Officers Taylor Saulters and Hunter Blackmon were riding as a two-person unit when they saw what police described as a man with felony warrants in the Triangle Plaza area.
Athens, GA (WGCL) — An Athens-Clarke County police officer has been fired after a collision involving his patrol car and a suspect who fled from authorities on foot.
Officers Taylor Saulters and Hunter Blackmon were riding as a two-person unit when they saw what police described as a man with felony warrants in the Triangle Plaza area.
Officer Blackmon left the patrol car to make contact with the man, identified as Timmy Patmon, who police say fled on foot.
The police spokesperson says Officer Saulters stayed in his patrol car and tried to get ahead of the foot chase to cut Patmon’s path off, but ended up hitting a curb and stop sign. The officer tried again to get ahead of Patmon, and ultimately collided with the suspect at what authorities described as a low speed on the road.
Patmon was taken to the hospital for treatment and eventually taken to jail. He suffered scrapes and bruises, according to the police spokesperson. He was charged with violating his probation and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
Officer Saulters was originally placed on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation, but after reviewing body-camera footage, Police Chief Scott Freeman terminated his employment with the department.
