The full Georgia State Patrol report on a police chase through Gainesville and southeast Hall County last week reportedly showed that the driver of an allegedly stolen pickup truck was traveling over 100 miles per hour and that a dog was ejected from the truck during the incident.
The report, acquired by AccessWDUN in an open records request, shows that a Georgia State Patrol trooper began pursuing Daniel Thomas Davis, age 35 of Jefferson, when he fled an attempted traffic stop on Shallowford Road in Gainesville at around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, August 6. The trooper reportedly spotted Davis in the allegedly stolen blue Chevrolet Silverado after Davis had fled an attempted traffic stop by a Gainesville Police officer on McEver Road.
"[A Gainesville Police Corporal] advised me that the truck was last seen on McEver Road headed northbound towards SR-53 (Dawsonville Highway,)" the narrative by the responding trooper said.
The report also advised that a "husky dog" was in the bed of the truck, which was reportedly stolen earlier that day from the Hardy Chevrolet dealership on Browns Bridge Road.
The trooper then said he began pursuing Davis once he fled his attempted stop after he determined he had "exhibited a great danger to the motoring public and pedestrian traffic."
Once the trooper began pursuing Davis, Davis reportedly drove down Shallowford Road, crossing Pearl Nix Parkway onto West End Avenue where he then crossed Browns Bridge Road, turned left on Atlanta Highway, then right, headed eastbound on Jesse Jewel Parkway, allegedly driving at 80 miles per hour according to the trooper's report.
Davis ultimately turned right, headed south on Queen City Parkway. That's when the trooper attempted the first of what would prove to be several PIT maneuver attempts.
"Setting up on the right side of the truck, I approached the right rear bumper of the truck, placed the left front push bumper against the right rear bumper of the truck and attempted to PIT the truck," the report said. "My push bumper slid off the rear bumper causing a failed PIT."
Davis continued south on Queen City Parkway, with the trooper trying again, unsuccessfully, to PIT the truck on the roadway's bridge over the railroad tracks between Industrial Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard. When the truck continued south under the I-985 overpass, the trooper said it reached speeds over 100 miles per hour.
"I activated my Stalker DSR 2x RADAR and confirmed the suspect's truck to be traveling at approximately 106mph in a 45mph zone," the report said.
Those speeds reportedly increased once Davis continued south onto Candler Road south of Fulenwider Road.
"The suspect continued accelerating to approximately 110mph, traveling southbound in the northbound lane, forcing drivers to quickly swerve onto the shoulder to avoid a collision," the report said.
Davis then allegedly caused a fatal accident while approaching the intersection of Candler Park Drive.
"The suspect's truck struck the rear of another vehicle...I observed the truck swerve to the left and a could of dust kick up from the ground," the report said. "I immediately advised the Radio Room that I believed the suspect had crashed."
The trooper continued pursuing the suspect southbound on Candler Road while other law enforcement officers responded to the crash, which reportedly caused the death of Agustin Rivera, age 50 of Gainesville.
The trooper again tried to PIT the truck in a curve near the C.W. Matthews quarry south of Roy Parks Road, this time causing Davis to briefly lose control of the truck. Davis was able to regain control, however, and again fled southward.
"The suspect corrected his steering and continued southbound off the roadway. When the truck left the roadway, the dog, which was in the truck bed was ejected out of the truck," the report said.
It is not known at last report if the dog survived, or if it belonged to Davis.
The trooper finally performed a successful PIT on the truck on Ga. 332 in Talmo. Davis allegedly tried to run towards the woodsline, but was tasered by the trooper and arrested. The report said that 17.4 grams of marijuana were also found on Davis' person after the arrest.
Davis remains in the Hall County Jail as of Wednesday, Aug. 13 on a list of charges including murder, fleeing, DUI, vehicular homicide and theft of a motor vehicle. No court date has been set as of Aug. 13.
