SCSO Pursues Escaped Hall County Inmate into South Carolina

PRESS RELEASE – On Monday, June 2, 2025, a deputy with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit initiated a traffic stop on a stolen motorcycle being driven by an escaped inmate from Hall County. The traffic stop resulted in a vehicle pursuit into South Carolina, and a motor vehicle accident occurred. One male was taken into custody and transported to a hospital with burn injuries.

At approximately 3:44 p.m., a SCSO deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black in color motorcycle. Prior to locating the motorcycle, the deputy received information from other law enforcement officials that the driver of the vehicle was an escaped inmate out of Hall County who was on work release and cut his ankle monitor before fleeing the area earlier in the afternoon. The motorcycle he was traveling on was also possibly stolen out of Hall County.

After the SCSO deputy activated his emergency equipment on Highway 123, the male driver, identified as Daniel Jesse Bell, 39 of Braselton, attempted to flee on the motorcycle. SCSO deputies pursued the vehicle at a high rate of speed into South Carolina. Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (S.C.) deputies took lead of the pursuit in South Carolina. The pursuit ended in the city limits of Westminster when Bell attempted to make a left turn and crashed into a power pole.

Deputies attempted to apprehend the male subject, who was tased after refusing to comply with law enforcement commands. When Bell was tased, deputies quickly realized he was on fire and rushed to put out the flames.

Oconee County Sheriff’s Office deputies then took Bell into custody. Due to his burn injuries, Bell was transported to a burn center for treatment where he remains in custody. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is conducting further investigation into the cause of the fire.