TheeBadOne
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WARNER ROBINS - A Unadilla man who allegedly attempted to abduct a woman Tuesday at a gas station died after he was shocked twice with a police stunning device.
The man was identified as Curtis Lawson, 40, of 186 Lawson Road, Unadilla. The body has been sent to Atlanta for an autopsy, which will include a toxicology test for possible drug use.
The GBI is investigating the incident, which occurred after Lawson confronted the woman while she was pumping gas at the Pilot gas station, at the Ga. 247 Connector/Warner Robins exit off Interstate 75 in Peach County. A GBI investigation is departmental policy for the Peach County Sheriff's Office when a suspect dies during an arrest, said Maj. Terry Deese of the sheriff's office.
Deese said there is no indication that any of the officers involved in the arrest did anything wrong.
"It's a tragedy," Deese said. "We don't want arrest situations to end like this. Hopefully, the autopsy will be able to tell us why he died."
At about 12:30 a.m., the 22-year-old Roberta woman on her way home from work had stopped at the Pilot to get some gas when Lawson approached her and tried to get her to go with him, Deese said.
The woman, who was on a cell phone with her boyfriend, was "able to get away" and ran across the parking lot to a convenience store, Deese said.
Lawson, who was barefoot and wearing shorts and a T-shirt, chased her into the store, where clerks attempted to keep Lawson from grabbing the woman, Deese said. A store clerk called 911, which dispatched Warner Robins police because the store is located in a portion of Peach County annexed by Warner Robins.
Meanwhile, a Peach County deputy, on routine patrol, drove up and Lawson ran across the street, Deese said. Minutes later, 911 received a call from a man who said he was in Room 144 of the Red Carpet Inn, the hotel across from the Pilot. The man told 911 "get me some police now."
When police arrived, Lawson was standing outside. Deese said authorities didn't know whether Lawson had made the call or if there was someone inside the hotel room who had made the call. Lawson ran inside and refused police commands to come outside, Deese said. The door was forced open and Lawson fled to the bathroom.
Unable to restrain Lawson with pepper spray, Peach County deputies called for assistance from the Houston County Sheriff's Office for the use of a Taser, Deese said.
A Taser is a "non-lethal device" used to temporarily stun an offender, Deese said. The Taser, similar to a stun gun, is an alternative to having to shoot a suspect, he said.
When Cpl. Ken Beck of the Houston County Sheriff's Office arrived with the Taser, law enforcement officers from Warner Robins, Byron and Peach County were standing at the back of the hotel room near the bathroom, according to a Houston County sheriff's report.
Lawson ignored several commands to calm down, the report said.
"When I was about 3 feet from the door, the offender leaped out of the bathroom towards me with his hand stretched out as if he was trying to hit me," Beck wrote in the report. "At this point, I stepped back and activated my Taser."
The first time, the Taser missed Lawson. A second attempt shocked and stunned Lawson, though he continued to fight police, the report said.
After about 15 minutes and while authorities were waiting for a transport van, Lawson suddenly stopped fighting officers - prompting them to ask if he was all right, the report said.
When there was no response, police checked his pulse and discovered he was not breathing. Officers began CPR and an ambulance was called, but police and emergency workers were unable to revive him, Deese said.
Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton said that from his understanding of the incident, Beck acted appropriately.
Talton noted that the Tasers, in use at the department for about a year, offer an alternative choice to having to shoot a suspect, while also protecting the deputies. He noted that sheriff's deputies must be certified and receive special training to use a Taser, which includes being stunned themselves to understand its effect, Talton said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/7455223.htm
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It'll be interesting to see if these 2 latest cases will be similar to the Jones/Cincinnati case, IE: expiring after being high on drugs and exerting oneself. Anyone in those area who can add more from TV coverage?
The man was identified as Curtis Lawson, 40, of 186 Lawson Road, Unadilla. The body has been sent to Atlanta for an autopsy, which will include a toxicology test for possible drug use.
The GBI is investigating the incident, which occurred after Lawson confronted the woman while she was pumping gas at the Pilot gas station, at the Ga. 247 Connector/Warner Robins exit off Interstate 75 in Peach County. A GBI investigation is departmental policy for the Peach County Sheriff's Office when a suspect dies during an arrest, said Maj. Terry Deese of the sheriff's office.
Deese said there is no indication that any of the officers involved in the arrest did anything wrong.
"It's a tragedy," Deese said. "We don't want arrest situations to end like this. Hopefully, the autopsy will be able to tell us why he died."
At about 12:30 a.m., the 22-year-old Roberta woman on her way home from work had stopped at the Pilot to get some gas when Lawson approached her and tried to get her to go with him, Deese said.
The woman, who was on a cell phone with her boyfriend, was "able to get away" and ran across the parking lot to a convenience store, Deese said.
Lawson, who was barefoot and wearing shorts and a T-shirt, chased her into the store, where clerks attempted to keep Lawson from grabbing the woman, Deese said. A store clerk called 911, which dispatched Warner Robins police because the store is located in a portion of Peach County annexed by Warner Robins.
Meanwhile, a Peach County deputy, on routine patrol, drove up and Lawson ran across the street, Deese said. Minutes later, 911 received a call from a man who said he was in Room 144 of the Red Carpet Inn, the hotel across from the Pilot. The man told 911 "get me some police now."
When police arrived, Lawson was standing outside. Deese said authorities didn't know whether Lawson had made the call or if there was someone inside the hotel room who had made the call. Lawson ran inside and refused police commands to come outside, Deese said. The door was forced open and Lawson fled to the bathroom.
Unable to restrain Lawson with pepper spray, Peach County deputies called for assistance from the Houston County Sheriff's Office for the use of a Taser, Deese said.
A Taser is a "non-lethal device" used to temporarily stun an offender, Deese said. The Taser, similar to a stun gun, is an alternative to having to shoot a suspect, he said.
When Cpl. Ken Beck of the Houston County Sheriff's Office arrived with the Taser, law enforcement officers from Warner Robins, Byron and Peach County were standing at the back of the hotel room near the bathroom, according to a Houston County sheriff's report.
Lawson ignored several commands to calm down, the report said.
"When I was about 3 feet from the door, the offender leaped out of the bathroom towards me with his hand stretched out as if he was trying to hit me," Beck wrote in the report. "At this point, I stepped back and activated my Taser."
The first time, the Taser missed Lawson. A second attempt shocked and stunned Lawson, though he continued to fight police, the report said.
After about 15 minutes and while authorities were waiting for a transport van, Lawson suddenly stopped fighting officers - prompting them to ask if he was all right, the report said.
When there was no response, police checked his pulse and discovered he was not breathing. Officers began CPR and an ambulance was called, but police and emergency workers were unable to revive him, Deese said.
Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton said that from his understanding of the incident, Beck acted appropriately.
Talton noted that the Tasers, in use at the department for about a year, offer an alternative choice to having to shoot a suspect, while also protecting the deputies. He noted that sheriff's deputies must be certified and receive special training to use a Taser, which includes being stunned themselves to understand its effect, Talton said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/7455223.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It'll be interesting to see if these 2 latest cases will be similar to the Jones/Cincinnati case, IE: expiring after being high on drugs and exerting oneself. Anyone in those area who can add more from TV coverage?
