Newton County Sheriff's Department officials have released the name of the man killed Sunday after engaging in a high-speed chase with a deputy of the NCSO.

According to Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown, the man, Shane Malcom, had been stopped Saturday, and it was found that he had no tag or insurance on his vehicle. The next day, a deputy noticed the same man and vehicle on Rocky Plains Road and attempted to stop the driver.

The driver refused to stop, according to Brown, and the deputy followed the vehicle at a high rate of speed - not exceeding 100 m.p.h. - until the man crashed his vehicle on Digby Road.

Brown said the vehicle accident was minor and did not directly involve a NCSO patrol car. The driver reportedly exited his vehicle and fled on foot. He was caught after a brief foot chase and was allegedly combative with the deputy. The driver reportedly got away from the deputy and fled once more only to be located shortly thereafter by other deputies responding to the location.

The man was transported to Newton Medical Center where he later died. It is unclear right now what the cause of death is, and an autopsy will be performed at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine the cause of death. GBI was also called in by the NCSO to conduct an independent investigation, and the NCSO’s Internal Affairs Division will also conduct an investigation to make sure no policies had been disregarded by the deputy. The Georgia State Patrol was also called to investigate because a NCSO patrol car was involved in the crash, however indirectly. The deputy has been placed on leave until the results of the investigation have come in.

"I believe that the deputy followed all procedures and protocols from the point of noticing the vehicle to the point of ensuring that life saving methods were performed until the victim was sent to the ER," said Brown.

"We are just as concerned as the family," he continued. "Anytime there is an untimely death we are concerned. Looking at it as both a private citizen and as the sheriff has been difficult for me because I have known this family all their adult lives. I recall the deceased when he was just an infant, and it makes it twice as hard on me. We at the sheriff’s office have extended our condolences to the family because we are all part of this community. We are with them at their hour of bereavement."

Although an autopsy will be performed by the GBI, it may be several weeks or perhaps months, before the results are available due to a lack of funding at the state level.