A former Athens-Clarke County officer is back on the job days after being fired for hitting a suspect with his patrol car last week.
Officer Taylor Saulters was hired by the neighboring Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office on Monday after he was relieved of his duties over the incident, which was captured on police body cam footage. Saulters’ attorney, Phillip Holloway, told local station WSB-TV his client “received multiple offers of employment and is again back at work in law enforcement.”
“This is a testament to the fact that seasoned veteran law enforcement officials recognize the lawfulness of my client’s actions and the injustice of his termination,” Holloway added.
The incident unfolded last Friday when Saulters got a call that there was a search out for Timmy Patmon, who was on probation and had felony warrants out for his arrest. The 24-year-old is seen running as police try to approach him. Saulters, who followed the suspect in his patrol car, maneuvered the vehicle towards the curb where Patmon was fleeing and flattened his tire. He swerved again toward the young man, this time striking him.
Patmon is seen rolling onto the hood of the car before falling to the ground.
Though Saulters insisted he had no intention of hitting the suspect, Police Chief Scott Freeman gave him the boot after an internal investigation into the incident. The officer wasn’t out of work for long, however.
As for Patmon, he was released from the hospital after suffering minor bumps and bruises and turned over to police, who charged him with obstruction of an officer, WSB-TV reported.
