Car weaves through Rincon Freedom Rings Parade, injuring officer. Driver arrested, sheriff says

This is a developing story.

A person who drove their vehicle through the Rincon Freedom Rings Parade and Festival on Saturday has been arrested, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed.

ECSO spokeswoman Gena Sullivan said the driver, identified on their driver's license as Anthony Rodriguez, 38, drove around a manned barricade on Fort Howard Road, driving toward the parade. 

Sullivan said two officers tried to stop the driver near the barricade, but the car kept driving through the parade. Bystanders on the side of the road dodged out of the way, and the driver “split the [Fort Stewart] 3rd ID Marching Band in half —  we’re talking participants diving into the ditches and instruments going flying and everything else,” Sullivan said.

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The chase ended when Rincon police K-9 Officer Ian Gallagher stopped the vehicle by hitting it head-on with his K-9 vehicle near the intersection of Fort Howard Road and Windsong Drive.

Sullivan said no parade bystanders were seriously injured. Sullivan said Gallagher was injured, and is being evaluated at an area hospital. His K-9, Razor, sustained no injuries.

The parade leads up to the Freedom Rings Parade and Festival, an Independence Day celebration held annually in Rincon. The parade runs from Compassion Church, down Fort Howard Road, crossing over Ga. 21 and turning left on Brentwood. 

Georgia State Patrol has been called in to investigate. 

Check back to savannahnow.com for updates.

Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.