William Guertin

Name:
Guertin, William David

Date of Booking:
09/16/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
THEFT BY TAKING – MISDEMEANOR

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

OBSTRUCTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

SIMPLE BATTERY AGAINST POLICE OFFICER/LE DOG/CORRECTIONS OR DETENTION OFFICER

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 Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 5:01 PM, the Clayton Police were dispatched to a theft report at an apartment complex located at [700 BLOCK] Dunlap Street. Sergeant Andy Beck and Officer Sarah Chapman arrived and met with the victim, [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated that he was cleaning out an apartment and had placed his phone on a railing. He later noticed it was missing, so he asked his wife to call it. He heard it ringing in a nearby apartment.

[VICTIM #1] went to apartment [REDACTED], where William David Guertin resided, and heard the phone ringing in Guertin’s pocket. When confronted, Guertin initially denied having the phone until his brother persuaded him to return it. Although Guertin handed the phone back, he then became aggressive, yelling and cursing at [VICTIM #1] and using fighting words towards him.

[VICTIM #1] called law enforcement for assistance. Officers Beck and Chapman observed Guertin standing near the railing upstairs; he appeared intoxicated and was muttering something. As they approached the top floor and apartment [REDACTED], Guertin retreated inside. Both officers saw Guertin with his hands in his pockets. Beck asked Guertin to exit the apartment, but he only moved further inside. Consequently, the officers entered the apartment to arrest Guertin for theft.

Guertin began to physically resist arrest. Beck attempted to lock Guertin’s arms and get his hands behind his back but was unsuccessful. During the struggle, Beck took Guertin to the ground, injuring his knee and hand in the process. Chapman attempted to assist in cuffing Guertin but was also unsuccessful. Guertin tried to get up with Chapman on his back, using her weight to push himself up.

Beck instructed Chapman to step back and then deployed his Taser 7, hitting Guertin in the middle of his back and at the beltline. Guertin was instructed to put his hands behind his back but did not comply. Beck asked Chapman to attempt to cuff him again. She grabbed his arm, but he pulled away and placed his arms back underneath him. Beck activated his Taser again. After the cycle ended, the officers were finally able to cuff Guertin.

Beck removed the probe from Guertin’s middle back but could not remove the one from his beltline due to it being caught in his belt. He detached the wire, and officers escorted Guertin outside, helping him down the steps and placing him in the back of Beck’s patrol car. Beck then transported Guertin to the detention center, where he handed him over to jail staff.

Beck charged Guertin with theft for taking the cell phone, disorderly conduct for using fighting words towards [VICTIM #1], felony obstruction for resisting arrest and injuring Beck, and assault on a police officer for injuring Beck during the altercation. Following this, Beck returned to service.

[End of Narrative]