Four Troopers from the Georgia State Patrol have been fired after command staff learned they were taking civil action against the insurance companies of drivers on whom they used immobilization techniques during chases.
In January 2026, an Assistant POST Commander for the Nighthawks – South informed the Troop Commander of a practice in which members of the Nighthawks – South, which patrol from Statesboro to Savannah, were pursuing personal injury claims and receiving settlement money from insurance companies from violators for whom they conducted law enforcement pursuits and then conducted Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuvers.
A PIT maneuver is a law enforcement tactic used to stop a fleeing vehicle by intentionally nudging its rear quarter panel, causing it to spin out, lose control, and come to a stop. It requires trained officers to steer into a suspect’s rear bumper, causing a 180-degree turn.
This prompted an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards (OPS).
The Assistant POST Commander told investigators that he had known about the practice since at least December 2024 when he learned that TFC 1 Tyler Byrd was involved in a pursuit and PIT attempt to stop a violator who was fleeing. In that case, Byrd filed a claim on the incident.
The Assistant POST Commander said he frequently heard the Nighthawks joke and make comments about making PITs to “qualify for check.” He told investigators that the claims were being made against insurance companies, even if the PIT was “clean,” meaning the Trooper chose to undertake contact with the violator’s vehicle and there was no other unexpected contact or movement of the vehicles.
He said the Troopers would send their crash reports to a certain law office and attorney and receive “a couple thousand dollars” when the insurance company settled outside of court. At that time, TFC 2 Hunter Waters, assigned to the Rincon POST, was also listed as a participant in the practice in addition to Byrd. Notably, he said in most of the underlying crashes, the troopers were not injured.
Supervisor Interviewed
On February 12, 2026, four Troopers were interviewed.
SFC Joseph Brendan Curlee told investigators that sometime in 2025, he heard troopers in his unit were participating in the personal injury claims against the vehicle insurers of the violators and he was told the troopers were “going after them as private individuals and not as members of the department.” He said he looked at the DPS policy to see if there was any violation. The investigative report indicates that Curlee took no supervisory action or mitigating steps, noting that he did not believe there “really was any policy on it.”
Curlee said in his interview that he contacted attorney Tina Maddox about a PIT he was involved in and she told him it ‘did not create a payable claim,” which he took to mean was because he was not injured.
TFC2 Hunter Waters
When Waters, who was assigned to the Rincon Post and was the first Trooper to engage in the practice, was interviewed, he:
- told investigators he learned of the practice from a Bryan County Deputy who advised that he engaged Vidalia attorney Tina Maddox to assert claims against a violator’s vehicle for insurance compensation.
- This was in 2022 or 2023.
- stated he pulled several crash reports of vehicle pursuits of his own and gave them to Maddox who sent demand letters to insurers, asserting personal injuries sustained by Waters.
- told investigators he was not listed as an injured party on the crash reports and Maddox wrote that the claims were for “sleeplessness, soreness, anxiety, and stress.”
- Waters never reported to his supervisors that he had been injured in the crashes resulting from PIT maneuvers
- stated Maddox ultimately sent approximately eight demand letters and Waters received three payouts to date, each for $25,000.
- For each $25,000 claim, Maddox received one third and Waters received $16,650.
- told investigators that Francois and Byrd also participated in the practice.
TFC1 Tyler Byrd
When Byrd was interviewed, he:
- reported to investigators that he provided crash reports to Maddox and she determined which ones to pursue.
- provided her with 15 crash reports with PIT maneuvers dating back to 2021 when he became a Trooper. Some of the reports were barred for time.
- told investigators that the stress after a PIT manifested as ‘an inability to sleep, which negatively affected his performance at work through increased fatigue and cautiousness.’
- stated he never reported injury or issue to his supervisors and never requested time off.
- received two $25,000 settlements with a net of $33,335 after attorney fees.
TFC 1 Isaiah Francois
When Francois was interviewed, he:
- told investigators he learned of the practice from Waters.
- claimed he had ‘emotional distress and anxiety’ that he has never treated with a medical provider
- said during the investigation that “he has the right to sue just like everyone else.”
- expressed his opinion that there is no ethical issue for seeking insurance compensation from a violator’s insurance for conducting his job with PITs.
- reported that at the time of the interview, had not received a settlement, but was waiting on a $25,000 check with three other demand letters sent by Maddox.
After their respective interviews, troopers were directed not to speak with anyone, including other subjects of the investigation, about the pending investigation.
Investigative Findings
The investigative file from the Office of Professional Standards indicated the following:
- Every demand letter included the same form letter to insurance companies, complete with the same typographical errors.
- Each demand letter included a 30-day demand for policy limits of $25,000 each
- No medical bills were included, no claims of medical care, and no listings of injuries, only an assertion that the client’s “injuries, pain and suffering, and damages” would exceed the insured’s policy limits.
- “Body aches,” “soreness from the impact,” and “anxiety as a result of the unknown fear experienced during the chase and apprehension” were listed in the letters.
“It is extremely unusual for troopers to send a volume of crash reports to a single attorney to shop for viable claims and seek compensatory treatment for them. IOF the 16 crash reports identified by the interviewees, which is less than half of the number they collectively sent to Maddox, only one incident [related to Waters] revealed any unusual or unexpected patrol vehicle contact, any injuries, or any medical treatment for them. Notably, the identified crash report does not align with the three settlements received by Waters,” the report reads.
The troopers denied physical injuries for the claims asserted for them by Maddox, except soreness.
“It was most telling that during their interviews, the sworn members could not identify the incidents wherein claims were being sought for them, or which insurance companies had already compensated them.”
On March 26, 2026, Troopers received a Notice of Proposed Adverse Action from Major Chris Rodewolt, GSP South Adjutant with a five day deadline to appeal, noting “Misconduct and Conduct reflecting discredit on the Department.”
On April 1, 2026, they received a Notice of Final Adverse Action from Lt. Colonel Kendrick Lowe, Deputy Commissioner and Director of Field Operations.
Ultimately, the agency cited:
- Violations of Code of Ethics – 3.01.4 F5 – No member will accept or solicit any fee or compensation growing out of the performance of official duties unless authorized by the Commissioner.
- Violation of Code of Ethics 3.03.4 F.5 – Members shall make every effort to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest.
- Violation – Legal Proceedings and Representation – If an employee becomes involved in a legal action that may impair the operations of the Department or reflect discredit upon the Department, the circumstances shall be immediately reported to the appropriate supervisor who shall inform the appropriate division director.
SFC Curlee was also cited for violating the Code of Conduct regarding discussion among members of the department who are the target of a pending departmental investigation or who have been questioned other than OPS investigators or members of the Legal Services Office.
When SFC Curlee was interviewed a second time, he told investigators that he and the other Troopers had discussed previous interviews, including questions that were asked, which was in violation of the ‘gag order’ provided to the troopers after their first interviews.
The Georgia Virtue requested additional files on this investigation but those have not yet been received. Ongoing coverage of this story is forthcoming.
