Georgia State Troopers Dismissed Following Probe Into Post-Chase Insurance Claims

In southeast Georgia, three state troopers and a supervisor have been fired after an internal investigation discovered that troopers sought personal injury payouts from insurance companies following vehicle pursuits, authorities said this week.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed that Troopers Hunter Waters, Tyler Byrd, and Isaiah Francois, along with their supervisor Sgt. Joseph Curlee, were terminated for violating departmental policy and ethical standards. The investigation began in January, prompted by another trooper's report that colleagues joked about receiving payments—referred to as "checks"—after recent chases.

According to investigative findings, the troopers submitted crash reports to a private attorney after stopping fleeing vehicles using maneuvers such as the precision immobilization technique (PIT). The attorney would then file personal injury claims against the other driver's insurance, resulting in out-of-court settlements. Waters, who began the practice after learning about it from a sheriff's deputy, reportedly received $25,000 settlements for three separate claims, with the attorney retaining a third of each payment.

Byrd told investigators he received two settlements of $25,000 each through similar claims. Francois expected a comparable payout after receiving a signed insurance settlement, although he had not been paid at the time of the inquiry. Demand letters sent on behalf of Byrd and Francois did not disclose their status as law enforcement officers or specify that the incidents were job-related. The letters lacked medical documentation but asserted that "injuries, pain and suffering, and damages" would exceed the policy limits. In each instance, the insured motorist was reportedly charged with driving under the influence.

Sgt. Curlee, who requested the attorney file a claim on his behalf, did not receive any compensation. He told investigators he was unaware that the practice violated departmental policy and believed his colleagues were acting within their rights as private citizens.

Department policy explicitly prohibits employees from seeking compensation related to their official duties without approval from the commissioner, an authorization investigators say was never obtained. The inquiry concluded that the troopers' actions conflicted with their law enforcement responsibilities and risked undermining public trust in the department.

All four individuals are no longer employed by the agency. The investigation has closed, with no further disciplinary action reported at this time.