Matthew Mitchell

Name:
Mitchell, Matthew Alexander

Date of Booking:
11/11/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
NO PROOF OF INSURANCE – M

KNOWINGLY DRIVING MOTOR VEHICLE ON SUSPENDED, CANCELED, OR REVOKED REGISTRATION – M

Driving With Suspended Or Revoked License – M

Turn Signal Violation – M

WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BY USE OF THREATS OR VIOLENCE – F

BATTERY – M

DISORDERLY CONDUCT – M

Open Container – M

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On 11NOV2025 at approximately 2146 hours I was patrolling as a one man marked patrol unit. While patrolling, I observed a white Ford Edge driving North on Ott St then turned West on E 32nd St. When the white Ford Edge turned West on E 32nd St, the driver (later identified as Matthew Mitchell) didn’t utilize his turn signal. I employed my emergency equipment and conducted the traffic stop. The white Ford Edge (driven by Matthew) stopped West-bound on E 32nd St just prior to the intersection with Paulsen St.

I approached the passenger side of the vehicle and asked the driver (Matthew) to roll the window down. Matthew advised that the passenger front window doesn’t roll down. I asked the driver (Matthew) if I could open the passenger front door to speak with him regarding the traffic stop. Matthew raised his voice and advised that I couldn’t open his door. The driver (Matthew) then abruptly locked all of his doors. I then approached the driver’s (Matthew’s) door, identified myself, advised the driver (Matthew) that he failed to utilize his turn signal, and requested his driver’s license. The driver (Matthew) provided his driver’s license to me. I also asked Matthew where he was going in such a hurry. Matthew refused to answer any further questions.

Ofc Wall then arrived on scene. I advised Ofc Wall everything that transpired prior to his arrival. Ofc Wall approached the driver’s side of Matthew’s vehicle, while I went back to my patrol vehicle and conducted an NCIC/GCIC on Matthew Michell. The NCIC/GCIC search results for Matthew showed that his driver’s license was currently suspended. I also conducted an NCIC/GCIC search on the white Ford Edge (GA Tag: [REDACTED]). The NCIC/GCIC search results showed that the vehicle Matthew was operating has no insurance and has suspended registration. Ofc Wall advised me that upon his approach of the vehicle, he smelt the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. I then conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle I located an open bottle of alcohol (empty) in the center consol as well as an open bottle of alcohol (3/4 full) tucked into the driver’s seat pocket (within reach of Matthew while he was driving).

Ofc Dillard arrived on scene. Ofc Dillard and Ofc Wall stayed with Matthew in front of my patrol vehicle. I went to Ofc Wall’s marked patrol unit to utilize his citation printer. As I was in Ofc Wall’s patrol vehicle typing up the traffic citations, I could hear Matthew yelling and observed Matthew pacing around in the roadway in front of my patrol vehicle. I then observed Ofc Dillard and Ofc Wall attempting to detain Matthew in front of my patrol vehicle. I observed Matthew repeatedly attempting to pull himself free from Ofc Dillard and Ofc Wall’s grasp. As I was running up to assist Ofc Dillard and Ofc Wall, they had taken Matthew to the ground. I did not observe the exact methods they utilized to get Matthew onto the ground.

When I got up to Ofc Dillard, Ofc Wall, and Matthew, I attempted to secure Matthew’s legs to prevent him from harming officers or getting free. Matthew repeatedly tensed all of his leg muscles and repeatedly pulled his legs free from my grasp. Matthew began utilizing his legs to assist with resisting officers by pivoting his body and getting turned over onto his back (preventing officers from securing Matthew on his stomach and cuffing his hands behind his back). My view was initially limited to what resistant actions Matthew utilized with his legs. Eventually Ofc Dillard, Ofc Wall, and I were able to get Matthew rolled onto his stomach. I utilized muscling techniques to pull Matthew’s legs straight and utilized muscling techniques to roll Matthew’s legs to where he was onto his stomach. I then utilized the figure four technique to secure both of Matthew’s legs. Ofc Wall and Ofc Dillard then got Matthew secured in handcuffs. I did not observe the exact methods they utilized to secure Matthew in handcuffs. Once Matthew was secured in handcuffs, Ofc Dillard, Ofc Wall, and I got off Matthew.

My supervisor had arrived on scene while other officers and I were on the ground with Matthew.

I then picked Matthew up off the roadway and began escorting him to my patrol vehicle. Matthew immediately tensed all his muscles, attempted to pull free from my grasp and began turning the front of his body toward me. In order to prevent Matthew from pulling free from my grasp, as well as to prevent Matthew from potentially headbutting or biting me, I pinned the front of Matthew’s body into the front quarter panel of my patrol vehicle.

Ofc Dillard and Ofc Wall abruptly assisted with maintaining control of Matthew. We escorted Matthew to the rear driver’s side quarter panel of my patrol vehicle while Matthew continuously tensed all his muscles and attempted to pull free from our grasp and continuously attempted to turn his body around to face other officers and I. Other officers and I pinned Matthew against the rear quarter panel of my patrol vehicle.

Ofc Wall conducted a search of Matthew incident to arrest, while Ofc Dillard and I continued to pin Matthew against my patrol vehicle. After Ofc Wall’s search of Mattew was complete, I attempted to secure Matthew in the backseat of my patrol vehicle. Matthew tensed all of his muscles and continually attempted to get away from the back seat of the patrol vehicle. I utilized muscling techniques to get Matthew into the back of my patrol vehicle. At which point Matthew laid across my back seat, attempted to kick me, repeatedly kicked the door and extended his legs and feet into the door to prevent it from closing. Another officer went to the passenger side back door and pulled Matthew’s upper body as I shut the driver’s side back door. The other officer then shut the passenger side back door.

While in the back of my patrol vehicle, Matthew repeatedly kicked the inside of my backseat area and backseat door while yelling at other officers and I. Prior to officers attempting to detain Matthew, Matthew’s mother arrived on scene. Throughout the course of the interaction with Matthew on scene, Matthew’s mother repeatedly attempted walking into the scene and continuously yelled at officers. Matthew and his mother caused a disturbance to the degree that multiple neighbors came outside of their homes to figure out what was going on.

Once Matthew was secured in the back of my patrol vehicle, I then went back to Ofc Wall’s vehicle to finish writing Matthew’s traffic citation. Due to the disturbance that Matthew and Matthew’s mother were causing at the scene, my supervisor told other officers and I to abruptly leave the scene and relocate to the Savannah Impact Program building (2005 Waters Ave). I transported Matthew from the vicinity of E 32nd St and Paulsen St to the Savannah Impact Program building.

Ofc Dillard stayed on scene with Matthew’s vehicle (GA Tag: [REDACTED]). Ofc Dillard conducted a tow inventory of the vehicle (GA Tag: [REDACTED]). Ofc Dillard noted on the tow form that the only notable item of value within the vehicle was a cell phone. Ofc Dillard stayed on scene with the vehicle (GA Tag: [REDACTED]) until it was towed by Tim’s Towing to their tow lot.

While at the Savannah Impact Program parking lot, EMS arrived to assess injuries. During the course of the incident with Matthew, I sustained multiple abrasion to both of my hands, Ofc Wall sustained an abrasion to his hand, and Ofc Dillard sustained an elbow strike to the face from Matthew.

Matthew was then moved from my patrol vehicle to the back of Ofc Olear’s patrol vehicle (Eastside’s Marked Wagon). Ofc Olear transport Matthew from the Savannah Impact Program parking lot to Memorial Medical Center. I followed Ofc Olear to Memorial Medical Center. While at Memorial Medical Center, Matthew advised Memorial Medical Staff that he felt pain in his head, neck, back, ribs, and knee. Memorial Medical Staff conducted X Rays and CT Scans of the areas that Matthew reported complaints of pain. Memorial Medical Staff advised that they didn’t observe any medical issues on the X Rays or CT Scans. Matthew was medically cleared by Memorial Medical Staff and was transported by Ofc Olear from Memorial Medical Center to CCDC. Matthew was processed and booked at CCDC without incident.

This completes my involvement with this incident.

Matthew received traffic citations for the following:
OCGA 40-6-10 (Driving with no insurance)
OCGA 40-5-121 (Driving with a suspended license)
OCGA 40-6-123(b) (Failure to utilize turn signal)
OCGA 40-6-15 (Driving with suspended registration)
OCGA 40-6-253 (Driving with two open containers of alcohol in the vehicle) (2x counts)

In addition, Matthew was charged with the following:
OCGA 16-10-24(a) (Obstructing law enforcement officers by offering or doing violence) (3x counts)
OCGA 16-5-23.1 (Battery against law enforcement) (3x counts)
OCGA 16-11-39 (Disorderly conduct)

[End of Narrative]