THOMSON, Ga. () – Early Monday morning, the McDuffie County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene of a crash on the 1500 block of Dallas Drive in Thomson. The incident, tied to a pursuit, occurred around 6 a.m., as reported by the Georgia State Patrol.

Coroner Paul Johnson identified the deceased as 58-year-old Robert Butler, Jr., a resident of Thomson.

The Georgia State Patrol’s preliminary findings reveal that McDuffie County deputies were responding to an armed robbery involving Butler. When deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Butler fled, prompting a pursuit.

During the chase, Butler reportedly lost control of his vehicle on a curve, causing it to overturn and eject him into a ditch.

“Two deputies were involved in the pursuit. The first deputy came to a sudden stop in the eastbound lane, while the second deputy tried to avoid a collision. In doing so, his patrol car swerved into the ditch, coming to rest atop Butler,” stated the report.

Butler was pronounced dead on the scene at 6:45 am.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation responded to the robbery scene and confirmed Butler as the suspect.

Georgia State Patrol and the SCRT Team are investigating.

Butler’s body is scheduled for an autopsy later this week at the Georgia State Crime Lab.