Staff Writer

A man who was a passenger in a car that fled from officers and wrecked Friday is wanted in Georgia.

Jerry Pugh, 29, of 1033 Washington Heights, Atlanta, Ga., is being held in the Union County Jail on a charge of having an open container of alcohol. He also will be charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Pugh was a passenger in a Dodge Avenger that crashed into a storm drain at the intersection of Gage Avenue and Hillside Drive during a police chase Friday afternoon. The driver fled and has not been located.

Lt. Robbie Hines said Pugh and his companion had been in Union most of last week and aroused suspicion because of some peculiar questions they were asking at local banks. They also had a Virginia plate on the car, but when asked for identification Pugh had a Georgia driver's license. The driver would not provide a license.

Friday morning, Hines asked Union County 911 to issue a BOLO to city and county officers and the Highway Patrol for the Dodge Avenger the men were traveling in.

Deputy Roger Hill spotted the Avenger at the Mini-Mart on Duncan By-Pass and began following it.

“He was going to make a traffic stop and a chase ensued,” Hines said.

After the car wrecked, the driver fled and Pugh remained behind. Hines said Hill witnessed Pugh putting two guns under the car. Alcohol was found in the car.

Pugh has been uncooperative and would not identify the driver.

A check of Pugh's record found he uses several different names and several different birth dates. He is wanted by the U.S. Marshal Service for a weapons violation.

Anyone with information about the driver of the car is asked to call Hines at the sheriff's office at 429-1612 or Union County Crime Stoppers at 427-0800.