What started out as a suspected stolen car case in Athens ended with a wreck near downtown early Wednesday after a driver led police on a high-speed chase.

Two men, who police believe were involved in the theft of two vehicles, were arrested and taken into custody. Both remained in jail Wednesday.

Athens Police Capt. Marty Bruce said Officer Wesley Little chased the first suspect after a car was stolen at the Raceway on U.S. 72 East. A second suspect, driving another car stolen from Huntsville, was arrested by Officer Brent Burroughs after the driver wrecked into a parked vehicle at Powers Apartments on North Jefferson Street following a chase with police.

Police arrested Joshua James Emrico, 27, of 409 S. Houston St., Athens, and William Lester McGowan Jr., 26, of 2903 Alhabra Circle, Huntsville.

Emrico is charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and attempting to elude. McGowan was jailed on a charge of first-degree theft.

Bruce said a customer pulled into the Raceway service station at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and walked inside the store to the cash register. The man said that is when he noticed a silver Grand Prix pull up behind his car and saw a white male get out of the passenger seat, get into the customer’s car and drive off.

“Officer Little spotted the stolen car a short time later and followed it to the intersection of Hobbs and Beaty streets, where the driver jumped out and ran south on Beaty Street. The officer located the suspect 15 minutes later and arrested him,” Bruce said. That suspect was identified by police as McGowan.

A short time later, Bruce said Officer Burroughs spotted the Grand Prix and gave chase. He said the chase ended when the driver crashed into the parked vehicle in the parking lot at Powers Apartments. Emrico was arrested at the scene.

Investigators determined after the crash that the Grand Prix driven by Emrico was stolen earlier in Huntsville.

Police did not report any injuries from the wreck.