Authorities say a man accused of kidnapping and raping a University of Georgia student has been arrested. Police say the suspect has been identified as James William Daniels. The 57-year old Jefferson man was arrested and charged with False Imprisonment and Rape after he lured the woman into his vehicle early Wednesday morning.
Witnesses reported seeing the 6’3, 225 pound Daniels coaxing the UGA student into his black Nissan Sentra.
Nelly Miles is the Public Affairs Director for the GBI. She says information from those witnesses was instrumental in making the arrest.
“What really, really aided in this case was the initial information that came in as was indicated yesterday, that law enforcement received information from witnesses who saw the female going into the car and they actually followed the vehicle, wrote down the license plate and reported that to authorities” according to Miles. “And so that initial information that came in was truly the largest break in the case.”
Miles says witness were wary enough of the scene to take action.
“The individuals that saw them, they had a suspicion that something did not look right and that’s right they ended up following him and taking the information down and reporting it.”
According to the Department of Corrections, Daniels served time for computer pornography and aggravated assault stemming from convictions in Jackson County.
The GBI, FBI and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.
The ACCPD asks that anyone with information about the incident or who may have been approached by Daniels to contact Detective Michael Poole at Michael.Poole@accgov.com or 706-613-3330, extension 794.
