The Supreme Court of Georgia (SCOGA) has refused to hear the appeal of a Dawsonville man convicted in an incident involving a high-speed chase in Hall County in 2018 involving Dawson and Hall County sheriff’s deputies and state troopers.
In a 12-page opinion earlier this year BENJAMIN HOLTZCLAW v. THE STATE :: 2023 :: Court of Appeals of Georgia Decisions :: Georgia Case Law :: Georgia Law :: US Law :: Justia, the Georgia Court of Appeals had upheld the conviction and sentence given Benjamin Ray Holtzclaw who claimed in his appeal that the indictment returned against him was flawed. The appeals court also rejected his contention that his lawyer had “performed deficiently.” Holtzclaw had then appealed to the state Supreme Court.
He had been convicted by a Hall County Superior Court jury of aggravated assault on a peace officer (for ramming a state trooper’s car during the chase); fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement; aggressive driving; speeding; and operating a vehicle without proof of insurance or a tag.
The chase occurred in northern Hall County. Holtzclaw reached speeds of over 90 miles per hour along Elrod Road, according to court records.
“As officers with the Georgia State Patrol attempted to stop him, he rammed a vehicle driven by Trooper Jimmy James, resulting in the aggravated assault charge and conviction,” District Attorney Lee Darragh said following Holtzclaw’s conviction. “Sergeant Major Patterson of the Georgia State Patrol testified at trial that this was the most aggressive and dangerous violator he had ever seen in the 22 chases he had been involved with.”