I-20 chase, crash claim life of area woman

May 4—MADISON, Ga. — The 19-year-old victim who died of injuries from a high-speed chase with law enforcement authorities on Interstate 20 Tuesday afternoon was from Sandersville, The Union-Recorder has learned.

A spokesman with the Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office identified the victim Friday as Kaniyah Milhouse.

She was a passenger in a Chevrolet Cruz being driven by 22-year-old Monterrio Harris, according to the GSP spokesman.

Harris' vehicle crashed just inside Morgan County as the driver was being pursued by a GSP trooper, according to Courtney Lund, a GSP spokeswoman.

The trooper had earlier attempted to make a traffic stop for an expired registration along with the car having no valid insurance shortly before 5 p.m. on the eastbound side of I-20 in Greene County.

"The driver failed to stop and fled," according to information released by the state patrol. "The driver entered the median and turned around to travel westbound. The driver veered left into the center median striking the cable barrier and overturned several times."

Milhouse was thrown out of the car.

"The driver exited the vehicle through the passenger side window and began running on the eastbound shoulder," the spokeswoman said via email. "The driver then threw a clear plastic bag across the south shoulder containing illegal narcotics."

A short time later, Harris was taken into custody without any further incident.

Deputies with the Greene and Morgan county sheriff's offices assisted in the arrest.

Greene County deputies took possession of the drugs that were found at the scene. The illegal narcotics included a sizable quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine, according to authorities.

Milhouse was treated for her injuries at the scene and then taken to an area hospital where she died at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Harris was slightly injured and was taken to a local hospital where he later was released. He was then taken to the Morgan County Jail in Madison.

He has since been charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act for trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine. He was also charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, no seatbelt, no insurance and having an expired tag, jail records show.

Additional charges are expected to be filed against Harris resulting from Milhouse's death.

Special agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation drug unit are working with the Greene County Sheriff's Office because of the amount of illegal drugs discovered following the crash.

The crash remains under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT).