Friday, August 9, 2002
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Friday, August 9, 2002 |
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Cop in crash has history of speeding By JOHN
THOMPSON
One of the policemen involved in last week's deadly high speed chase in Peachtree City has a history of exceeding the speed limit. Luthersville Police Officer Jason Smith is back to work this week after he and an another officer chased Loraine McCrary through Peachtree City Aug. 3. The chase ultimately led to a collision just outside the Peachtree City limits that killed Charles Vicha, 41, when McCrary slammed into Vicha's minivan. After the chase, Smith, along with the other officer, was placed on administrative leave "to mentally recover from the trauma of the incident," said Luthersville Police Chief David Yates. In documents obtained this week from the city of Senoia through the Open Records Act, Smith's pattern of high speed driving started in 2000, when he was a Senoia police officer. In a memo dated Nov. 29, 2000, former Senoia Police Chief Ben Thomas said he had received a complaint of two units speeding down Interstate 85. Several Senoia police officers were headed to the Fulton County firing range for instruction, but when they arrived, no instructor was present. Officer Dennis Harrell told Thomas in another memo that Smith's unit kept up with the flow of traffic, and then he noticed an "increase in speed." "At one point, I undid my safety restraint and looked at the speedometer. The speed displayed was 100 mph," he said. Harrell then said he sarcastically told Smith to "kick the speed up to 130." The officer said Smith maintained the speed until they exited the interstate. In the police chief's original memo about the incident, he said he spoke with Senoia Mayor Joan Trammell on Dec. 6, 2000 about the incident. Trammell informed Thomas that a Florida trooper called her Nov. 28 about the incident and said the vehicles were "travelling well over 100 miles per hour." Thomas then opened an internal affairs investigation into the case. On Dec. 19, 2000, city officials held a meeting with Smith. Attorney Drew Whalen told Smith the city had received a complaint about him travelling more than 100 miles per hour in a Senoia police car. Smith told Whalen that he was just going 5-10 miles over the speed limit. When Thomas informed Smith that an out-of-state police officer saw the incident, Smith responded, "whatever." Thomas told Smith he would be demoted to sergeant and suspended for one week without pay and Whalen suggested the suspension and pay decrease start Dec. 31. But Smith countered, "Just do it today." As part of Smith's demotion, he was assigned a different car, made an hourly employee and instructed to notify Sergeant Julian Crowder if he had to leave the city for any reason. On Dec. 27, 2000, Smith wrote a letter to Thomas and City Clerk Debbie Hogan appealing his demotion. "I have never received any form of documented counseling about a complaint of speeding," he said. Smith also took issue with how he was treated, compared to another officer involved in the incident. "I was demoted and pay taken away from me. Pfc. Tonya Keith was also suspended, but no demotion or pay was taken from her. This is not right, and it is discrimination," he said. On Jan. 2, 2001, another city meeting was held with Smith, acting Police Chief Julian Crowder and City Administrator Leonard Thompson. Crowder explained Smith was receiving another disciplinary action for failing to follow instructions from Thomas. Thomas had instructed Smith to turn in his daily activity reports to Crowder. But Smith maintained since Thomas was no longer with the city, the memo was "null and void." Smith said he tuned in the reports to court clerk Barb Tradway and wondered why he was being "singled out." Thompson told Smith he hoped the situation could be worked out, but if not, he could terminate Smith. Smith told Thompson he couldn't do that, and Thompson terminated Smith's employment. After Thompson left the room, the memo states Smith threw his loaded weapon on the desk and said, "I hope you're happy." Smith then forwarded a letter of resignation to the city on Jan. 2.
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