WNEG-TV

TOCCOA - "It was pretty intense," says David Wagener. Wagener is describing the scene where 28-year-old Jonathan Ayers ran off the road and crashed his car. He says he saw, what he believed, was an undercover police officer running down the hill.

"He approached the driver side of the car and pulled the door open and grabbed the driver out. Grabbed him kinda by the neck and shoulders and threw him to the ground and then kneeled on him," explains Wagener.

Wagener tells us at the time he thought Ayers was a dangerous criminal. But, after finding out Ayers was a well-loved pastor, many questions are left and not a lot of answers.

The Stephens County Sheriff has confirmed that Ayers was seen with a woman, who was the target of a drug bust. The Sheriff says woman left Ayers' car, and Ayers was spotted at the Shell gas station in Toccoa. The surveillance video shows a dark-colored SUV pulls up quickly with plainclothes officers jumping out. You can see an undercover agent reach behind his back, before stepping towards Ayers' car. The officers then started shooting at Ayers as the young pastor tried to back up and leave. A short time later, Ayers ran off the road and wrecked his car.

As you can see from the video from another witness, Ayers was then loaded onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital. But, Ayers died hours later. "I feel horrible for the police, I feel horrible for the family, it's just a terrible thing," adds Wagener.