The Georgia State Patrol has released new information regarding a multi-agency pursuit that ended in Troup County with the suspect dying by suicide.

The incident all began on January 9, 2026, around 12:20 p.m. CST, when Opelika police responded to a domestic violence call on Andrews Road after a mother reported being assaulted and said the child’s father, 39-year-old Justin Scott Roberts, had taken the child and fled in a black Nissan Titan. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but Roberts refused to stop, leading to a pursuit through Opelika and onto I-85 North due to safety concerns for the child and Roberts’ outstanding felony warrant.

According to GSP, Troop D Communications was notified around 1:40 p.m. of the pursuit. Opelika police discontinued as it crossed state lines, and West Point Police took over. The pursuit was later turned over to state troopers near mile marker five.

Troopers attempted two box-in maneuvers, but the suspect continued to flee at a high rate of speed, nearly striking patrol vehicles. Near the 12-mile marker, the suspect drove down an embankment, through a fence, and onto New Hutchinson Mill Road, where officers temporarily lost contact.

At approximately 2:08 p.m., a Trooper refueling at a gas station on Kia Boulevard observed the suspect leave the location. The suspect reportedly yelled that he had his daughter and again refused to stop, prompting a second pursuit. The chase continued along several county roads toward Bartley Road, where a stationary roadblock was authorized. The suspect avoided the roadblock, turned onto Baughs Cross Road, and evaded an attempted PIT maneuver.

Authorities say the suspect continued fleeing, nearly striking a Trooper’s vehicle and avoiding stop sticks deployed by the Troup County Sheriff’s Office. The pursuit moved onto Georgia Highway 1 (Hamilton Road) and toward an active school zone. At the Interstate 85 interchange, a Trooper successfully executed a PIT maneuver, causing the truck to strike a concrete bridge support and come to rest.

“During a felony stop, a single gunshot was heard,” state troopers said. “Troopers determined the suspect had shot himself and was unresponsive.”

After securing the scene, officers safely removed a three-month-old child from the vehicle. The child was transported to Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center in LaGrange and was found to be uninjured.

The suspect was identified as Justin Scott Roberts, 39, of Lake City, Florida. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Troup County Coroner, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Public Safety Office of Professional Standards remain investigating the incident.