A Cleveland man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after shooting at officers during a chase in Hall County last year.
The incident happened on Jan. 5, 2025 and started at around 3:00 a.m. that morning when Austin Abel, age 28, fled from Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies during a traffic stop on Interstate 985 near the beginning of Ga. 365. After he sped away, the sheriff’s office said Abel began firing at deputies, leading to the deputies returning fire.
No one was injured in the shooting, and Abel later crashed on Lula Road, driving into a ditch and flipping his vehicle. He was arrested after a short standoff.
Northeastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Lee Darragh issued a statement after Abel’s sentencing…