A traffic stop in downtown Commerce turned into a dangerous chase Sunday when a University of Georgia football player sped away from police at more than 100 mph with two children in his car.
What’s Happening: Commerce Police arrested UGA player Nyier Daniels after he fled from officers through residential streets and onto I-85, reaching speeds over 100 mph in areas where the limit was 25 mph. Two children were in Daniels’ vehicle during the chase, leading to cruelty to children charges.
What’s Important: Police say Daniels’ mother deliberately blocked a supervisor’s police car to prevent officers from catching her son, then led police on her own high-speed chase at over 100 mph down Maysville Road.
Between the Lines: The chase started when an officer pulled over Daniels’ mother for running a stop sign in downtown Commerce. While the officer spoke with her, Daniels flew past them at over 100 mph in a 25-mph zone, forcing the officer to abandon the original stop.
- Daniels drove through residential areas on North Broad Street, Old Maysville Road, King Road and Wofford Drive before getting onto I-85 South.
- Officers lost sight of his vehicle near mile marker 144 and ended the pursuit for safety reasons.
Catch Up Quick: A UGA coach later brought Daniels and his vehicle to the Commerce Police Department, where he was arrested. His mother was stopped near mile marker 145 and arrested separately.
By the Numbers: Daniels faces nine charges including two counts of felony cruelty to children, felony fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, speeding, failure to maintain lane, driving on the wrong side of the road, passing in a no-passing zone and multiple equipment violations. His mother was charged with speeding, two counts of running a stop sign, obstruction, fleeing, failure to maintain lane and reckless driving.
The Sources: Commerce Police Department.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
