Early morning of August 14, 2024p, at around 1:40 a.m., officers arrested Calvin Ellis Jr. after he refused to leave the Horizon Travel Center’s property at 2302 Hwy 300. Ellis, a twenty-nine-year-old truck driver from Jackson, Mississippi, intentionally rammed his 2023 Freightliner with a trailer into the sides of two Cordele Police cars, one of which still had an officer inside.

The incident began when the store owner asked Ellis to leave the property, but he refused. The owner then asked the officer, who was already on the scene, if he would speak to the driver and have him leave. When the officer made initial contact with Ellis and told him to leave, Ellis became highly irate and irrational. The officer still offered for Ellis to go, but he still refused. Ellis was then told that he would be arrested if he refused to leave.

Ellis refused to leave the truck and also declined to exit the vehicle after being informed that he was going to jail. He repeatedly ignored orders to unlock the driver’s door and step out. Instead, he shifted the truck into gear and drove forward, colliding with a patrol car. Afterward, he reversed a considerable distance before once again driving forward, this time striking a patrol car with an officer inside. Ellis continued to push the patrol car several feet with his semi-truck until he eventually stopped. This allowed officers to access the truck and unlock the door. Subsequently, Ellis was taken into custody by responding officers and Crisp County Deputies.

Ellis was taken to Crisp Regional Hospital for medical clearance before being transported to Crisp County Jail.

Calvin Ellis Jr was charged with the following charges:

We are thankful that our officers were not seriously hurt during this incident, and we appreciate the Crisp County Deputies who responded to assist our officers.