THOMASVILLE- Terry Sloan, who was charged in the December shooting of off-duty deputy Franklin Rollins, pled guilty on Wednesday morning at the Justice Center.

Sloan, 61, faced an indictment on three counts of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He pled guilty to all five.

On December 2, 2022, Rollins was attending a wake, when a gentleman’s friend, later identified as Sloan became irate.

Reportedly, Sloan was intoxicated and became belligerent after being offered a ride home by a friend. In response to the offer, Sloan pulled out his illegal firearm and began waving it around.

Although off-duty, Rollins confronted Sloan.

Sloan then shot Rollins twice in the face and once in the back, before fleeing on foot.

He additionally shot Tennille Ross and Daniel Reed.

Rollins, Ross and Reed were rendered aid, while the TCSO K-9 unit, Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit and several other deputies from surrounding counties searched for Sloan.

The search lasted approximately three hours, before Sloan was apprehended in the woods.

Rollins then underwent surgery to remove the bullets, beginning a long road to recovery. The guilty plea brought solace to the TCSO, who said Rollins has already to endure so much, without the weight of a trial.

“I’m glad to see closure on this case,” said Public Information Office Steve Jones. “I’m glad we didn’t have to go through a trial. Frankie has been traumatized and been through enough without the addition of a trial.”

Sloan expressed his sorrow for his actions, crying, as he told Judge Brian A. McDaniel and the crowd he was ashamed for his actions and wrong for the way he reacted.

McDaniel thanked Sloan for his words and said sentencing would take place in late August.

Sloan was then released back into the Thomas County Jail.