HOMER — Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed has released more details of an incident that left a deputy sheriff seriously injured Friday night.
Sgt. Joshua Robertson, 39, was struck by a vehicle while foot pursuing a driver he had arrested during a traffic stop on Steve Reynolds Industrial Parkway at U.S. 441/Ga. 15 near the Jackson County line.
The man who ran after being arrested is identified as Xavire Travez Johnson, 28, of Athens.
“Friday night about 9 p.m., Sgt. Josh Robertson with the Banks County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a white Chevrolet Impala that was occupied by Mr. Johnson and Dennis Thurmond, who was a passenger in the vehicle,” Speed said. “During the traffic stop, a narcotics investigation ensued where both subjects were taken into custody. Enough heroin was found to encounter a trafficking heroin charge. Both subjects were taken into custody.”
Johnson was secured in the back of a patrol car on Steve Reynolds Industrial Parkway just off U.S. 441 while deputies conducted a vehicle search.
That’s when circumstances changed.
“Mr. Johnson was handcuffed behind his back and placed into a Banks County patrol car,” Speed said. “While officers were searching the car [Impala] prior to them being transported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, at some point Mr. Johnson was able to get his handcuffs from behind his back to his front. He then – what we believe at this time – reached through an opening in the window and opened the car door and escaped. A brief foot pursuit ensued, where Sgt. Robertson and two more deputies chased Mr. Johnson into the median of 441, and a taser was deployed that was ineffective. A physical confrontation ensued. Officers fought Johnson there on the side of the roadway, ended up in the lane of travel, where Sgt. Robertson was hit by a Mustang with a gentleman driving out of Athens.”
Johnson was not struck by the vehicle.
“Sgt. Robertson was the only person struck by the vehicle,” Speed said.
That impact was in the inside northbound lane of U.S. 441/Ga. 15. After impact, the Ford Mustang continued into the median of the highway.
“Other officers on the scene secured Mr. Johnson and took him in custody, and he was later transported by deputies to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office,” Speed said. “After we booked Mr. Johnson in, we carried him to Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, where he was to be housed. At some point during an encounter with Johnson in Jackson County, a physical confrontation occurred between he and other deputies at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, where Johnson bit one of their officers.”
But that Friday-night biting incident wasn’t the only one involving Johnson in Jackson County.
“When they were getting him ready for his first appearance hearing here in Banks County Sunday, there was another altercation involving Mr. Johnson and one of Sheriff [Janis] Mangum’s officers, where one of her officers suffered a torn meniscus and a blown Achilles tendon,” Speed said. “This individual seems to have a violent history and a violent past and tendencies.’
When he was struck by the car, Robertson suffered what Speed called very serious injuries.
Robertson was transported by ambulance to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, where he still is being treated for a multitude of injuries including broken and fractured bones in both arms and both legs, a fractured pelvis, a collapsed lung, and multiple lacerations to his head and arms, Speed said. He is set for his fourth surgery Tuesday morning, with more to follow.
Speed praised Robertson’s service to the agency.
“He’s been with us for quite some time and does an outstanding job,” Speed said. “We want to see that he gets the support he needs during this.”
Speed said Robertson has been with Banks County Sheriff’s Office for about three and one-half years, coming to the agency from Elberton.
“Sgt. Robertson is an outstanding employee,” Speed said. “He’s prompt, he’s on time, he’s squared away, and he does a very good job dealing with the people.”
In addition to three children, Robertson also has a fiancée.
Robertson’s family released a statement Monday night.
“We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to our friends and family, our family in blue and the community,” the family statement reads. “The immediate and continued show of love, compassion and support has been overwhelmingly moving. Please continue to keep Josh and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we work through his recovery and healing.”
Johnson is charged in Banks County with escape, felony obstruction, reckless conduct, trafficking heroin and a window tint violation. He also faces charges in the two Jackson County incidents.
Thurmond, 58, of Athens, has been charged with trafficking heroin and giving false name and date of birth.
Speed said the driver of the Mustang did nothing wrong, but the incident remains under investigation by both the Banks County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team.
