Coroner identifies man who died in Georgia interstate chase

CORDELE, Ga. – Authorities have identified the man who died in a police chase on an interstate in central Georgia that left two officers injured.

Crisp County coroner J.D. Rainey on Saturday said 34-year-old Joaquim Dinon Gerry of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Terry Howard said the chase began Thursday afternoon when Ashburn police tried to pull over a car for a tag violation. He says the suspect sped off and fired at pursuing officers.

Howard says Ashburn police officer Ferron Yi and a Turner County deputy Scotty Ireland were both treated at a hospital and released.

WALB-TV reports that 29-year-old Danielle Ockstadt of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was the driver of the vehicle and is hospitalized with injuries.