Athens, Georgia — A grand jury in Clarke County has refused to indict a man accused of assaulting a police officer after he allegedly attempted suicide. Instead, the jury charged 30-year-old Tommy Lee Orr with making a false statement during the police encounter, specifically for claiming he had a weapon when he did not.
The incident occurred on March 5, when Orr’s mother contacted emergency services, expressing concerns for her son’s safety and revealing he was suicidal. She tracked his vehicle to the Microtel Inn & Suites located on Ultimate Drive, where the police found him.
According to Senior Police Officer Jonathan Surine, when he approached Orr’s truck, the man warned him to stay back, asserting that he had a gun. Taking precautions, Surine utilized his patrol car for cover and had other officers in position as he aimed his rifle at Orr, who complied with police commands.
At one point, Orr exited his vehicle before retrieving a knife he had thrown away. He then re-entered the truck. Surine noted in his report that after some time, Orr got out again, displaying visible injuries. “I noticed there was blood dripping down his arm,” Surine wrote. As Orr began to approach the officers while no longer holding the knife, he was ordered to lie on the ground and was taken into custody without further complications.
During deliberations last week, jurors considered whether Orr had committed aggravated assault by brandishing a knife while approaching Officer Surine. They ultimately decided against the assault charge but found him guilty of providing a false statement.
As of Sunday, Orr remained in custody at the Athens jail. He faces a probation violation stemming from a previous conviction related to methamphetamine possession, leading to a hold on his release by the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office.
This case highlights the complex situations law enforcement officers often encounter, particularly involving mental health crises. Officer Surine’s detailed report underscores the careful approaches police must take when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, emphasizing the importance of both safety and de-escalation tactics.
The legal implications of this case will likely extend beyond the immediate charges against Orr, raising discussions around mental health resources and police intervention strategies for similar incidents in the future.
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