Jonesboro, Georgia — Felicia Franklin, once a Clayton County commissioner whose name has been tied to controversy before, was taken into custody early Friday morning after a police pursuit ended in a crash on Fayetteville Road. The Georgia State Patrol confirmed that a marked sheriff’s office vehicle struck Franklin’s 2018 Kia Stinger during a police attempt to stop her late Thursday night.
The incident began around 11:20 p.m. along Fayetteville Road near Smith Street, not far from Tara Boulevard. Deputies tried to pull the Stinger over, but the driver did not immediately stop. A state trooper later confirmed that a Clayton County sheriff’s deputy said the driver appeared to be refusing the traffic stop. Franklin later told troopers she was looking for a safe place to pull over, had her hazards on and was staying under the speed limit.
In an effort to bring the vehicle to a halt, the deputy executed a PIT maneuver — a standard police tactic where an officer nudges the rear of a fleeing vehicle to spin it — causing Franklin’s car to turn and come to rest across the roadway. Troopers on the scene checked Franklin for signs of impairment and concluded she was not under the influence.
Despite that finding, Franklin was booked at the Clayton County Jail in the early hours of Friday on a string of charges. Records show she faces counts that include fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, obstruction, improper lane change and failing to properly display a license plate. Jail archives also list charges related to second‑degree cruelty to children and driving with less safe conditions due to alcohol.
This arrest adds another dramatic chapter to Franklin’s recent public life. In late 2023, she was embroiled in a widely reported episode after being found passed out outside a Morrow sports bar. Franklin claimed someone had drugged her, but police investigations found no evidence to support that theory. Instead, body‑camera footage and a toxicology report showed she had consumed alcohol and had cannabinoids in her system. That episode led to her removal from a leadership role on the county commission.
In June 2024, Franklin stepped down from her seat representing District 3, submitting a resignation to Governor Brian Kemp that took effect June 30. She had been serving her second term at the time.
Neighbors and county leaders alike watched the crash scene unfold Thursday night as deputies and a Georgia Department of Public Safety trooper worked the aftermath. Franklin’s booking early Friday caps a chaotic string of events that has kept her name in headlines and under public scrutiny.
Stay tuned — more details may emerge as court records become available in the coming days.
