Deceased bank robbery suspect was DCSS sub

ALBANY, Ga. — A woman who was suspected in a string of armed robberies on Friday, including a stickup of the Bank of Pavo, has been identified as Mary Louise Daniels, a longtime substitute teacher for the Dougherty County School System.

Daniels, 54, died Saturday morning after overturning her vehicle in a canal off Ga. Highway 188 while attempting to outrun pursuit by the Coolidge Police Department and Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.

She was a suspect in the early afternoon attempted robbery of Carroll’s Package Store in Thomasville. The store clerk, foiled the robbery and the would-be bandit fled the scene in Black Toyota Camry with no tag.

Shortly afterward, the Bank of Pavo was held up when a masked woman handed a teller a note and fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

Coolidge police later spotted a vehicle matching the description and gave pursuit, joined later by Thomas sheriff’s deputies. Daniels eventually crashed into the canal and the vehicle landed upside down in waist-deep water

Officers physically turned the vehicle upright and extracted Daniels, who was unresponsive. She was transported by EMS to Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville, where she died early Saturday morning.

A source within the Dougherty School System said Daniels had been a substitute at Merry Acres Middle School since 2007, but had not taught classes at the school since February.

An autopsy has been scheduled. Thomas Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Steven Jones said Monday his office was awaiting the results.