James Harn

Name:
Harn, James Alexander

Date of Booking:
09/29/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FEL

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS MISDEMEANOR

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 Sunday (092825), at approximately 0918 hours, I, Deputy Khan, along with Deputy Crystal Battle (213), were dispatched to Eisenhower Dr at Castlewood Dr regarding an animal cruelty.

Upon arrival, I attempted to make contact with James Harn (subject, white male with the matching description), walking west on National Woods Dr. with a dog. The subject, Harn, initially refused to speak with me and kept walking while I was speaking with him through my vehicle’s passenger side window and trying to engage in a conversation, requesting him to stop walking away.

I then stepped out of my vehicle when Harn walked back to me and provided me with his GA ID/DL. Harn was still agitated and using profanity during the inquiry, while kicking his dog. Harn stated that he was with the Homeland Security Secret Service and wanted to go back to Lake Olmstead. Harn handed me his driver’s license and again started walking away with the dog, stating that I could keep his license. Harn ignored all my lawful commands and started walking away.

I returned to my vehicle and asked a nearby unit to respond to my location over the radio. I drove up to Harn again when he threw the dog onto my front windshield. I got out of my vehicle, pulled out my taser, when Harn picked up his dog in the front, covering his chest area to shield himself from the taser. I then radio in for back up again while asking Harn to calm himself down.

Harn then stood in between the trees in the front yard of [2600 BLOCK] National Woods Dr. Harn walked out of the trees holding the dog and went around a white pickup truck. Harn then let go of the dog and picked up mulch from the ground and threw it at me. I deployed the first set of cartridges, which did not make a good connection, so I immediately discharged the second cartridge with ineffective results. I holster my taser and pull out my baton while Harn was still attempting to walk away.

As I was following Harn, he decided to turn around and approach me until I attempted to handcuff him. Harn started resisting and walked away, ignoring all my verbal commands. Harn was steadily walking away, and after him, ignoring all my verbal commands, I struck him with my baton at the back of his left thigh.

When we reached [2600 BLOCK] National Woods Dr, Harn grabbed a piece of wood approximately four to five feet long from the bed of a white pickup truck and swung at me, knocking off my body camera and baton from my hand. Harn struck my right hand, which caused the baton to fall on the ground. I immediately pulled out my duty weapon and aimed it at Harn until he dropped the piece of wood he had in his possession. I holstered my duty weapon (gun) and retrieved all my belongings.

Harn started walking away East on National Woods Dr towards Eisenhower Dr with his dog. After gathering my belongings, I returned to the patrol vehicle due to it being unsecured.

I made contact with Harn again, who was walking North on Eisenhower Dr by the train tracks. Harn approached me and tried to apologize, but sprinted off on the tracks when he heard the siren and observed Deputy Battle and Hannah Gay’s (205) vehicles pulling up to me.

Harn ran off East on the railway tracks approximately 500 feet and North to the tracks into an open grass field, where Deputy Gay tased Harn after ignoring verbal commands and resisting arrest.

We brought Harn back to our vehicles, and after he received medical attention and treatment, he was taken to Richmond County Jail and was committed on the above charges.

Deputy Joshua Williams (215) retrieved the information from the initial complainant, [WITNESS #1], who advised that he was sitting on his porch when he observed a man screaming and cursing while walking a dog. The subject was yanking and jerking on the dog leash. The deputy sent the Axon link to the complainant to upload the pictures/ videos onto it for evidence.

I spoke with the witness, [WITNESS #2], who advised that he observed the incident, where Harn was irate during the incident and even struck me (Deputy) with the piece of wood. The witness statement was recorded on the body cam.

Both taser cartridges X483KDKA5 and X493KM759 were dropped in the evidence box at the DV substation under property number 545004. The taser and videos were tagged and uploaded at the time of the call.

[End of Narrative]