No Charges For Cop Who "Accidentally" Shot Driver of Car That Rolled Over

[SeanTX]

The cop didn't even bother to tell responding paramedics he shot the guy at first -- until other officers said they were going to go back to the bar and see if he had been shot there.

http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/da...will-be-filed/

DA plays dash cam video in accidental shooting; no charges will be filed


The Paradise police officer who investigators say accidentally shot a suspected DUI driver in the neck last month will not face criminal charges, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey announced Thursday.

Warning the video featured above is extremely graphic.

Ramsey said the evidence in this case shows the shooting to be accidental, and possibly negligent, but not criminally so. “This shooting is not justified, but also not criminal."

Paradise Police Officer Patrick Feaster, a five year veteran of the department, was parked on the Skyway around midnight Thanksgiving morning, when he saw a Toyota Four-Runner speeding out of the Canteena Bar parking lot without headlights on.

Feaster followed in his patrol car, as the Toyota ran a red light and turned onto Pearson Road where the driver, 26-year-old Andrew Thomas struck the median and flipped, ejecting his 23-year-old wife Darien Ehorn from the vehicle. Ehorn was killed in the crash.

Ramsey said Feaster drew his gun when Thomas “popped” out of the car, believing he would flee. As Officer Feaster moved towards Thomas, the gun discharged and struck Thomas in the neck. The shot hit Thomas in the C7 and T1 vertebrae and could lead to him being paralyzed for life.

When backup arrived on the scene, Feaster did not mention anything about having fired his weapon. According to Ramsey, Feaster notified his commanding officer about the discharge only after Thomas’ gunshot wound was found.

As the commanding officer suggested an investigator return to Canteena and try to find out if Thomas had been shot at the bar, Feaster revealed that he may have shot Thomas.

Ramsey said nearly 11 minutes passed before any other officers, medics or firefighters learned Thomas had been shot.

snip.

[Danke]

It's was an accident.

[Occam's Banana]

Ramsey said the evidence in this case shows the shooting to be accidental, and possibly negligent, but not criminally so. “This shooting is not justified, but also not criminal."

"No mundane shooter, no foul," I guess.

As Officer Feaster moved towards Thomas, the gun discharged and struck Thomas in the neck.

And whaddaya know? There's that "curious grammar" again ...

[TheTexan]

It's was an accident.

Indeed. Its a dangerous job, an Officer never knows when his duty weapon might accidentally draw on someone and then fire.

I'm just glad the Officer is ok.

[Danke]

"No mundane shooter, no foul," I guess.



And whaddaya know? There's that "curious grammar" again ...

Gun malfunctioned, needs repair.

[TheTexan]

Not intentionally malevolent, so its just fine.

If anything he should get a promotion, for showing such initiative in protecting himself.

[TheTexan]

Gun malfunctioned, needs repair.

The dash cam needs repair also. Didn't work as intended.

Maybe the department needs more funding.

[TheTexan]

Feaster followed in his patrol car, as the Toyota ran a red light and turned onto Pearson Road where the driver, 26-year-old Andrew Thomas struck the median and flipped, ejecting his 23-year-old wife Darien Ehorn from the vehicle. Ehorn was killed in the crash.

Failure to require passenger to wear seat belt should be added to his grocery list of charges.

[Mach]

He does his damnest to execute the guy because he is a DUI crusader (dick). Hopefully the city is taken to court.

[Mach]

Watch the piece of $#@! start looking for his spent shell, then right as backup walks up he looks over and changes his actions.

[timosman]

A lethal combination: guns and low IQ.

[SeanTX]

The victim of the "accidental shooting" died earlier today :

http://www.paradisepost.com/general-...e-officer-dies

[LibForestPaul]

I am sure if a non-blue mundane did this, it would be considered an accident as well.

[TheTexan]

I am sure if a non-blue mundane did this, it would be considered an accident as well.

What would a non-Officer person be doing with a gun anyway?

[SeanTX]

I am sure if a non-blue mundane did this, it would be considered an accident as well.

I'd like to know why Officer Fatass even had his weapon drawn to begin with. Since there had been a (brief) chase maybe he would have had reason to have his hand on the grip, or at low-ready -- but not out and pointing at people.

This is what happens when cops are allowed to just casually draw a pistol and point it at people.

That's why I didn't feel sorry for the one in Birmingham AL who had his taken away from him and got pistol-whipped half to death with it.

[SeanTX]

Fired and finally charged :

http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/...h-manslaughter

Update: Former Paradise police officer charged with manslaughter

By Andre Byik, Chico Enterprise-Record

Oroville >> Former Paradise police officer Patrick Feaster was arraigned Wednesday in Butte County Superior Court on a charge of manslaughter, more than two months after he shot an unarmed man suspected of drunken driving.

Feaster, 31, appeared in Judge James Reilley’s court at 8:30 a.m., after District Attorney Mike Ramsey decided to bring manslaughter charges against the former officer. Feaster was charged with a single felony count of involuntary manslaughter while armed.

Feaster, dressed in a dark-colored suit, did not enter a plea.

The charges come two days after Paradise Police Chief Gabriela Tazzari-Dineen announced Feaster was no longer on the payroll. The chief said she couldn’t say whether Feaster was fired because of state law outlined by the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights.

When asked by a reporter whether Feaster quit or was fired, Ramsey said only that Feaster did not resign.

[Mach]

Fired and finally charged :

http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/...h-manslaughter

Thanks for the update, he probably won't do any time, an outright murderer, allowed to walk the streets.

[sam1952]

I Hung My Head

Early one morning
With time to kill
I borrowed Jebb's rifle
And sat on a hill
I saw a lone rider
Crossing the plain
I drew a bead on him
To practice my aim

My brother's rifle
Went off in my hand
A shot rang out
Across the land
The horse, he kept running
The rider was dead
I hung my head
I hung my head

I set off running
To wake from the dream
My brother's rifle
Went into the sheen
I kept on running
Into the south lands
That's where they found me
My head in my hands

The sheriff he asked me
Why had I run
And then it come to me
Just what I had done
And all for no reason
Just one piece of lead
I hung my head
I hung my head

[Mani]

Wow. I'm not sure how anyone watch the first 20 seconds of that video and not call it murder.

Drunk dude is crawling out of the car, cop walks toward him, pulls out gun and fires. It's pretty cut and dry. Drunk dude's body crashes like a pile of bricks back into the car.

That was some cold blooded killing.

[Weston White]

Ramsey declined to press charges against Feaster on Dec. 10, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute Feaster for assault with a firearm, discharge of firearm at an occupied vehicle or discharge of a firearm in a grossly negligent manner, because they all required proof the trigger of the firearm was pulled “willfully” or under circumstances in which the display of the gun was unreasonable.

Ramsey said that he had ruled that Feaster had fired accidentally based on evidence. He also said at the press conference that while it was likely that Feaster was negligent, it was not criminally so.

Hello, like the video tape, it is on the video tape.

How is it not negligent to brandish a damned firearm at a rollover collision? Then to not call out an OIS, at least until about ten-minutes later, in a causal manner. Oh, yes, that wound in his neck, it may have been from my duty weapon. It was an accident, huck, huck, huck! Shoot boss!

Ought to be holding a medical kit, not a firearm.

Yea, they allowed this ass to carry a .45 as a duty weapon, seriously:

[Weston White]

Ramsey said protesters, before Thomas had died, were well-meaning but confused about the law. ... Ramsey said public pressure that followed Thomas’ death played no role in his charging decision. He said the decision to charge Feaster was reached about a week ago, after prosecutors received forensic and legal reports, in addition to Thomas’ autopsy report.

...Yea, sure buddy, they were the confused ones.


ETA: Well, perhaps public pressure will at the very least get this moron recalled.

[phill4paul]

Update:

Jury: Patrick Feaster guilty of involuntary manslaughter in shooting death of Andrew Thomas

The jury in the involuntary manslaughter case against former Paradise Police officer Patrick Feaster has made a decision.

A jury has found former Paradise Police officer Patrick Feaster guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection the police shooting death of a Paradise man.

The jury began deliberating Monday morning and just about a half hour ago, the jury reported that it had a verdict.

The jury of seven men and five women brought back a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for less than 24 hours.

http://www1.actionnewsnow.com/news/j...ction_News_Now

[Mach]

He "involuntarily" pulled his gun, shot the guy and didn't even call it in..... uh-huh.

It won't be nowhere near a long enough sentence, but thanks for the update.

[phill4paul]

He "involuntarily" pulled his gun, shot the guy and didn't even call it in..... uh-huh.

It won't be nowhere near a long enough sentence, but thanks for the update.

Well it's in between "no charges" and "Justice," so there is that.