Drug agent suspended in firearm incident

Published 5:59 pm Thursday, December 10, 2015

THOMASVILLE — Following an internal investigation, a Thomas County/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice agent has been suspended for not following procedure in mechanics of arrest.

Agent Josh Smith’s three-day suspension without pay was effective Thursday in the aftermath of a Thanksgiving Day incident.

Smith was on call Thanksgiving for the drug squad. He had Thanksgiving dinner at his grandmother’s home in rural Thomas County and was leaving his grandmother’s house when he became aware of Coolidge Police Chief James Wright in pursuit of a vehicle running stop signs and traveling at a high rate of speed, said Thomas County Sheriff Carlton Powell.

The SUV, which had a Alabama tag, traveled at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, the sheriff said.

“It goes to 133 in Pavo and turns back into Pavo,” Powell explained.

The vehicle continued to run stop signs and turned west onto Ga. 122, turned onto Salem Church Road and accelerated, with the Coolidge chief still in pursuit.

Smith, also on Salem Church, realized the SUV was traveling in his direction. He was going to put out “stop sticks,” which punctures tires.

“He parks his car on the road. The (suspect’s) car is coming toward him,” Powell said.

Smith removed his service firearm from its holster, which he was not wearing. Meanwhile, the SUV ran hot, began to lose power and slowed down.

The SUV came to a stop almost beside the drug agent’s vehicle on Salem Church at Coffee Road.

The sheriff said Smith told the driver to throw out his keys and get out of the vehicle, but the driver did not follow the command.

After the suspect eventually got out of the SUV, Smith told the driver repeatedly to get on the ground. When the driver did not follow the order, Smith pushed the man down with one hand, with the firearm in his other hand.

The weapon discharged. Wright was present, and a deputy arrived 15 to 20 seconds later.

The suspect, Ricardo Trimai Scott, 33, 1097 Rose Ave., Coolidge, was handcuffed and transported to the Thomas County Jail.

“They guy knew he had some warrants on him. He was on probation,” Powell said.

The takedown of Scott and the discharge of the firearm were recorded on video.

“Based on what we saw there, I suspended him (Smith) from the road. We gave him desk duty, pending an internal investigation,” the sheriff said.

At the end of the internal investigation, all sheriff’s officers attended a class on mechanics of arrest.

Smith will undergo additional training in mechanics of arrest at a police academy.

Said Powell, “He tried to get the suspect to the ground with his weapon in his hand, which was not proper protocol. You do not get close enough to anyone to have the weapon taken away.”

Scott has an extensive criminal history in Thomas County, Valdosta and Moultrie, said Capt. Steven Jones, sheriff’s office public information officer.

The suspect is charged with probation violation for possession of cocaine, outstanding child support arrest order, three counts failure to obey traffic control device, felony attempting to elude, obstruction of officers, driving while license suspended or revoked, speeding and failure to maintain lane.

Bond was set at $4,600. Scott remains behind bars at the Thomas County Jail on probation and child support arrest holds.

“He will not be released from jail,” Jones said.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.