The story begins not on the highway, but on a Midtown sidewalk. A woman walking near Peachtree Place and West Peachtree Street Saturday was suddenly attacked. Police say the suspect, Phelan Thorpe, grabbed her purse, knocked her down, and hit her before running off. Surveillance footage later helped investigators identify him.
By Monday, Thorpe was already wanted. Officers tracked him to Thomasville Drive SE around 5:17 p.m. They spotted him outside a home. When they tried to approach, he grew aggressive. He yelled, flexed, and threatened to fight. Then he told officers he would shoot them. The threat forced police to take cover and call for backup.
In the chaos, Thorpe ran to a patrol car, climbed in, and sped off. Officers gave chase, but he slipped away at first. The pursuit stretched into Clayton County, where Thorpe drove onto I-675. Warrants say he went the wrong way on a ramp, left the road, and crashed into another vehicle. The patrol car ended up beneath a tanker truck.
Even after the crash, Thorpe tried to run. An APD sergeant caught him before he could escape. The violent chase ended with his arrest, but the damage was clear. The patrol car was destroyed, and drivers on the highway were put in danger.
Thorpe now faces charges for hijacking a vehicle, terroristic threats, obstruction, theft, and driving without a license. He also faces charges for the Midtown attack on the woman. Police say the two incidents show a pattern of violence and reckless disregard for others.
For the victim, the attack was sudden and brutal. She was knocked down and hit before her purse was stolen. Investigators say her case was the starting point that led officers to Thorpe. Without that report, they may not have tracked him down before the patrol car theft.
The warrants reveal how quickly a street attack escalated into a citywide chase. From a Midtown sidewalk to an interstate crash, Thorpe’s actions left a trail of danger. Police say his arrest brings relief to the victim and to a city shaken by the reckless pursuit.





