As Gwinnett County Police Department investigators continue to piece together a complicated case that involved a shooting and a vehicle crash on Thursday, they have arrested a Braselton man involved in one part of the case.
Jonathan Porch,41, of Braselton was driving a pickup truck Thursday afternoon when he crashed into a white sedan at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Winters Chapel Road.
The woman in the sedan, identified Friday as Patricia Meeks Padgett, 63, of Atlanta, died in the collision.
As a result of the fatal crash, Porch was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, operating a vehicle without a license in possession and possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance. At last report, he was being held at the Gwinnett County Jail.
According to Gwinnett Police Cpl. Michele Pihera, Porch told investigators he crashed because he was ducking down in the truck, trying to avoid gunfire from a black SUV.
In addition, a woman who was in the truck with Porch fled the scene following the crash, leaving a 5-month-old baby boy in the truck. The baby was turned over to the State Department of Family and Children's Services.
Pihera said investigators continue to search for the woman and for the black SUV that was apparently involved.
She said the fatal traffic collision and the shooting are being investigated as separate incidents.
Anyone who has information on either incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
Follow this link to read more about the initial incident.
