According to a Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office incident report, On June 16th, 2023, at 2:03 PM, Deputy Findley was alerted on his computer by the Flock Camera system that a stolen tag had just passed the camera. According to the report, “Deputy Findley ran the tag, TN #BNF7284, that was displayed on Flock system, through NCIC, and also had a return showing the tag was stolen. The picture provided by Flock showed the tag was displayed on a blue Dodge Ram 1500 truck.” Deputy Findley located the Ram and observed the driver as an older white male with gray hair. Deputy Findley advised dispatch he was behind the vehicle traveling westbound on E Walnut Ave, then turning onto MLK Jr Blvd. Deputy Findley was attempting to wait for Deputy Phillips. However, the Ram pulled into Built Well Bank at E Walnut Ave at MLK Jr Blvd. According to the report, “Deputy Findley activated his blue lights at this time. As soon as Deputy Findley did this, the truck accelerated through the parking lot and back onto E Walnut Ave, traveling eastbound. Deputy Findley advised dispatch that the Ram had fled and he was in pursuit of the Ram.” The driver of the Ram drove extremely recklessly on Chatsworth Highway and even drove eastbound in the westbound lanes due to traffic. The Dodge Ram was driving at speeds well in excess of 100 miles per hour. The Ram then drove through the grass median on Chatsworth Highway, traveling back westbound. The Ram ran multiple red lights while at speeds over 100 mph and passed vehicles on the right shoulder, nearly striking them. Deputy Phillips then joined the pursuit near Maddox Mill Road as the second unit. The Ram then drove through the Walmart parking lot on E Walnut Ave at a high rate of speed, causing several people in the parking lot to have to run and jump out of the way so they would not be run over. The pursuit continued back westbound, where deputies lost visual near 5th Ave. A few minutes later, several Dalton PD officers located the Ram parked and abandoned on the backside of the apartments at 422 4th Ave. Officers ran the VIN number, and dispatch advised the Ram was also stolen from Chattanooga, TN. Officer Sosa went to the store located at 700 Redwine Street and was able to view the cameras at the store, which showed the driver of the stolen Ram running inside the store and purchasing a white shirt, changing his shirt in the store, then leaving the store. Officer Sosa alerted the rest of the Dalton PD to the discerption of the male and what the male was wearing. Officer Herrera then located the male walking down W Walnut Ave at Lakeshore Dr. After a foot pursuit Officer Herrera took him into custody. The male was identified as Stephen Lamar Erby, 56, of East Ridge, TN. Stephen was found to have an active felony warrant through Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee. Stephen’s driver’s license was also found to be revoked. Stephen was booked into the Whitfield County Jail charged with felony theft by receiving stolen property x2, willful obstruction of law enforcement, felony fleeing/ attempting to elude, reckless driving, speeding 100/55, wrong side of road, improper lane change , running red light, driving on divided highway, passing on right shoulder, driving while license is revoked and fugitive from Justice. According to online records, Stephen has very lengthy criminal record including a slew of arrests for felony theft. In 2012 Stephen was found driving a Honda that was stolen in Hamilton County in Murfreesboro, TN. In 2014 he violated his probation with the original charges of felony evading arrest and felony theft of vehicle. In 2018 Stephen was arrested by the Eufaula Alabama Police Department after a dangerous chase in a stolen vehicle which went through Troy, Clio, Clayton and Louisville before entering Eufaula on Highway 82. Stephen even rammed patrol vehicle during the pursuit. In July 2022 Stephen was booked into the Hamilton County, TN, on the several charges of theft of a vehicle.
Wanted fugitive arrested after dangerous 100 mph pursuit in stolen Dodge Ram in Whitfield County
