Christian Burton

Name:
Burton, Christian Clay

Date of Booking:
10/29/2023

Reason(s) For Booking:
CRIMINAL TRESPASS – FAMILY VIOLENCE

STALKING – FAMILY VIOLENCE

STALKING – FAMILY VIOLENCE

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 October 29, 2023 at approximately 12:15am I Deputy J. Parks 521 was dispatched a call at the River street Tavern in reference to a female who was being stalked by her ex-boyfriend who was at her residence when she got home from work. I responded code one non-emergency in patrol unit 417 with in car audio and video active.

When I arrived on scene I was met by the caller a Ms. [VICTIM #1]. I asked [VICTIM #1] to walk me through what happened. [VICTIM #1] stated she had gotten off work and went home to her residence at [80 BLOCK] Marshall Spur. She stated when she got home she saw her ex-boyfriend a Mr. Christian Burton sitting in his gray Honda Civic in the driveway. She said she immediately turned around and took off driving towards town to get away from him. She said he got behind her following around town until she pulled up at the Tavern on River Street.

She said when she stopped she started yelling to the employees there for a phone so she could call 911. She said Christian then pulled up beside her and rolled his window down and yelled at them and flipped them a bird. She said the employees at the tavern then yelled at him to leave and he took off fast leaving the scene. She stated she had her Child in the back seat during this who is also Christian’s child.

Several witnesses on scene saw the incident happen so I asked them if they would write a witness statement for me and they agreed. The witnesses to the incident were a Mrs. [WITNESS #1], Ms. [WITNESS #2], and a Ms. [WITNESS #3]. They all wrote witness statements and I collected them from them. [VICTIM #1] then asked me if I could follow her to her residence to make sure Christian wasn’t at the residence when she got there because she is scared of him. I told her she could follow me to her residence.

When I arrived on Scene I observed a Gray in color Honda Civic backed up to the right side of the residence. I could also see a male subject in the driver’s seat with it laid back and he looked to be trying to hide inside the vehicle. I immediately got out of my patrol car and approached the vehicle making contact with Christian. I asked Christian what he was doing there and he said he was waiting on his ex to get home so they could talk. I then asked him if he had been following her through town earlier. He said he had been following her all through town trying to talk to her because she had blocked his number. I then advised him to get out of the vehicle and stand with Sgt. T. Humphries 513, Deputy Jump 545, and Deputy Woody 542 while I talked to [VICTIM #1].

While I was walking towards the residence [VICTIM #1] had gotten their child out of the back seat and was running with him in her arms towards the residence she then unlocked the door hurrying inside. The whole time [VICTIM #1] was trying to get inside she wouldn’t look towards Christian and she appeared to be very scared. I then walked inside the residence where I was able to talk to her. While we were making our way into the residence Sgt. Humphries observed that Christian had a 9mm pistol with him in the car.

While talking to [VICTIM #1] she told me she would turn the porch light on but Christian had taken the light bulbs while she was at work. I asked her how long they had been split up and she said a year and a half. She said at that time they were living together. I asked her if he had ever done anything like this before and she said no. I then asked her if she ever remember Christian keeping a pistol in his car and she said he didn’t. I told [VICTIM #1] I was going to talk to Christian again.

When I got back outside deputy Jump 545 had already detained Christian in handcuffs behind his back so I read him Miranda before asking him any questions. I asked Christian if he had been at the residence earlier that night when [VICTIM #1] got home the first time and he said he was. I then asked him if he had followed her around town and he said that he did. He stated he followed her to the BP on Maddox Drive around the parking lot and back over to the roadway. He said he then followed her around eventually coming to the Tavern on River Street.

He said he then pulled up beside her cussing and flipping a bird before speeding off. He said he then went back to her residence to wait on her to get home again. I then asked him if he had taken the light bulbs from her porch and he said he did. He told me he had bought them when he lived there over a year and a half ago. I then advised him I was placing him under arrest for stalking, criminal trespass, and theft by taking. T. Woody 542 then transported Christian to the Gilmer County Adult Detention Center while I stayed on scene.

I then talked to [VICTIM #1] again collecting her Witness statement form. I inventoried Christian’s car and it was towed to Georgia Mountain towing. I then filled out a Victims Notification and took to the jail after I was done at the residence. I took the handgun from the vehicle and logged it into evidence putting it in a evidence locker for safe keeping. I provided [VICTIM #1] with a victim’s pamphlet and a case number for this incident.

[End of Narrative]