COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – One man has been arrested after a high speed chase on Furys Ferry Road.

According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect has been identified as Reul Derrick Williams, Jr., 37.

According to deputies, Williams was found sitting in a vehicle in the Walgreens Parking Lot on Furys Ferry Road, near the intersection with Evans to Locks Road, at 1:47 a.m. after the business had closed.

According to the report, officers were investigating a possibly abandoned car during a regular patrol of the area and did not realize, until getting closer, that there was a person inside in the driver’s seat.

Authorities say that once at the window of the vehicle, the deputy wrote in the report that he found a man slumped toward the passenger seat, and the deputy shined his flashlight into the vehicle to see better.

Authorities continue by adding that the man in the driver’s seat sat up, looked at the deputy, but did not respond to the deputy identifying himself multiple times as being with the Sheriff’s Office.

Then, according to the report, Williams started the vehicle, looked back at the deputy, who again identified himself as being with the Sheriff’s Office.

The report states that Williams put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated hard, striking the right front side of the deputy’s patrol vehicle more than 20 feet away.

According to officers, the deputy continued issuing verbal warnings for the man to stop, none of which were responded to, and Williams fled the parking lot in the vehicle he was driving, a gray Nissan Altima, at a high-rate of speed.

Deputies say that officers took pursuit of the subject vehicle as it travelled onto Furys Ferry Road, then right onto Baston Road and Washington Road, where members of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, following the pursuit over dispatch radio, had set up  Stop Sticks, puncturing three tires on the Altima near the intersection of Old Evans Road and River Watch Parkway.

According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Williams continued driving, turning east and finally coming to a stop near the small residential side street Windtree Place.

Authorities say Williams was placed into custody and an inventory made of the interior of the vehicle, which was littered with syringes.

An examination of the deputy’s vehicle, which Williams is accused of crashing into before leading the deputy in pursuit, sustained significant damage to the lower front right quarter panel, including possible axle damage to the right front tire.

Williams is being held at the Columbia County Detention Center on charges including Felony Interference with Government Property and Fleeing/Attempting to Elude Officer.