A 15-year-old juvenile injured a Valdosta police officer and then showed extreme disrespect by eating candy as EMS treated the officer for a serious injury, according to a press release from the Valdosta Police Department.
On October 31, 2023, at approximately 10:30 a.m.., a Valdosta police officer located a 15-year-old male juvenile who was reported as a runaway earlier in the morning. The officer transported the juvenile back to his residence in the 700 block of East Jane Street to return him to his mother. While at the residence the juvenile became disrespectful to his mother, using profanity towards her and the officer. The officer attempted to calm the juvenile down, which only escalated his behavior. The juvenile was detained for the charge of unruly juvenile.
As the officer was attempting to put the juvenile in a patrol vehicle, the juvenile began kicking at the officer and the patrol vehicle. The juvenile pushed against the officer and as the officer was trying to gain control of the juvenile, they fell to the ground. The officer fell backward, striking the back of his head against the road, resulting in the officer losing consciousness. A witness called E911 to report that an officer was unconscious and bleeding from his head.
Numerous officers responded to assist the officer and secure the juvenile. Emergency Medical Services responded and transported the officer to the hospital, where he was treated and later released.
The juvenile was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice for the following charges:
• Aggravated battery on a police officer-felony;
• Obstruction of a police officer-felony; and
• Unruly juvenile-misdemeanor.
The Department of Juvenile Justice authorized the juvenile to be detained at a Regional Youth Detention Center. As the transporting officer attempted to put the juvenile in the patrol vehicle to be transported to Lowndes County Jail, the juvenile intentionally struck the patrol vehicle with his head damaging the patrol vehicle. The juvenile was then transported to the hospital to be examined for injuries from banging his head before being transported to Lowndes County Jail.
This action added another charge of interference with government property-felony.
“I cannot thank the witness enough for calling 911 when they saw our officer hit the ground, then the incredibly quick response by our officers and deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, to ensure that our officer was alright. We are extremely lucky that our officer did not receive more serious injuries. This juvenile had outright disrespect for our officers. As our officer was being treated by EMS, he sat in the back of a patrol car eating candy he pulled from his pocket, acting like it was all a joke!” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan.