Jacob Ryan

Name:
Ryan, Jacob Edward

Date of Booking:
03/20/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F

FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE A POLICE OFFICER FOR A FELONY OFFENSE – F

HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT – M

Failure To Obey Person Directing Traffic – M

Reckless Driving – M

Improper Driving On Divided Highway – M

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on March 20, 2026]

On March 20, 2026, I was assisting Sergeant Morrow with traffic control on northbound I-95 near the Pine Barren Road overpass due to a tractor-trailer crash. Sergeant Morrow and I were diverting traffic, and only the left lane was open for vehicles to pass through the area.

Sergeant Morrow’s patrol unit was positioned behind me with its blue emergency lights activated. GDOT CHAMPS roadside assistance personnel were also on scene with a “Slow Down / Move Over” sign activated, and GDOT units were present with their emergency lights activated. I was blocking the middle lane with my patrol vehicle positioned at an angle facing the median. A Sapp’s Wrecker vehicle was parked on my right side. Several Sapp’s employees were cleaning an oil spill in the middle of the roadway in front of my patrol vehicle.

At approximately 1218 hours, a white pickup truck (listed vehicle) drove between the emergency vehicles in an attempt to proceed through the crash scene. As the pickup approached the workers, it struck one of the Sapp’s employees while passing through the area (see crash report for further information). The remaining workers moved out of the way to avoid being struck. One employee attempted to get the vehicle to stop by striking the windshield with a broom; however, the vehicle continued driving through the scene.

I then initiated a pursuit in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The pickup immediately accelerated to a high rate of speed. Sgt. Morrow advised over the radio that the pickup had struck a worker with the vehicle. I accelerated in an attempt to catch up to the vehicle and reached speeds of approximately 127 mph. The driver was operating the vehicle recklessly and was zigzagging through moderate traffic. The driver also used the emergency lane multiple times to pass vehicles traveling in the left lane.

The pursuit began at approximately mile marker 101 on northbound I-95 and continued toward the Georgia/South Carolina border. Officers from the Port Wentworth Police Department (CRN #PW260320018) took over the pursuit near the Savannah River Bridge in Effingham County. Three Port Wentworth units boxed the pickup truck in while it was traveling in the right lane, causing the vehicle to come to a stop.

Port Wentworth officers removed the driver (listed offender, Mr. Ryan) from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. Mr. Ryan was handcuffed by Port Wentworth officers. I then searched Mr. Ryan for weapons and contraband before placing him in the rear seat of my patrol vehicle. Port Wentworth PD requested Effingham EMS to evaluate Mr. Ryan.

I conducted an inventory search of the vehicle prior to it being removed from the scene by Sapp’s Towing.

Mr. Ryan was transported to the Pooler Police Department. At approximately 1441 hours, Mr. Ryan was arraigned by Judge Ty Wilson for the listed charges. Mr. Ryan was issued a $25,000 bond and given a court date of May 7, 2026, at 1000 hours at the Pooler Municipal Court.

Mr. Ryan was then released to Officer C. Smith.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on March 20, 2026]

On March 20, 2026, I was on the scene of a previous crash monitoring the cleanup. At this time, two of the three Northbound lanes were blocked off using Police vehicles with flashing blue lights, GDOT vehicles with flashing white and amber lights, Sapp’s Wrecker Service tow trucks with flashing white and amber lights, and road cones.

Traffic was funneled into the far left lane and was slowly proceeding North past the crash scene. I observed as a white Ford F150 driven by Jacob Edward Ryan entered the cordoned area and struck a pedestrian before fleeing the scene. I was not initially sure how Mr. Ryan entered the cordoned area because my view was blocked by a tow truck. The route Mr. Ryan took through the cordoned area was later discovered by watching camera footage from AP.O. Samaniego’s rear facing in-car camera.

Prior to the collision, I heard the GDOT employees and a Sapp’s driver begin yelling “Watch out!” repeatedly. I first saw the front end of the F150 coming around the far side of the tow truck. The GDOT employees were yelling at the driver to stop. The F150 slowed to a near stop but then lunged forward striking Mr. [VICTIM #1] of Sapp’s Wrecker service with the front passenger side corner of the vehicle. At contact, Mr. [VICTIM #1] was pushed out of the way. The F150 accelerated rapidly and fled the scene Northbound on I-95.

A.P.O. Samaniego was seated in his patrol car at the time of this incident and attempted to stop Mr. Ryan for his actions. Mr. Ryan continued to flee and a pursuit was initiated. Mr. Ryan was eventually stopped and arrested. For further details surrounding the collision, see related Accident Report Number 260320032.

Mr. Ryan’s vehicle sustained no damage as a result of the collision. Mr. [VICTIM #1] advised that he was not injured in the collision.

[End of Narrative]