GALLAWAY, TN – Residents of Gallaway, Tennessee have been upset about the way the city’s policemen have been writing tickets and they have not been shy about voicing their displeasure.
But tickets are only a small part of what cops do.
Lots of times, they get caught up in dangerous situations like they did Thursday, August 25, 2011, and approval ratings for the men in blue saw an immediate jump upwards.
“He stopped me for no reason, he’s just harassing people.” That’s the way Lisa Gilchrist described the ticket-writing of Gallaway Police officer Brian Hubbard on August 16th.
It seems like a lot of Gallaway residents have been complaining about their cops, but less than two weeks later, the Gallaway Police, especially Officer Brian Hubbard, performed heroically.
“Larry Pittman forced his way into an apartment and attacked a female resident.” That’s how Christine Ashcraft, the Executive Director of the Gallaway Housing Authority described the night’s events.
And Pittman beat that female resident pretty badly.
“Bad enough for her to have a light concussion,” said Carnisha White, whose apartment was allegedly crashed by Pittman.
According to White, once Pittman left her apartment, he walked up a sidewalk on Senator Street in Gallaway and threatened Willie Murphy with a spiked stick.
“He swung a stick at me,” said Murphy, “and I blocked it with a chair. He was resisting arrest. The police told him to hold on, finally they fired the taser.”
By doing that, the cops prevented further violence.
“From all accounts,” Ashcraft told abc24.com, “the guy was looking to commit suicide and he was willing to be killed by suicide by cop.”
Instead, Larry Gene Pittman was arrested and now faces six different charges, including three counts of assault and one of resisting arrest.
Thanks to Gallaway’s finest, suicide by cop did not happen.
So, instead of complaints like this, by Lisa Gilchrist: “There are several people in Gallaway having problems with him.”
There was a lot of praise, like this: “They’re doing their job,” said Carnisha White, “they’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
“They did an outstanding job,” said Ashcraft, “nobody else was injured. The suspect wasn’t injured.”
“That was a good thing,” said Willie Murphy. “Somebody could have been seriously injured.”
But, thanks to Officer Brian Hubbard, nobody was.
In addition to the concussion, the female victim suffered a split lip and a black eye and was too upset to speak with abc24.com. She is expected to be okay.
Larry Gene Pittman was arrested and taken to the Fayette County Jail.
Christine Ashcraft did say that Pittman has been increasingly violent lately. Police also tasered him during an incident in June and he was banned from the Gallaway Housing Authority.
