A motorcyclist who was wanted by authorities in a chase that resulted in the wreck of a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office patrol car was apprehended this past Friday night, Sheriff Ted Paxton announced today.

The suspect is identified as Randall Lanier Nichols, age 53, of Elmo Road in Cumming.  Nichols faces four felony charges in connection with the chase, including Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, two counts of Possession of Methamphetamine and Fleeing and Attempting to Elude.

In addition, Nichols faces four misdemeanor charges, including Displaying an Obscured License Plate on his motorcycle, Possession of Marijuana, Reckless Driving and Violation of Probation.  Nichols was already on probation for possession of marijuana.

Nichols was identified as the driver of a motorcycle that fled from a routine traffic stop that started on Memorial Day on Pilgrim Mill Road.   The driver attempted to elude deputies at speeds up to 80 miles per hour.  At one point during the chase, the pursuing deputy’s patrol car left the road and went into a ditch.  Neither of the two deputies in the patrol car or the deputy’s K-9 partner were injured.

Nichols name came forward when another deputy remembered a traffic stop he had made in August, 2009 on a similar motorcycle.  A review of the video tape from that traffic stop confirmed Nichols’ identity.  On Friday evening, an off-duty Sheriff’s Office investigator happened to stop at a convenience store located at Matt Highway and Bannister Road and spotted Nichols sitting in a nearby car.  Uniformed deputies were called in and Nichols was placed under arrest without any resistance.

“Nichols’ apprehension was a direct result of good communications between employees of the Sheriff’s Office and the surrounding community’s Neighborhood Watch groups,” said Capt. Mark Flowers, Commander of the Sheriff’s Office North Precinct.  “We’re glad to have apprehended him quickly,” Flowers added.