Soddy-Daisy policeVIDEO
This story is featured in today's TimesFreePress newscast.
A Soddy-Daisy police officer remains on leave without pay after an off-duty road rage incident resulted in his following a woman home and being held at gunpoint by her husband.
Officer Ryan Patterson, who has been with the department about 10 years, followed 31-year-old Melissa Twiner to her home at 8608 Brow Lake Road in Soddy-Daisy after she reportedly tailgated his vehicle at 3:15 a.m. Saturday. Patterson, 34, let Twiner pass and then she reportedly slammed on the brakes in front of him, according to a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
“I really can’t comment on any particulars on this because it is an open investigation,” said Soddy-Daisy Police Chief Phil Hamrick.
Patterson, who was with two women after celebrating a birthday at Charlie’s Lounge, had been drinking. Field sobriety tests administered by deputies proved that Patterson was not too intoxicated to drive, according to the report.
Twiner’s husband, Brett, pulled a gun on Patterson and the two women and ordered them to the ground.
“I walked outside to see a truck in my driveway that was not one I recognized and a man walking toward my house cussing at my wife. I told him to halt. He stated he was a police office,” Twiner told deputies.
When the men were talking, the women began to fight each other. Twiner fired as many as two warning shots during the incident.
“[The women] started calling me names and I hit one in the face. Both then jumped me. Brett fired two warning shots and put them on the ground,” Melissa Twiner told deputies.
The Twiners declined to press charges, stating, “We all make mistakes,” according to the report.
“Mr. Patterson apologized for the event and was sorry that it occurred. Mr. Twiner understood and advised he was glad he didn’t shoot him,” the report states. “Mr. Patterson and Mr. Twiner shook hands at which point Mr. Twiner told Mr. Patterson he loved him.”
The department is conducting an internal affairs investigation into Patterson’s conduct while off duty. Once the investigation is completed, Hamrick will recommend any discipline to the city manager, who will make the determination if any violations are sustained.
Contact staff writer Beth Burger at 423-757-6406 or bburger@timesfreepress.com. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/abburger.