ATLANTA — A fire ripped through a handful of businesses in a small shopping plaza on Piedmont Rd. in Atlanta early Friday morning after a driver crashed into them and his car caught far at the end of a police chase.
It happened across the street from where Piedmont meets Cheshire Bridge Rd.
Georgia State Patrol said a white Porsche was clocked at 105mph in the 55mph zone at the I-75/85 split going north on the Downtown Connector around 4 a.m., initiating the chase.
The driver exited onto Buford Hwy., took a right on Lenox and then traveled south on Cheshire Bridge Rd., GSP said. When he reached the end of Cheshire Bridge where it meets Piedmont, he continued across the intersection and through into the strip mall, crashing.
The driver, a 21-year-old Virginia man, got out of the car and was arrested.
"The Porsche was on fire, and the fire was growing rapidly. There were no other occupants in the vehicle. Atlanta Fire Department was dispatched to the scene, but the building became fully engulfed prior to their arrival," a GSP statement said.
Piedmont Rd. businesses damaged in fire after driver crashes, car burns at end of police chase
It wasn't clear how many businesses were affected, but photos from the scene taken by 11Alive's crew appeared to show at least one or two were completely burned out.
Maps indicate the stretch of businesses includes a chiropractor's office, a Supercuts, a tax and loan office and a Papa John's.