Authorities find a former Athens Police Officer acted reasonably when he struck a fleeing suspect with his patrol car. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia conducted a use of force investigation into the June 1, 2018 incident involving Officer Robert Saulters during an attempted arrest of Timmy Patmon. A letter detailing the investigation was released Friday by Peter Skandalakis, Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia.
Skandalakis reviewed the investigative file submitted by the Georgia Bureaus of Investigation, including photographs, audio interviews, Georgia State Patrol reports, jail calls by Patmon, and video footage from both the body cameras of the officers involved in the incident and the camera from Officer Saulters patrol car.
The investigation determined Patmon changed direction and ran into the path of the patrol car, which had two flat tires from hitting the sidewalk during the chase. He suffered minor scrapes and the patrol was not damaged.
The investigation determined Officer Saulters acted within the scope of his duties, and that his Use of Force was reasonable and neither further investigation nor criminal prosecution is necessary.
Entire letter:
Dear Special Agent Isaacson,
In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 15-18-S(a), I was appointed by Georgia Attorney
General Christopher Carr to serve as District Attorney Pro Tempore, Western Judicial
Circuit for the limited purpose of investigating, reviewing, and deciding if criminal
prosecution is warranted against Athens-Clarke County Police Office Robert Taylor
Saulters regarding his Use of Force while effecting an arrest of Mr. Timmy Patmon
which occurred on June 1, 2018 in Clarke County, Georgia.
After a thorough review of the investigative file submitted by the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation including photographs, audio interviews, Georgia State Patrol reports,
jail calls by Mr. Patmon, and video footage from both the body worn cameras of the
ACCPD officers involved in the incident and from the camera in Officer Saulters'
patrol car, I find the following:
On June 1, 2018, ACCPD Officers Hunter Blackmon and Robert Taylor Saulters
were on routine patrol in a marked vehicle when they encountered Timmy Patmon.
Both officers recognized Patmon and confirmed he was wanted for arrest on an
outstanding violation of felony probation warrant. Officer Blackmon exited the patrol
car and attempted to speak with Patmon. When Patmon saw Officer Bl~ckmon
approaching he began to back away, turned and took off running in an attempt to
escape from the officers.
Officer Saulters, who was driving the patrol car, saw Patmon running from Officer
Blackmon. With siren and emergency lights on, Officer Saulter drove his vehicle on
to the sidewalk, to a point in front of Patmon, in an attempt to block Patmon's path. In
doing so, the two driver's side tires on Saulters' patrol car were damaged upon impact
with the sidewalk curb which caused the tires to deflate. Patmon, now seeing the
patrol car in front of him changed his course of direction and ran behind the car to
avoid the officer.
Officer Saulters, now with some difficulty due to the deflated tires, attempted to steer
his vehicle back on to the roadway in front of Patmon to block his escape. Patmon,
seeing the patrol car get ahead of him, changed direction again to avoid apprehension
and arrest. Patmon cut back in the direction from which Saulters' car was coming in
an attempt to cross in front of the patrol car. Had Patmon been successful in this
maneuver he would have been able to run in a direction opposite of which Saulters'
patrol car was traveling.
The end result of this cat and mouse pursuit was a collision between Patmon and
Saulters' patrol car which occurred on the front quarter panel of the passenger side of
the car. Patmon suffered minor scrapes and the investigating agent found no damage
to the patrol car.
Based on these factors, Officer Saulters acted within the scope of his duties. His Use
of Force in this case was reasonable and, therefore, further investigation and/or
criminal prosecution is not warranted. Officer Saulters was in lawful pursuit of a
fleeing felon who was making every attempt to escape lawful arrest. He used due
regard when pursuing Patmon by activating his siren and blue lights and taking
appropriate action to safeguard against harm to innocent bystanders. His attempts to
block Patroon's escape paths were reasonable and but for the damage to his tires,
which affected the steering of his car and Patroon's attempts to crisscross back and
forth behind and in front of the patrol car, the collision between Saulters' vehicle and
Patmon would never have occurred. I find Officer Saulters did not act with criminal
intent and did not use his vehicle as a weapon. Therefore, I decline to pursue this
matter any further.
In conclusion, I find Officer Saulters was acting within the lawful scope of his
authority when he was attempting to make a lawful arrest of a fleeing felon. His
actions were reasonable and in accordance with law. I further find no criminal intent
on the part of Officer Saulters and consider this matter closed.
Peter J. Skandalakis
Executive Director
Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia
