Taylor Saulters, 23, was fired from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department on Saturday after body-camera footage showed him using his patrol car to hit a fleeing suspect
A disgraced rookie police officer in Georgia who was fired for mowing down a suspect in his car has been hired just two days later by a neighboring force.
Taylor Saulters was fired from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department on Saturday after body-camera footage showed him using his patrol car to hit a fleeing suspect.
The 23-year-old was immediately suspended pending an investigation and was dismissed the following day.
On Monday, Saulters was hired as an Oglethorpe County sheriff’s deputy.
Oglethorpe County sheriff David Gabriel said he has known Saulters since he was a baby and added that he would be a ‘great asset’ to the team.
‘If his name sounds familiar it is probably due to the fact that he was recently terminated by ACCPD for an incident where a fleeing felon struck his patrol car while he was attempting to apprehend him,’ the sheriff said on his Facebook page.
‘In talking to Saulters the first question he asked was if our citizens supported law enforcement. Without hesitation I assured him they did and that we have excellent people that live in our county.
‘I have no reservations about Dep. Saulters serving this community. If you still have concerns I will discuss them with you if you contact me.
The footage shows the exact moment that Saulters rammed into Timmy Patmon, who was wanted on a felony probation warrant, during a pursuit on Friday
Patmon can be seen rolling up on the hood of the officer’s car and falling to the ground after being struck
‘If you are not an Oglethorpe County resident, I wouldn’t worry about it.’
Following their investigation into Saulters, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department released the body-camera video of the incident that unfolded on Friday.
It shows him chasing after the suspect, identified as Timmy Patmon, in his patrol vehicle while his partner Hunter Blackmon followed on foot.
The video shows Saulters initially trying to block the suspect with his vehicle but the man managed to dodge the car.
Saulters then gave chase again and hit the suspect with the front of his patrol vehicle.
Patmon can be seen rolling up on the hood of his car and falling to the ground.
Both Saulters and Blackmon then arrested the suspect as a group of angry witnesses gathered around.
Oglethorpe County sheriff David Gabriel said he has known Saulters since he was a baby and added that he would be a ‘great asset’ to the team
Patmon, who was wanted on felony warrants, was hospitalized with scrapes and bruises before being jailed
One woman screamed: ‘You just hit that man, oh my god. You didn’t have to hit that man like that’.
The footage also shows Saulters threatening to use a Taser on Patmon while he is already on the ground and being detained by Blackmon.
‘Give us your hands now, or you’re gonna get Tased,’ Saulters says. ‘Do you understand me? Make the right decision.’
Later in the footage, Saulters can be heard telling other officers that he didn’t hit Patmon with his car.
‘I didn’t hit him with the car, I blocked him with the car,’ Saulters says. ‘He ran into the hood of my car and bounced off.’
Saulters later claimed he had tried to stop his car but couldn’t because of a flat tire.
Patmon, who was wanted on felony warrants, was hospitalized with scrapes and bruises before being jailed.