Man Charged in Connection with Saturday Accident

A Sugar Hill man has been charged in connection with .

Daniel Mitchell, 30, of Sugar Hill, is facing charges of DUI less safe, serious injury by vehicle and driving while license suspended. Mitchell was also injured in the crash and remains hospitalized, according to Gwinnett County Police Department public information officer Cpl. Edwin Ritter.

Police were dispatched to the area of Braselton Highway and Hamilton Mill Road just before 8:30 p.m. on May 14 in response to a report of a possibly drunk driver being followed by a concerned citizen.

An officer located Mitchell’s vehicle and attempted to conduct a pullover, but Mitchell fled. Ritter said the officer chose not to pursue based on traffic conditions and concern for the safety of others.

A few minutes later, Mitchell was traveling northbound on Braselton Highway when he reportedly clipped a vehicle he was attempting to pass. Mitchell then crossed the center line striking a vehicle driven by a Buford woman head-on. The accident occurred just south of Spout Springs Road.

It took fire crews over an hour to extricate the woman from her vehicle. Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Capt. Tommy Rutledge said the long extrication was due to the entanglement of the victim’s lower extremities in the wreckage. The victim was life-flighted to Grady and remains in the intensive care unit in critical condition.

Mitchell was also entrapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated. He was transported by ambulance to Gwinnett Medical Center with serious injuries. Two occupants of the car clipped by Mitchell’s vehicle were transported to another area hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

According to several witnesses, Mitchell’s vehicle was traveling in excess of 70 m.p.h. at the time of the accident.

Ritter said Mitchell has a criminal record including arrests for burglary, fleeing and attempting to elude, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, public intoxication and violating probation. 

The accident remains under investigation.