Police said the 19-year-old took his mother’s vehicle after she escaped an alleged attack and later led officers on a high-speed chase.
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — A 19-year-old man is in custody after police said he tried to strangle his mother in a grocery store parking lot, took her vehicle and later admitted that he had intended to kill her before she escaped.
Cartersville police identified the suspect as Elijah Parker. Authorities said Parker faces felony charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment and theft by taking following the alleged attack and a pursuit that later crossed from Bartow County into Gordon County. He also faces a charge of driving without a valid license and more than 10 traffic violations.
Police said the confrontation began while Parker and his mother were inside a vehicle parked outside a grocery store in Cartersville. Cartersville Police Capt. Greg Sparacio said Parker allegedly began choking the woman without warning. Police said she believed she was in danger of losing consciousness before she was able to break free.
The woman escaped from the vehicle and ran into a nearby business to seek emergency help, according to police. Parker then moved into the driver’s seat of his mother’s vehicle and left the area, authorities said. Officers issued a lookout for the vehicle while investigators responded to the reported assault.
Police have not publicly identified Parker’s mother. Authorities also have not released details about whether she required additional medical treatment following the alleged attack. The available reports do not describe what investigators believe may have led to the confrontation.
Sparacio said investigators later questioned Parker about the incident. According to the police captain, Parker said his intention had been to kill his mother and that he did not succeed because she escaped from the vehicle. The statement is part of the police account of the investigation, and the allegations against Parker have not been proven in court.
Several hours after the initial incident, officers in Adairsville spotted the vehicle and attempted to stop it, police said. Parker allegedly refused to stop and accelerated away, beginning a pursuit that authorities said reached speeds approaching 100 mph.
The chase continued into Gordon County, where Parker crashed into another vehicle and struck a stop sign before officers took him into custody, according to police. Authorities have not released information about the condition of the person in the other vehicle or whether that person suffered injuries in the collision.
Sparacio said the case illustrates the danger officers can encounter in domestic violence calls because circumstances can escalate rapidly. Parker remained in custody on the felony and traffic charges reported by authorities. Information about an attorney for Parker, a bond decision or his next court appearance was not immediately available in the reports reviewed.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.