Name:
Sapp, Ernest Eugine
Date of Booking:
09/03/2022
Reason(s) For Booking:
DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED
NO INSURANCE
OPERATION OF UNREGISTERED VEHICLE OR VEHICLE WITHOUT CURRENT REGISTRATION
WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS – MISDEMEANOR
RECEIPT, POSSESSION OR TRANSPORT OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON OR FELONY FIRST OFFENDER, ETC
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.]
[NARRATIVE #1 On September 03, 2022]
On the above date and time I PFC. A. White, wearing a full BPD uniform and driving a marked patrol vehicle was patrolling the area of Norwich St and First St. While traveling south on Norwich St I observed a White in color Dodge Minivan traveling in the same direction in front of me.
I ran the license plate of [REDACTED] displayed on the rear of the Dodge minivan. Prior to getting a registration response from the license plate the van made a right turn off of Norwich St onto S St heading West, as I continued straight. Once I received the registration response, it was determined the license plate [REDACTED] through Georgia came back to a Chevrolet Avalanche, not a Dodge Grandcaravan.
I then made a right turn, west onto R St, in an attempt to locate the minivan. As I turned onto R St, I observed the same white Dodge minivan traveling north on Ellis St, then make a turn east onto R St. Due to traveling west on R St I made a U-turn in an attempt to get behind the minivan. As I turned around the minivan then made a right turn, north back onto Norwich St. I was able to get back onto Norwich St and behind the minivan, as I activated my patrol vehicles emergency equipment the minivan pulled into the drive way located at 2715 Norwich St and stopped.
As I was still attempting to give information to dispatch, a male, later identified as Ernest Sapp, exited the driver side of the vehicle and began walking towards my patrol vehicle. I then exited my patrol vehicle and told Sapp to get back into his vehicle, Sapp ignored me and continued walking towards me. At that point due to Sapp ignoring me, I grabbed his arm in an attempt to place him into handcuffs.
Sapp began resisting and pulling away from me, I told him multiple times to put his hand behind his back and he continued to pull away. I then attempted to assist Sapp to the ground, where I continued struggling to gain control of him. Sapp continued resisting and attempting to get away from me, during the struggle my handcuffs fell to the ground. Sapp was then able to pull away ripping his T-shirt, then began to flee on foot. Sapp began to run east towards the side of the LO LO Mart located at 2722 Norwich St as I followed behind him.
Once Sapp approached the side of LO LO Mart I drew and deployed my department issued taser towards the center of Sapps back, but due to bad connection it was ineffective. I continued to peruse Sapp on foot as he approached the rear of LO LO Mart, and cut through a hole in a chain link fence. Sapp then turned north on Norwich St Lane and continued running even as I told him to stop.
I was able to advise dispatch that we were in the lane. Sapp continued running north until he turned east and began to cut through some thick brush towards the 2700 block of Wolfe St. I was able to catch up to Sapp as he was in the brush, I again told Sapp to stop and that I would tase him again. Sapp ignored my commands and continued to run towards Wolfe St, as I followed him, I was able to change cartridges in my taser. Once Sapp approached the street
I was again close enough to him to deploy my taser in the center if his back, but the taser was again ineffective. After deploying my taser, I told Sapp to get on the ground, where he stopped and sat down on the curb in front of [2700 BLOCK] Wolfe St. I then told Sapp to get on the ground, where I then assisted him, chest down to gain control of his arms.
Due to dropping my hand cuffs earlier in the incident, I had to hold Sapps arms behind his back until other officers arrived on scene. Sapp did state he could not breath at one point, I then adjusted him to a sitting up position. Shortly after, other officers arrived on scene and secured Sapp in hand cuffs. Sapp was then searched by Ofc. Grimes and placed into the rear seat of his patrol vehicle.
I was then transported back to my patrol vehicle by SGT. Tolley, where I then attempted to identify the Dodge minivan Sapp was driving due to the license plate coming back to another vehicle. I obtained the minivans VIN number off the dash board and ran it through Georgia, Florida and South Carolina and was unable to get a registration response, but did get no wanted status through NCIC.
Sapp was then brought from Wolfe St back to the traffic stop and moved into my patrol vehicle. After Sapp was moved to my patrol vehicle I spoke with him where I advised him of his Miranda Warning which was read directly from my Miranda Warning card (“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning, if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements”).
After advising Sapp of his Miranda Warning he advised he would speak with me. I asked Sapp where the minivan came from because the tag on it did not come back to it. Sapp said he had bought it in town with a salvage title. I then asked him where the license plate came from, he said he was on the van when he bought it. Sapp did advised he did not currently have a title for the vehicle. I then asked Sapp if he had insurance on the vehicle, he advised a female named [REDACTED] had insurance and was supposed to swap it over, Sapp then told me that he did not have any insurance.
After speaking with Sapp I asked him if he needed to go to the hospital and if any taser prongs were still stuck in him, he said no he was good. At that point I was advised by Sgt. Tolley to transport Sapp to the jail and that her and Ofc. Benitez would complete an inventory of his vehicle and have it towed. I then transported Sapp to the CDC where I began to complete a ABIS form, while filling out the ABIS form I was contact by Sgt. Tolley who advised me a firearm was located under the driver seat of the minivan Sapp was driving.
At that point I had dispatch run a criminal history report on Sapp to determine if he was a convicted felon. I was later advised of the results of the criminal history, and it was determined Ernest Sapp was convicted of a Felony on August 19th, 1991. I then completed the ABIS form, Sapp was charged with Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon, Driving While License Suspended, No Valid Insurance, Operating an Unregistered Vehicle, and Obstruction of Law Enforcement.
While at the jail Sapp did tell me several times that there were two females inside the vehicle with him at the time of the stop, and must have fled once he ran from me.
Dentition officers then began searching Sapp prior to being taken into CDC custody, and it was discovered a taser prong was still stuck in Sapps back. The CDC advised me I needed to have Sapp medically cleared by the hospital. I then transported Sapp to the hospital where the taser prong was removed, and he was medically cleared for jail. Sapp was then transported back to the CDC, and him along with all his property were transferred to the CDC booking staff.
I will have warrants completed for the following charges,Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon, Driving While License Suspended, No Valid Insurance, Operating an Unregistered Vehicle, and Obstruction of Law Enforcement(misd).
The firearm recovered from the Dodge minivan was a Taurus 9mm with a serial number of 1C1D4664. The firearm was secured into BPD evidence.
[End Of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #2 On September 04, 2022]
On September 4th, 2022 I PFC. A. White attempted to view body camera and dash camera footage from the traffic stop involving Ernest Sapp. I was able to observed my body camera from the incident, but was unable to observe my dash camera at this time due to the file being unable to upload. The recording system shows a recoring occurred at the time of the traffic stop, but it is un viewable.
[End Of Narrative]