Update on Jan. 6, 2025 @ 1:45 p.m.
After a car chase reportedly led to an officer-involved shooting in Lula on Sunday, 26-year-old Austin Cole Abel is facing 19 criminal charges and is in the Hall County Jail with no bond.
Abel faces four felony counts of aggravated assault on an officer and one felony count of fleeing or attempting to elude.
Abel was also charged with the following misdemeanors:
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DUI drugs
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Speeding
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Reckless driving
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Improper turn
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Wireless communication use while driving
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No seatbelt
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Failure to allow emergency vehicle to pass
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Failure to maintain lane
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Driving in an emergency lane
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Following too closely
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Three counts of obedience to traffic control devices
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Obstruction of an officer
No deputies were injured in the incident and Abel was unharmed as well.
Details of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) portion of the case remains under investigation, while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) investigates the officer-involved shooting portion of the case.
Original story published on Jan. 5, 2025 @ 10:40 a.m.
An investigation is underway after an officer-involved shooting Sunday morning.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is reporting that at around 3 a.m. deputies tried to stop a vehicle that was “driving erratically” on I-985 northbound.
26-year-old Austin Cole Abel of Cleveland was identified as the driver of the vehicle.
HCSO said that Abel turned onto SR 52 with a deputy following his vehicle.
Initial details indicate Abel allegedly opened fire on the patrol vehicle and the deputy returned fire, although neither got hurt.
Abel reportedly continued to drive his vehicle, eventually driving into a ditch and flipping his vehicle.
Other deputies confronted Abel at the scene and took him into custody after a short standoff.
Abel reported minor injuries, but refused medical treatment.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) will investigate the officer-involved shooting aspect of the incident, while HCSO investigates the other parts of the incident.
