COVINGTON, Ga. – A routine traffic stop for a red light violation turned into a tasing, obstruction charge and arrest for a McDonough man early Saturday after he refused to comply with police instructions.
According to a Covington Police Department incident report, at approximately 1:44 a.m. Dec. 29 Officer Kevin Thompson saw a vehicle driven by Nathan Akin run the red light while making a left turn from Brown Bridge Road onto Turner Lake Road.
Thompson followed the vehicle north on Turner Lake while giving dispatch the vehicle’s information. When they reached the first entrance to the Food Depot shopping center, Thompson activated his emergency equipment and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
Akin reportedly continued to drive north on Turner Lake before making a right turn onto Highway 278 and driving east. He continued driving until pulling into a parking spot in the Waffle House parking lot.
As Thompson was stopping his vehicle, Akin reportedly exited his vehicle and began reaching into the vehicle and his clothing, ignoring Thompson’s multiple orders to stop.
“I believed Akin might have a weapon and I unholstered my weapon and demanded Akin stop reaching and turn around,” Thompson wrote in the report. “Akin did not and began yelling and walking toward the Waffle House entrance.”
Officer Rory Barber arrived and Thompson switched to his Taser and along with Barber, ordered Akin to stop. When Akin reached toward his front waistband, Thompson deployed the Taser.
According to the report, the Taser probes did not make positive contact and Akin pulled his jacket off and began to run.
“Akin ran into the Waffle House entrance and into the back of the Waffle House into the employee area,” Thompson wrote. "I deployed my Taser again and Akin jumped and stopped running.”
According to the report, Akin started to advance on officers, and Thompson used his Taser to drive stun him and gain control of him. Akin was forced to the ground and placed in handcuffs.
While searching Akin, officers reportedly found an LX cal. 4.5mm (.177) pellet gun in his front waistband and a knife in his pocket. Akin was transported to the Newton County Law Enforcement Center charged with stop light violation and obstruction of law enforcement officer.
