Avery County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina
End of Watch: Monday, May 16, 1949
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 101
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: May 14, 1949
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Case resulted in mistrial
Chief Deputy Daniels succumbed to wounds received two days earlier after being dragged and thrown from a car while investigating possible transportation of illegal moonshine near the Plumtree community. Chief Deputy Daniels, who was not in uniform at the time, noticed the speeding vehicle and, because he had two prisoners in the back of this police car, borrowed a pickup truck from a friend. He was able to catch the speeding vehicle and stop it.
As Chief Deputy Daniels stepped onto the running board of a suspicious car the driver grabbed him and held him in the window as he sped away. As the driver surpassed 50 mph he pushed Chief Deputy Daniels from the car and his body struck a tree, causing fatal injuries. The suspect was brought to trial in connection with Deputy Daniels' death but the trial ended with a deadlocked jury. The man was not retried for the incident.
At the time his death, Chief Deputy Daniels had just returned to duty after recovering from a previous incident under almost identical circumstances.
Chief Deputy Daniels had served with the agency for 9 years and was survived by his wife and children.