Man Jumps From Classic Center Parking Deck to Avoid Police Officer

In attempt to evade police, a 22-year-old Madison County man jumped off the Classic Center parking deck Thursday morning, falling four stories to land on a retaining wall and patio.

According to a story in the Athens Banner Herald, Christopher Lee Porterfield of Danielsville was then taken to Athens Regional with non-life-threatening injuries.

An Athens Clarke County Police Officer saw Porterfield driving on North Avenue and followed him because he was acting in a suspicious way, the story says. As the young man headed into downtown, he made several mistakes, running red lights and driving up on the curb.

The story says Porterfield eventually made his way to the Classic Center parking deck, in a car stolen in Madison County, and jumped before the officer could stop him. He later told officers he had taken methamphetamine and marijuana. 

Athens Clarke County officials have asked the GBI to investigate, the story says, a routine practice when a citizen or officer is seriously injured in an incident.

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