The Toombs County Grand Jury has recommended that no charges should be pursued against a seasoned Georgia State Patrol Trooper.
According to minutes from the Grand Jury proceedings on Thursday of last week, six law enforcement personnel from four agencies as well as the Trooper gave testimony to the events of January 9, 2022, that led up to the charges against the state officer. Testifying to the details were officers with the Lyons Police Department, Toombs County Sheriff’s office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
According to testimony given, officers with the Lyons Police Department responded to CKT Trailer Park just after midnight that day regarding shots being fired. As they approached, an SUV sped through several yards in the trailer park, and a black male identified as Charles James exited the vehicle and was apprehended. As officers were taking James into custody, the female in the vehicle, Taliyah Williams, slid into the driver’s seat and fled the scene.
Multiple law enforcement agencies became involved in the pursuit of the female, with the Trooper taking the lead. The State Trooper testified to the Grand Jury that Williams’ vehicle eventually stopped at East Grady and 11th Street because of a flat tire and as Williams got out of the vehicle, he saw a black object in her hand which appeared to him to be a firearm and he shot at her, striking her in the knee area. She was taken to the local hospital and later transferred to a Savannah hospital.
Following the incident, the Lyons Police Department requested the GBI assist in the investigation as the Bureau customarily does in officer involved shootings.
After hearing testimonies last week, viewing Trooper’s dash cam, and referring to photos taken by the GBI, the 18-member panel of Grand Jurors deliberated and recommended that charges should not be pursued against the State Trooper. The Grand Jury found that his actions were reasonable under the circumstances based on the knowledge he had available to him at the time he discharged his weapon.
The Trooper who was cleared of any wrongdoing has been with the Georgia State Patrol for 21 years.
