Woman Convicted Of Killing Boyfriend In Stonecrest Hit-And-Run

STONECREST, GA — A New York woman accused of running over her boyfriend with a car, killing him, in October 2020 in Stonecrest was convicted Wednesday of hit and run and other charges, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced Thursday.

Boston said a jury convicted Vanessa Dates-Bell, 36, on suspicion of criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, hit and run resulting in serious injury or death and tampering with evidence.

Dates-Bell had been arguing with her boyfriend, Tavorris Threadcraft, 25, at the time of the incident.

Boston said Threadcraft was walking around 1 a.m. near Fairington Road and Willowick Drive, where he was hit by an UberEats driver. The driver stopped and called 911, Boston said.

"While on the phone with the dispatcher, the driver checked Threadcraft for a pulse and reported he was still alive. Other cars stopped at the scene, but a blue car drove around those vehicles and ran over Threadcraft," read a news release from Boston's office.

The UberEats driver yelled for the car to stop, but after running over Threadcraft, Boston said the blue car sped away from the scene. Threadcraft was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dates-Bell's mother was identified as the owner of the blue car, Boston said. Dates-Bell was accused of driving the car to a friend's house in North Carolina, then fleeing to New York.

The DeKalb County Police Department was given a tip that helped investigators locate the car, and testing showed blood found underneath the car matched Threadcraft’s DNA, Boston said.

"Investigators also uncovered video of an argument between Defendant Dates-Bell and Threadcraft in which she threatened to run him over shortly before the incident," read the news release.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson sentenced Dates-Bell to 20 years to serve with five years to follow on probation, Boston said.