Gordon County authorities said that at about 5:30am Wedneesday morning (January 11), a deputy sheriff stopped a suspicious automobile on I-75 near Exit 312. As the deputy approached the vehicle, it suddenly sped away at a high rate of speed, traveling northward.

The vehicle, a late model Dodge with a Tennessee license plate, exited and re-entered I-75 at Exit 318 still traveling at a very high rate of speed and ignoring traffic lights.

The pursuit continued to the next (Resaca) exit where the suspect vehicle struck a tractor trailer.

Both the driver, Christopher Hounchell, 28, and passenger, Whitney Buckles, 24, both of Knoxville, Tennessee,m were removed from the car by first responders and transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The driver of the tractor trailer is not believed to have been injured.

Hounschell was released to authorities with minor injuries later that morning; Buckles suffered unknown but serious injury.