRE units from Coweta County, Fairburn, and Grady EMS were all dispatched to the scene.
Due to traffic backups, Fairburn FD and Grady EMS arrived first and took control of the scene. Coweta County Fire Rescue quickly made their way through the traffic and would assist as needed.
The suspect reportedly passed at the scene.
The Georgia State Patrol was dispatched to the scene and will be conducting the investigation into the accident.
Additional Information
The following images of the scene were graciously provided to NCST.
