When two vehicles collided Monday afternoon at Hine and Pryor streets in Athens, a passenger involved in the wreck exited her SUV to check on the driver of the other vehicle.

However, the driver of her SUV drove away, according to Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson.

An Athens police officer quickly followed.

The driver — George James Harper, 26, of 14255 Hammons Road, Athens — led city and county law enforcement officers on a 15-minute chase both north and south of U.S. 72 and west of Interstate 65, said Deputy Stephen Young, public information officer for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office.

“He was only going about 40 mph on Elm Street, but I think when it got in the county the speed got up there,” said Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson.

The chase reached speeds of 90 mph at one point, according to emergency radio traffic at the time of the incident.

Harper lost control of the 2004 Saturn Vue at the intersection of Blackburn and Ripley roads, drove into a ditch and ended the chase, Young said.

Deputy Justin Smith made the arrest.

“All he had was a little bit of weed (marijuana), but no warrants,” Young said.

Harper is charged with second-degree possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia (first offense) and attempting to elude, county arrest records show.

Athens Police Officer Christian Mardis also wrote Harper a ticket for leaving the scene of an accident.

Court records show Harper is delinquent in paying court-ordered restitution, fines and fees from a 2010 first-degree robbery case in Fort Mitchell to which he pleaded guilty and served his time. He has paid a little over $2,500 of $16,300 due, with his last payment in February last year.

He was released from the Limestone County Jail after posting bail of $7,500 on the three county charges, jail records show.

No one was injured in either accident.