According to a Floyd County Police Department incident report, On May 29th, 2023, Officer Sangphim and Officer Corbin responded to the area of GA-1 North near the intersection with Old Dalton Road in reference to a 911 call regarding a DUI driver all over the roadway. SGT. Henry was able to get behind the suspected DUI driver. SGT. Henry reported, “[I] observed the vehicle come by my location and make a dramatic maneuver into the other lane of traffic in a curve. [I] pulled out behind the vehicle and observed the vehicle driving in the middle of two travel lanes for approximately 200 yards. [I] activated my blue light and siren in the marked police vehicle [I] was operating. The driver made several abrupt maneuvers in the direction of the right shoulder of the roadway, like he was going to stop. The driver then pulled back out into the middle travel lane and stopped at the red light located at Braves Blvd and Veterans Memorial. [I] approached the vehicle and observed a male driver (David Joseph Tatum, 34, of Silver Creek)who was clearly under the influence of an intoxicant. He was slurring his speech, had to be advised directions several time and had glassy, bloodshot eyes. When asked for a license and proof of insurance, he handed me his work identification. [I] did not take the ID and requested again that he provide his driver’s license and proof of insurance.” Officer Sangphim reported, “[I] approached the driver (David) and could hear that he was slurring his speech. [I] immediately could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. [I] also observed that David’s eyes were watery and bloodshot. [I] asked David to exit his vehicle. David initially did not want to exit his vehicle immediately.” David stated he had about six shots of “Fireball Whiskey” before driving. David refused field sobriety testing and was placed under arrest for DUI. David then refused the state test as well. David then became verbally agitated and threatened, “I will beat all of your f**king a**es”. He then spit through the window on Officer Corbin, who was standing outside and then kicked Officer Evans, and even attempted to assault Sgt. Henry. David proceeded to bang his head on the cage of the patrol vehicle cracking the plastic in multiple places. David was attempting to lean forward and head butt or bite Sgt. Henry, who had grabbed one of his legs. David attempted to bite officers multiple times violently. Officers began issuing hard strikes to David to prevent him from kicking and gaining pain compliance. While David was being transported to the Floyd County Jail, he became almost non-responsive due to his high level of intoxication, and the jail nurse was unable to clear him because David would not answer her questions. David was charged with simple assault x3, terroristic threats and acts x5, DUI, failure to maintain lane, felony obstruction against a police officer, simple battery against a police officer x2, and interference with government property.
Silver Creek man spits, kicks, bites, threatens, and assaults Floyd County officers during DUI traffic stop
