As emergency personnel were working an accident scene on Highway 273 early Tuesday in Leesburg, a motorcyclist refused to stop and ran the roadblock – almost striking a Leesburg firefighter in the process.

Leesburg Police immediately gave chase, as the motorcycle sped away on County Road 48, down County Road 600 then on through Driftwood Campground where it came dangerously close to hitting several children playing in a yard.

The driver then reversed course – barreling back toward Highway 273 before he eventually crashed after going through loose gravel in Driftwood Campground.

Forty-year-old Matthew James Beech of Trion, Georgia was taken into custody and then transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center where he was charged with Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Fleeing/Attempting to Elude and Resisting Arrest.

As of Tuesday evening, Beech was being held on a $5,500 bond.