The Georgia State Patrol is reporting that an accident in Menlo Monday was the result of an Alabama man taking a vehicle without permission and then fleeing in the vehicle while being chased by the owner of the vehicle and subsequently wrecking on Edison Street in Menlo.

The report, released on Wednesday, stated that 27 year old Dustin Andrew Franco of Pisgah, Alabama was driving a 1994 Chevy pickup truck that belonged to Melissa Peek of County Road 836 in Gaylesville, Alabama.  The owner of the truck told Georgia State Troopers that Franco did not have permission to leave in the truck, but left anyway.

Peek chased after Franco from Cherokee County into Chattooga County.  Franco sped up Jamestown Road and across Highway 48 without stopping at the stop-sign according to Peek.  Peek told troopers that she believed Franco was traveling at a speed of 75-80 miles per hour when he shot across Highway 48 onto Edison Street.

Franco lost control of the pickup on Edison Street and struck a tree.  Franco had to be removed from the truck with extracation equipment and was transported to Redmond Regional Medical Center by Redmond EMS with head injuries.  The accident happened shortly before 9 AM on Monday morning.

The Georgia State Patrol said that the investigation into the accident is ongoing.