By: Melanie Ruberti

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

LaGRANGE – One man may be facing several traffic violations after he hit the front of the Summit Food Store and gas station at 2860 Upper Big Springs Road about 9 p.m. on Friday.

The driver reportedly lost control of his Cadillac CTS sedan, jumped the curb in front of the store and crashed into some newspaper stands before coming to a stop, said Georgia State Patrol Trooper 1^st Class J.L. McClung.

No one, including the driver, was hurt during the incident and the building sustained little to no damage. Summit employees did temporarily close the store until deputies with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office and Trooper McClung could finish their investigation.

The driver initially told witnesses someone was shooting at him on the road, McClung said. The man then allegedly changed his story and told patrons someone was in the backseat of his car with a gun.

When deputies and GSP arrived at the scene, the driver reportedly “admitted” to driving 150 miles-per-hour from Brown Street to the Summit gas station, officials stated.

The driver failed a field sobriety test, but law enforcement officials said the man may have suffered a medical crisis and called AMR to check him out.

Trooper McClung believed drugs may have also been a factor in the crash.

Charges against the driver are pending until more toxicology tests are performed.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She can be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.