Troopers fired after claims filings

Georgia State Patrol fired four members after an internal investigation found troopers filed injury claims tied to pursuits they ended with PIT maneuvers. (abcnews.com) (ajc.com) The fired employees were troopers Hunter Waters, Tyler Byrd and Isaiah Francois, plus Sgt. Joseph Curlee, a supervisor in the Nighthawks South unit based in southeast Georgia. (abcnews.com) (thecurrentga.org) A PIT maneuver, short for precision immobilization technique, is a police tactic that stops a fleeing car by striking it and forcing it to spin or lose control. Investigators said the troopers sent crash reports from those pursuits to attorney Tina Maddox, who then pursued personal-injury claims against the other drivers’ insurers. (actionnewsjax.com) (abcnews.com) The Georgia Department of Public Safety said the claims violated agency policy and ethical standards because the officers were seeking compensation connected to official duties. Curlee was fired after investigators said he failed to report the practice and also asked the lawyer to file a claim for him. (insurancejournal.com) (abcnews.com) The investigation began in January 2026 after another trooper reported hearing jokes about which chases would qualify for a “check.” Internal records reviewed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the troopers treated the claims as a way to supplement their salaries. (abcnews.com) (ajc.com) Waters told investigators a sheriff’s deputy had suggested filing against a driver’s insurer, according to the Associated Press account. His claims cited sleeplessness, soreness, anxiety and stress, and investigators said he had already received three $25,000 settlements before attorney fees. (abcnews.com) Byrd told investigators he had received two $25,000 settlements, while Francois said he expected a payout but could not recall the specific incident tied to his claim. Action News Jax reported the group made more than $100,000 in all. (abcnews.com) (actionnewsjax.com) Investigators said the same troopers had not reported physical injuries from those crashes to the department, a gap that became central to the misconduct findings. The internal report warned the practice could create the impression that PIT decisions were driven by personal gain rather than public safety. (ajc.com) (actionnewsjax.com) The case landed as Georgia State Patrol was already facing scrutiny over its pursuit tactics. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation published in 2025 described the agency as one of the country’s most aggressive in high-speed chases, with repeated injuries and deaths involving passengers and bystanders. (ajc.com) The agency has not publicly identified criminal charges against the four former troopers, and the Associated Press said it could not locate working phone numbers for them or confirm whether they had lawyers who could comment. For now, the case is an employment scandal centered on what officers did after the chase ended. (abcnews.com)