No criminal charges will be pressed in the bar fight incident that was under investigation by the Conyers Police Department. According to city spokesperson Jennifer Edwards, the victims in the incident declined to prosecute what might have been misdemeanor charges, and since the responding officers did not witness the incident, no charges will be made.
The administrative investigation is still ongoing.
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(Jan. 19, 9:39 a.m.) Three Conyers officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay while the Conyers Police Department investigates a bar fight at the Pointe early Saturday morning involving off duty officers.
Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said the leave is part of standard procedure while the department determines whether any department policies were violated and if any criminal charges will be pressed by the department or by the parties involved. Officers Lt. Derek Parker, Det. Shyra Hardewick, and Officer Jason Heyman were required to turn in their cars, weapons, and badges and were prohbited from police duty or activity while they are on leave.
No charges have been currently placed. Wilson said if criminal charges are pressed, the CPD would handle that case.
Early Saturday morning, around 1:30 a.m., a group celebrating the retirement of a Rockdale County Sheriff's Office captain, Gary Boswell, came to the Pointe, according to CPD incident reports.
Boswell reportedly got into a verbal arguement with the bartender about allowing Boswell's 19-year-old son, who was serving as the designated driver, into the bar. The bar does not admit those under 21 years of age.
The bartender told officers that another bar patron, Aaron Fair, reportedly heard the arguement and "butted in by saying that they needed to listen... shut up and leave the establishment like they were told."
The arguement ended, but later in the night, Fair and members of the celebratory group, including Det. Shyra Hardewick, her husband Dave Hardewick, officer Jason Heyman, and resident Buck Vaughn, began arguing verbally. The bartender moved between Fair and the group and was facing Fair when a punch reportedly came from behind the bartender and struck Fair.
Fair then struck out as well. The bartender told investigators that "Fair accidentally hit Shyra in the face and that he did not intend on striking her," according to the report.
According to the report, Vaughn and Dave Hardewick were standing behind the bartender, and the bartender believed the fight was instigated by one of the two.
Other witnesses said Fair was struck and he began striking out at the group, but could not tell who had initially struck Fair.
One of the officers writing the report said "It was impossible to determine who threw the punch at Fair from the interviews that were conducted. Fair was extremely intoxicated."
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