Man shot after fighting with Stephens County deputy for gun, GBI says
TACCOA, Ga. - Investigators said a suspect was shot after getting into a fight with a deputy over their service weapon following a high-speed chase in northeast Georgia on Tuesday afternoon.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the suspect as 36-year-old Joel Eugene Keller was taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition.
Keller will be charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and more charges are pending, the GBI said.
The GBI said around 1:16 p.m. a Stephens County deputy attempted to pull over a man driving a Chevrolet Silverado along Yearwood Road.
Instead of stopping, the driver sped off beginning a pursuit.
DRIVER OF STOLEN TRACTOR-TRAILER SHOT BY DEPUTIES DURING HIGH-SPEED CHASE
The truck’s driver eventually wrecked at Broad River Road in Toccoa, got out and approached the deputy, the GBI said.
The two got into a struggle, leading to the deputy’s gun being unholstered. The GBI said there then was a fight over the gun leading to the deputy firing a single shot, striking the suspect.
The deputy was not significantly injured.
Due to the nature of the incident, the sheriff’s office asked the GBI to investigation. The findings will be handed over to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is the 14th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate in 2022.
Taccoa is about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta.
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