Watkinsville teen’s wild ride through Athens

By Joe Johnson

Oconee County teenager was recently arrested after he led police on a chase that began in downtown Athens and ended on the front lawn of a University of Georgia sorority house.

The incident began at around 2:30 a.m. on December 13th when a police officer was flagged down about

a possible fight in the area of Jackson and South streets.

When the officer arrived in the area he saw a car that appeared to be driving towards him to intentionally hit the police car.

“Even as the proximity between me and the car grew imminently perilous the driver increased his rate of acceleration,” the officer reported,

The driver ignored orders by other officers to stop and he sped away from the area onto Broad Street and then down South Milledge Avenue, blowing through at least one stop sign with police cars in pursuit.

The 2021 Toyota Camry sprung an oil leak when its undercarriage struck the pavement in a dip in the road and it continued to be driven until the oil ran out

Police said when they found the car it was on the front lawn of the Kappa Alpha Theta house, with 17-year-old Andrew Britt Bowen still in the driver’s seat

The car apparently finally lost power as Bowen tried driving from the sorority’s parking lot off Waddell Street to get back onto Milledge.

The Watkinsville teen briefly resisted as officers removed him from the car. He was found in possession of fake identification and also his father’s ID, according to police, He refused to say who his passengers were.

Open containers that police said were inside the car included ia partially full twisted tea that had been shoved beneath the driver’s seat,

The Toyota’s trunk had opened as the result of an “impact “‘that’s not explained in the police report, and inside officers found 42 vape pens containing THC oil.

Bowen was arrested on 11 misdemeanor and felony charges, including DUI, reckless driving, fleeing/eluding police, possession of fraudulent identification, obstruction, and possession with intent to distribute THC oil.

He was released upon posting a $4,000 bond.