Update:

More information was made available about a chase that began on the Rockmart side of Polk County, took officers across Cedartown and up to Rome before it came to an end in a crash, according police reports.

The Polk County Police reported that Derrick Laron Rambert was taken into custody at 6:30 a.m. on December 9 after a chase that began at Wimberly Hill Loop at Highway 278 took over an hour and involved agencies from Polk County, Cedartown, Floyd County and Rome.

Rambert is accused of stealing a Chevrolet pickup truck from a Rockmart man who left it running outside to warm up around 5:30 a.m. and was getting away from Rockmart Police on Elm Street after he shut off his lights, and was driving recklessly in an attempt to lose officers in pursuit. He was able to get to Highway 278 and headed west when Polk County Police officers caught sight of him near Grady Road and the chase began again.

Polk County Police noted the taillights of the truck were off and the truck wasn’t maintaining a line and tried to stop Rambert, and additional help was requested of Cedartown Police with “stop sticks,” the spiked strips put out on highways ahead of vehicles involved in a chase to blow out the tires.

They were able to blow out a tire in the process at East Avenue and Broad Street, but it didn’t stop Rambert or the truck from driving onward, and the chase went through several residential areas. From the report:

“The truck continued to travel on East Avenue and on to Wissahickon Avenue, then Pine Street. The truck continued onto North Pine, then turned left onto West Jule Peek, then turned left onto Lynton Drive, then turned left onto West Girard… The truck continued on West Girard, then turned right onto College Street, then continued on and turned right on Canal Street. The truck continued on and turned right onto Prior Station. A Cedartown Officer then successfully deployed stop sticks on Prior Station at 10th Street, blowing at least one more tire.”

After a third stop stick deployment by a Polk County Police Officer, a third tire was blown and “at this point, only one tire on the truck was inflated.”

The chase continued back toward town on West Avenue, then went North on Main Street, and then went North on Highway 27. Polk County Police notified Floyd County of the incoming chase. Rambert continued onward despite driving on three rims and a good tire past the Floyd County line and all the way to the Highway 411 interchange before it came to an end with a crash after the truck was unable to negotiate a turn and Rambert drove off the roadway and struck a sign.

Police conducted a felony traffic stop, meaning they had pistols drawn and ordered Rambert to get out of the truck while he tried to drive away to no avail, forcing a window punch tool to be used to get him out of the driver’s seat.

Of note, police did report Rambert tried to spit on a Polk County Police officer, and there was some fear of COVID-19 exposure. He was brought back locally to Floyd Polk Medical Center for clearance to be taken to jail for booking and lied to police about his name and date of birth. When he requested to call his mother, she provided correct details to officers.

He remained in jail with no bail set on felony and misdemeanor charges listed in the first posting on the chase below.

Previously posted:

A Savannah man remained in the Polk County Jail this morning on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after several police agencies from Polk and Floyd counties chased in him a stolen truck early this morning.

Polk County Police Assistant Chief Kiki Evans reports that Derrick Laron Rambert, 22, of a Savannah, Georgia, address, was taken into custody in the Rome area after he stole a truck that had been left unoccupied to warm up around 5:30 a.m. in Rockmart.

The truck was immediately reported stolen by the owner to 911, and Polk County Police who got the radio call spotted heading toward Cedartown and began a pursuit when Rambert failed to stop.

Evans said that spike strips were deployed during the chase, but that it failed to stop Rambert in the Chevrolet pickup despite losing at least one tire.

Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said his agency was involved in the chase that took a meandering route around Cedartown before Rambert made it onto Highway 27 North, and his officers broke off. Floyd County officers were waiting for him at the county line, but failed to stop the truck as well.

Rambert was reported by Evans to make it all the way into Rome before officers finally were able to stop him and take him into custody.

Now in jail without any bond set, Rambert faces felony charges of theft by taking, fleeing or attempting to elude police, and reckless conduct. He faces misdemeanor charges built up during the chase of fleeing or attempting to elude police, failure to obey a traffic device or police, aggressive driving, obstructing law enforcement officers, reckless driving, giving false name, address, or birthdate to law enforcement officers and failure to maintain lane.

Additional details about the chase will be forthcoming when a report on the incident becomes available. Check back later in the day for an update.