Winder man pleads guilty to assaulting officer after Warner Robins chase
According to the news release, officers with the Warner Robins Police Department were dispatched on September 23, 2025, to the Ross Dress for Less clothing store at 2620 Watson Blvd. in reference to a shoplifting in progress.
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Winder man pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a peace officer, according to Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards.
36-year-old Michael Allen Jones pleaded guilty on April 2 to aggravated assault on a peace officer and theft by shoplifting. Jones was sentenced to 20 years, with the first 10 years to be served in prison.
According to the news release, officers with the Warner Robins Police Department were dispatched on September 23, 2025, to the Ross Dress for Less clothing store at 2620 Watson Blvd. in reference to a shoplifting in progress.
Law enforcement was told that Jones had left the store in a transit van and was fleeing the scene.
Officers saw the van in the roadway being driven by Jones. The news release states that Jones actively fled and eluded responding officers in their marked patrol vehicles, driving at excessive speeds, on the wrong side of the roadway and even off the roadway, eventually entering residential neighborhoods.
During the pursuit, Jones turned around in the neighborhood and drove head-first into one of the pursuing officers’ vehicles. Jones continued driving recklessly even after striking the patrol vehicle, running into numerous mailboxes.
Jones eventually exited the van and fled on foot. Law enforcement set up a perimeter to search for Jones, but they were unsuccessful in locating him on Sept. 23.
On September 24, Warner Robins officers were contacted by numerous individuals in the neighborhood of Harold Drive and Larry Drive. The news release states that Jones had been captured on surveillance video walking in the neighborhood following the pursuit and subsequent search.
Officers searched the area and noticed a window to a residence on Harold Drive had been broken. Officers made contact with the elderly homeowner, who allowed entry to search for the suspect. Jones was found hiding in the basement of the elderly homeowner, who was unaware he had been in her home.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith of the Houston Circuit D.A.’s Office released the following statement:
“The Houston County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Warner Robins Police Department, as well as the Centerville Police Department, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol, for their efforts in bringing the perpetrator of this crime spree to justice. The Office would especially like to highlight the efforts of Sergeant Christopher
Fussell and Investigator Matthew Brankley. Each and every person traveling on our local roadways should feel safe while riding on these roadways. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting the community from wanton criminals, as well as ensuring that fleeing motorists always go to prison following a conviction.”
Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards released the following statement:
“This case began as a shoplifting, but it quickly escalated into a dangerous crime spree that put law enforcement officers and innocent members of the public at serious risk. When a defendant chooses to flee from police and use a vehicle as a weapon, that conduct cannot and will not be treated as anything less than a violent felony. The defendant’s decision to ram a marked patrol vehicle during this pursuit created a situation where lives could have been lost—whether it be the officers involved or members of the community in the neighborhoods he drove through recklessly. That kind of behavior demands a serious response. I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of the Warner Robins Police Department, Centerville Police Department, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol, as well as the prosecution of this case by Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith. The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions and sends a clear message that those who endanger our officers and our community in this way will be held fully accountable.”
