Fleeing Felon and His Dog Rescued from Burning Car by Police

Police chasing a wanted felon on Saturday rescued the injured suspect and his dog after the fleeing man’s car crashed into a utility pole.

Brookhaven officers rescued wanted felon, Donald Jason Miles, 28, from a burning car Saturday before arresting him after he led officers on a high-speed chase through Brookhaven and DeKalb County. While responding to an armed robbery call in the North Druid Hills Road area, officers noticed a vehicle with stolen tags parked at a nearby hotel.

While officers were attempting to set up surveillance, the vehicle left the parking lot. An attempt to stop the car led to a pursuit across the I-85 bridge. After several minutes, the driver crashed head-on into a utility pole at the intersection of North Druid Hills Road and Clairmont Road, police said.

Brookhaven Officer David Fikes, who was first to arrive on the scene, realized the suspect’s vehicle was filling with smoke and an unresponsive Miles was laying across the center console. With assistance from other officers, Fikes began breaking windows and managed to pry the suspect from the vehicle, along with a dog that was found on the passenger-side floorboard.

Moments after both Miles and the dog were removed from the car, it became engulfed in flames.

Miles was placed under arrest and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for injuries suffered in the crash. He has been charged with theft, fleeing and attempting to elude police, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and reckless driving, as well as additional charges related to a suspected carjacking incident in Sandy Springs and outstanding warrants from Roswell and Georgia Parole.

The dog was treated on-site for smoke inhalation and was taken to Briarcliff Animal Hospital for further veterinary evaluation.