By Joe Johnson
A Braselton man was charged with in connection with a chase and shooting Thursday afternoon that resulted in a fatal crash at a busy intersection in Gwinnett County, according to a Gwinnett County police media release.
Police said the incident occurred just before 12:45 p.m. when a pickup truck driven by 41-year-old Jonathan Nicholas Porch of 223 Lamar Cooper Road ran a red light at Winters Chapel Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard near Doraville and struck a car occupied by Patricia Meeks Padgett, 63, of Atlanta, who was fatally injured.
When Porch ran the red light, he was being pursued by a black SUV from which gunshots were fired at his pickup, according to police.
A woman and a toddler were also in the pickup, but the woman fled the scene before authorities arrived, Gwinnett police said.
The three-month-old boy was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was subsequently placed in the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services, police said.
The black SUV also fled the scene before police arrived.
Porch was arrested at the scene and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail on charges of first-degree homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, and failure to obey a traffic control device.
The fatal crash and shooting were being investigated as separate incidents, according to police.
If anyone has any information to share in this case, please contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com<https://www.atlantapolicefoundation.org/programs/crime-stoppers/>. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case. (Case Numbers 19-102939 and 19-102943)