COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- The three Columbus teenagers accused of shooting a Muscogee County Sheriff’s deputy on Saturday made their first court appearances Monday morning.
Claudie Thompson, 18, Vincente Perez-Lopez, 17, and Adarius Hamilton, 17, were arrested and each charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, theft by receiving stolen property, and felony obstruction.
They appeared via Zoom in Municipal Court. Judge Steven Smith ordered the three held without bond and bound the cases over to Superior Court.
The three are accused of shooting Sgt. Jeremey Hattaway about 3:40 p.m. on Andrews Road on March 5. Hattaway and two of the suspects were wounded in the shootout that followed the suspects' side swiping Hattaway’s SUV.
None of the injuries were life-threatening.
Thompson was wounded and taken to Piedmont Columbus Regional where he talked to Sheriff’s investigators and the GBI, which is leading the investigation.
Hattaway was in his Sheriff’s Office unmarked SUV when he heard Columbus police had been chasing a car that was reported stolen. Police terminated that chase when officers lost sight of the stolen vehicle.
Hattaway went toward the area where the car was last seen.
New details came out in the Municipal Court hearing.
Thompson said he was the driver when the Ford Focus struck Hattaway’s SUV. Hattaway then turned on the lights and sirens in the unmarked vehicle and gave chase, Sheriff’s Office Sgt. David Batastini told the court.
“(Thompson) at some point, and he couldn’t tell us who, but at some point when Sgt. Hattaway used his emergency equipment behind them and they heard the sirens behind them, he said it was the police and we are going to have to shoot it out,” Batastini testified. “So, the intent was already there. There were going to have to shoot it out with the police to get out of the situation they were in.”
Hattaway told investigators that all three of the suspects began firing at him from the vehicle. He returned fire and moved out of his vehicle to cover, Batastini said.
Hattaway was struck by a bullet in the arm.
Thompson was apprehended on the scene.
Perez-Lopez and Hamilton fled.
“They were taken into custody by Columbus Police Department,” Batastini said. “They were found hiding under a house. Witnesses said they saw them under a house. They tried to take their clothes off to hide themselves. Under the house, they found them in a state of half dress.”
A bag with a gun was recovered under the house, Batastini said. Two other firearms were found in the vehicle the suspects were seen leaving. One of those guns was stolen, Batastini said.
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