Twenty-seven DUI cases were dismissed in Chatham County, Georgia this month, because of a law enforcement scandal. Four Georgia State Patrol troopers and a supervisor were fired earlier this year for filing fraudulent insurance claims for “injuries” they sustained performing PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuvers. The four troopers collected nearly $100,000 in insurance money for filing claims for “injuries” such as stress, anxiety and soreness.
The twenty-seven cases were dropped because the fired officers did not respond to subpoenas for arrests they were involved in while working for the GSP. They were called upon to testify as witnesses. There are more than 150 more pending cases these same officers were involved in that are under review by the District Attorney’s office. They are currently working with Georgia State Patrol to see if there are additional officers that would be eligible to testify in place of the fired troopers.
District Attorney Shalena Jones says that she has not been informed as to why the officers are not responding to court subpeonas. Meanwhile, Jones also says the officers, while out of a job, are not under criminal investigation for the scandal.
A PIT maneuver is a law enforcement tactic for stopping a fleeing vehicle by lightly tapping the driver’s side bumper and then speeding up. This causes the fleeing vehicle to spin out and slow down. It is generally considered a safe maneuver at slow speeds. When performed correctly, it does not cause major damage to a vehicle or injury to a driver. When utilized incorrectly, however, it can be dangerous if employed at a high speed. PIT maneuvers can also be misapplied to some SUV’s, which have a higher center of gravity. In these cases, the maneuver can cause a dangerous rollover.
Do you have a pending DUI case in Chatham County and want to know if your case is under review? Or, did your arrest include a PIT maneuver? Contact us for more information to see if our office may be able to help.
