Daniel Bell

Name:
Bell, Daniel Lee

Date of Booking:
09/29/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

While patrolling in the area of the 1000 block of Highway 49, I was flagged down by an individual in a Baldwin County marked truck, parked in a driveway across the street from a wrecked Nissan Sentra stopped on the side of the road.

Upon stopping, I made contact with the Baldwin County employee and the driver of the wrecked vehicle, later identified as [VICTIM #1]. The Baldwin County employee informed me that [VICTIM #1] told him that his vehicle had been struck by a gray Dodge truck with a toolbox. [VICTIM #1] stated the driver of the gray Dodge left the scene headed east on Highway 49. I informed dispatch that I was out with the flag down, possibly a hit-and-run, and provided the offending vehicle’s description.

I gathered [VICTIM #1]’s personal and vehicle information and had dispatch run it through GCIC. [VICTIM #1] stated he was traveling east on Highway 49, when a dark gray Dodge truck with a toolbox on the back hit his vehicle. The impact caused the rear bumper to rip off, shattered the back glass, and broke out the driver’s side rear brake light housing, as well as causing some other minor damage along the side. [VICTIM #1] stated he did not get any of the tag information but noted that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. [VICTIM #1] stated that he did not need an ambulance and did not believe he needed a tow truck.

While out with the vehicle, I asked the real-time crime center to check Flock for any trucks that matched the description provided. They stated there were none. Sergeant Robinson, who was in the area of Highway 49 closer to town, said he would look out for the vehicle. Sergeant Robinson was unable to locate the vehicle. [VICTIM #1] stated his vehicle was safe to drive, that he lived in the area, and he went on his way.

I pulled over to a safe location and checked Flock. I found that a dark gray Dodge truck with a toolbox had passed the camera located at Highway 49 and Kitchens Road at approximately 1020 hours, roughly five minutes prior to me being flagged down. A GCIC check revealed that this gray Dodge truck was registered to Daniel Lee Bell at [100 BLOCK] Coopers Road.

Sergeant Robinson and I went to the address to attempt to make contact with the driver of that vehicle. After pulling into the driveway, Sergeant Robinson noticed fresh tire tracks in the grass. When following the tracks toward the back of the property, Sergeant Robinson observed a dark gray Dodge truck parked under some trees, well behind the house. I went up to the house to attempt to make contact. I knocked on the front door and two back doors before anyone exited the house. Upon exiting the residence, a male identified himself as Daniel Bell.

I informed Daniel I was investigating a hit-and-run which had occurred on Highway 49. I explained to Daniel that a vehicle matching his Dodge truck had been involved in the hit and run. Daniel stated he had just come from Walmart in Milledgeville, and he could show me his purchases. As Daniel went to show me the items he had purchased, I told him that it was his vehicle that appeared on the Flock camera in the area of Highway 49 at Kitchens Road, the approximate area of the accident, around the time the accident occurred, and matched the description provided by the victim. Daniel stated that he had just come back from picking up his friend from Haddock, off Highway 22, but he was not involved in any accident. Daniel stated he did go to Walmart earlier but misunderstood my earlier question.

I asked Daniel if I could examine his vehicle for damage. Daniel and I walked to the back of the property to view it. The vehicle, a dark gray Dodge Ram truck with a toolbox, GA Tag [REDACTED], was backed in under some trees approximately 300 feet behind the house. As we were walking to the truck, Daniel stated that he began parking the truck back there a couple of days ago, due to sap falling from the trees closer to the house. Daniel also stated there were lots of dents and dings on the truck due to its age, but he didn’t hit anyone.

Upon viewing the truck, I observed damage to the front passenger side bumper, as well as marks on the tires on the passenger side, consistent with the damage caused to the Nissan. Daniel pointed out some other damage and stated it had been caused recently by a 4-wheeler and stated that he had videos to prove it.

I asked Daniel to explain again where he had been today, and when. Daniel began his account by saying he had a messed-up sleep schedule and he had been up early this morning and gone to Walmart. Daniel stated he then went down Highway 22 to Haddock to pick up his friend, and then came home. Daniel kept having to stop and think about where he had gone and advised he didn’t really know the road names in the area.

Sergeant Robinson checked again on Flock where Daniel’s vehicle had been, but the only hits today were at 1004 hours, at the Baldwin/Jones County line southbound on Highway 49, at 1020 hours at Highway 49 eastbound and Kitchens Road, and then at 1024 hours at Coopers Road at Pancras Road southbound. There were no hits to indicate he had been at Walmart today.

I asked Daniel if he had been the only person driving his truck today, and he confirmed that he was the only person to drive the truck today. Due to the identification of the vehicle involved by [VICTIM #1] at the scene of the accident, the damage to Daniel’s truck being consistent with the damage caused in the accident, and the Flock captures being consistent with the timeline of the accident, I placed Daniel under arrest for Hit and Run, O.C.G.A. 40-6-270. He was taken into custody without incident.

Daniel was transported to the jail and issued a citation for Hit and Run, O.C.G.A. 40-6-270. A booking sheet was completed, and he was turned over to jail staff for booking.

[End of Narrative]