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Damian Bell, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested in Durham County, NC, on Friday, Mar. 15. The Rowan County Sheriff's Office announced his arrest in a news release on Wednesday, Mar. 20.
According to the sheriff's office, Bell was wanted for two counts of attempted murder in Monmouth County. Deputies confirmed with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office that he was still wanted on those charges and they agreed to extradite him to New Jersey.
A spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said Bell was wanted in a shooting on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. It happened on Center Street in Freehold at around 7:15 a.m.
Freehold Borough police found a man with two gunshot wounds to his arm and a woman who was shot once in the stomach. They were treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and released.
Bell was identified as the suspect in the Freehold shooting. Along with the attempted murder charges, he also faces two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon - certain person not to possess a firearm.
At around 11:52 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 14, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office learned from another law enforcement agency that a red Hyundai Tucson failed to stop for an officer. That agency's policy prevented the officer from chasing after the driver for a misdemeanor traffic violation.
Rowan County deputies soon found the suspected SUV driving about 95 miles per hour in a 70-mph zone on Interstate 85 North near exit 76. The Hyundai didn't stop for deputies and they began a pursuit.
The Hyundai hit stop sticks deployed by Thomasville police at exit 102 on I-85. The SUV slowed down but continued driving away with a flat front left tire.
Stop sticks were used again about 40 miles away at exit 141 in Burlington but they weren't successful. More stop sticks at 147 in Alamance County did work, causing a flat front right tire.
The pursuit continued on I-85 through Orange and Durham counties until the Hyundai slowed down because it no longer had tires left on the front wheels. The SUV came to a stop near exit 183 in Durham County and Bell was arrested.
Deputies found nine handguns, a rifle, and ammunition inside Bell's vehicle. They also found Bell had two bags of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Recreational marijuana is not legal in North Carolina.
He was also accused of refusing to give his name and had no documents to identify himself. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Davidson County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the long chase.
Bell was charged with felony flee to elude, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, carrying a concealed gun, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling place for a controlled substance, and resisting a public officer.
Bell was held at the Rowan County Detention Center on a $900,000 bond.
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