GBI issues arrest warrants for suspect wanted in connection to OIS in Stephens County
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released the name of the man suspected to be responsible for the officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday in Stephens County.
According to a release issued this afternoon, an arrest warrant has been taken for Joel Eugene Keller, 36, of Toccoa for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Additional charges are anticipated.
Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley says the incident started as a traffic stop.
“Earlier this afternoon, a deputy had an encounter with a traffic violator. There was a subsequent struggle at the scene and an assault on the deputy. The driver of the vehicle struggled with the deputy and was able to retrieve his firearm and a subsequent struggle to get the gun back ended up with the driver of the vehicle being shot in the left knee area. He was life-flighted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center,” Shirley said. “The GBI was called to the scene and are investigating both the deputy involved shooting as well as the crime scene investigation. No further details will be released at this time.”
According to a press release issued by the GBI, the early investigation indicates that at 1:17 p.m., a Stephens County Deputy attempted a traffic stop on Yearwood Road in Toccoa, on Keller, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado.
The driver of the Silverado refused to stop and a pursuit followed.
The driver of the truck ultimately wrecked at Broad River Road in Toccoa and got out of the truck and approached the deputy, which is when the driver and deputy struggled over the deputy’s gun ending when the driver was shot.
Keller was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Keller is currently listed in stable condition.
The GBI Investigation is active and ongoing.
Once the investigation is done, the case file will be given to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is the 14th officer involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate, in the state of Georgia, since the start of 2022.
WNEG News will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as they become available.