Post by KC on Mar 3, 2006 22:15:01 GMT -5
03/03/2006 - WOODBINE, Ga. -- Two Camden County sheriff's deputies were fired Wednesday after an internal investigation of their actions during a three-county chase last month found they beat the driver when the pursuit ended.
Albert Bannon Crosby, 29, and Richard Sean Billington, 36, both deputies since 2000, were terminated after a review of the high-speed pursuit and subsequent arrest of a North Carolina man on Feb. 2.
The investigation revealed that Crosby and Billington violated the department's pursuit and use-of-force policies. Department officials told Channel 4's Victoria Warren that the two deputies brutalized the driver after he was in custody.
The nearly hour-long pursuit began after Crosby said he clocked Kirk Griffen Jr., 22, of Cary, N.C., going 94 mph on Interstate 95.
Deputies from three counties and the Georgia Highway Patrol eventually joined the chase, which ended 40 minutes later on Highway 82 in Brantley County.
According to police reports at the time, deputies reported that Griffin rammed a Camden deputy's patrol car and attempted to hit two Brantley County deputies.
Griffen was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, criminal interference with government property and felony fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer.
All charges were later dismissed and Griffen was released.
Copies of the internal investigation and termination letters will be forwarded to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for review.
Albert Bannon Crosby, 29, and Richard Sean Billington, 36, both deputies since 2000, were terminated after a review of the high-speed pursuit and subsequent arrest of a North Carolina man on Feb. 2.
The investigation revealed that Crosby and Billington violated the department's pursuit and use-of-force policies. Department officials told Channel 4's Victoria Warren that the two deputies brutalized the driver after he was in custody.
The nearly hour-long pursuit began after Crosby said he clocked Kirk Griffen Jr., 22, of Cary, N.C., going 94 mph on Interstate 95.
Deputies from three counties and the Georgia Highway Patrol eventually joined the chase, which ended 40 minutes later on Highway 82 in Brantley County.
According to police reports at the time, deputies reported that Griffin rammed a Camden deputy's patrol car and attempted to hit two Brantley County deputies.
Griffen was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, criminal interference with government property and felony fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer.
All charges were later dismissed and Griffen was released.
Copies of the internal investigation and termination letters will be forwarded to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for review.