Georgia police officer Taylor Saulters hit a man with a patrol vehicle, got fired for it, and was hired by another law enforcement department all in less than a week.
Saulters, who was fired from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, was quickly hired by the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, which is about a 17-minute drive down the street from the police department.
Oglethorpe County Sheriff David Gabriel has known Saulters all of his life and said that Saulters will be great for his department.
Sheriff Gabriel said in a statement:
“I have no reservations about Deputy. Saulters serving this community. As a citizen of Oglethorpe County you will find the wisdom of this decision in getting a deputy of this caliber. If you still have concerns I will discuss them with you if you contact me,”
On Friday June 1, 2018 Saulters was chasing a suspect that had outstanding warrants, identified as Timmy Patmon. The suspect was running on foot and Saulters was chasing the man in his patrol car. Saulters attempted to cut Patmon off with the cruiser once, but that attempt failed.
Moments later, Saulters attempted a second time to cut Patmon off, but instead, hit Patmon with the front of the patrol vehicle, launching Patmon onto the windshield where he landed hard on the ground.
Saulters and other officers on scene then made the arrest. Patmon only sustained minor injuries.
But Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Scott Freeman was not happy about the actions of Saulters. Just one day after the incident the chief fired Saulters following an internal affairs investigation.
When news of Saulters’s firing broke, he threatened to sue news outlets for spreading misinformation.
But just four days after his firing, Saulters was hired by the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office.