Fentanyl dealer arrested after gas station transaction, police chase

By Joe Johnson

A known drug dealer was arrested last weekend after having been seen making a deal and then leading police on a high speed chase.

Athens police said they had 31-year-old Taylor Samuel Jennings under surveillance on the night of November 4th when he made an apparent drug transaction at a gas station on North Avenue.

When officers attempted the make a traffic stop on his car, Jennings ncreased his speed and made several turns in an attempt to lose his tail.

But the officers kept on him until Jennings eventually stopped at a gas station on Commerce Road.

He voluntarily handed over a small bag of drugs that was in plain view in the center console and as an officer examined what appeared to be about a gram of fentanyl, Jennings suddenly raced out of the gas station to lead police on a second chase, this time reaching speeds of over 100 mph.

The officers lost sight of the suspect’s car in the area of Newton Bridge Road and so they couldn’t know what contraband was in the car at the time.

They did, however, have sufficient evidence to obtain warrants charging Jennings with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, felony fleeing from police, reckless driving and other traffic offenses.

Jennings was arrested and served with the warrants on November 29th.

He is being held without bail in pretrial detention at the county jail,