COVINGTON, Ga. — Three people were killed when their vehicle crashed and caught fire as they attempted to flee from pursuing Newton County sheriff's deputies early Monday.

The incident occurred Monday, Sept. 7, at about 2:24 a.m. at the intersection of Jack Neely and Fairview roads west of Covington, said spokeswoman Caitlin Jett of the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

It began when sheriff's deputies responded to a call about two people attempting to enter automobiles in a neighborhood off Fairview Road, Jett said.

"Upon arrival, the individuals took off and a vehicle pursuit ensued," Jett said. 

As the suspects' 2010 Toyota Tacoma was traveling north on Fairview Road, and being pursued by a marked sheriff's office patrol car with its siren and emergency lights activated, it attempted to negotiate a curve to the left, a Georgia State Patrol spokesperson said. 

The driver failed to maintain the vehicle's lane and it went off the east shoulder of Fairview at its intersection with Jack Neely Road — striking a tree with its front bumper and causing it to catch on fire. The three in the vehicle were entrapped and could not be rescued, the State Patrol spokesperson said.

The victims were transported to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur for identification purposes, the spokesperson said. Their identities, as well as other information, were not available in the ongoing investigation which is being handled by the Georgia State Patrol.