COVINGTON, Ga. – A Covington man was arrested Sunday after nearly striking a Covington Police Department (CPD) officer at an accident scene and leading police on a high speed chase.

According to the CPD incident report, officers were working an accident scene on Hwy-142 in front of Home Depot at 7 p.m. May 28 when a motorcycle, driven by 22-year-old Tyler Piper, passed the scene, nearly hitting Officer Matt Holbrook. Piper then reportedly passed a vehicle by driving on the right shoulder of the road.

According to the report, CPD Officer Caleb Jackson attempted to catch the vehicle and conduct a traffic stop. During the pursuit, Jackson reportedly observed Piper ride on the center line between two opposite traffic lanes, pass in a no passing zone and strike another vehicle.

Piper reportedly stopped at the intersection of Hwy’s 142 and 36 where he was assisted from the motorcycle by Jackson and CPD Officer Matt Cooper and placed in handcuffs. According to the report, while he was searching Piper, Jackson noticed the odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. When Cooper and Jackson tried to place Piper in the back seat of the patrol car, he reportedly resisted and had to be pulled in from the other side. After Piper was in the patrol car, Jackson read him the Implied Consent notice. According to the report, Piper agreed to Implied Consent.

Piper was transported to the Newton County Law Enforcement Center charged with driving without a valid license, driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage, interference with government property, move over law, passing on shoulder of road, passing on a solid yellow line, reckless driving, driving too fast for conditions and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.