Wilkes County ex-deputy indicted in chase that hurt family
WASHINGTON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A former Wilkes County deputy has been indicted on three charges last week after a police pursuit put a family of three in the hospital.
The District Attorney’s Office told us on Monday that former Wilkes County Deputy William Shawn O’Kelley was indicted in Wilkes County on Aug. 5 on serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving and speeding for the January crash.
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Grace Kelley was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, driving with a suspended/revoked license, and not using motorcycle equipment properly.
Back in Feb., we reported that O’Kelley had been terminated from his position with the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office after the early January crash. Our I-TEAM found this deputy has a pattern of problems with other law enforcement agencies — and we found he’s running for the highest position in local law enforcement.
On Jan. 6, 2024, on the GA-10 By in Washington, Georgia, the only source of light comes from the TPS Truck Stop and emergency vehicle lights.
911 Caller: “We need police out here and maybe an ambulance. There’s been a wreck out here in front of TPS. It looks like an overturned car. It looks like a two-car collision.”
911 calls pour into county dispatch.
911 Caller: “I think we need help out here right now. There’s a wreck right here at the by in front of TPS. it’s two cars I can see.”
Several different reports and surveillance videos are shining a light on an accident that happened in the dark. Surveillance video from the TPS Truck Stop shows O’Kelley parked in the back of the truck stop.
The car he would later get into an accident with was also there.
O’Kelley was later seen leaving in his silver unmarked Dodge Durango.
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A crash report from the Georgia State Patrol says O’Kelley started driving southbound on GA-10 when he said he clocked a car going 90 mph in the opposite direction.
O’Kelley crossed the median, and he began a chase.
Back at the truck stop, the family of three gets in their car to leave. At the top of the screen, the first vehicle is seen speeding by as the family pulls onto GA-10. Not far behind was O’Kelley.
The video is too dark to see the actual accident happen.
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Dispatch: “All units, be advised. We need you en route to the north by in front of TPS for a 10-50 rollover.”
The only video we have of the crash is from the TPS Truck Stop surveillance video. That’s because O’Kelley did not turn on his lights and siren – meaning his dash cam never activated.
A report by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office says O’Kelley was going 111 mph. That’s more than double the speed limit on GA-10.
O’Kelley was fired by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office for violating the pursuit policy. That happened four days after the accident and two days after the I-TEAM requested his personnel file.
According to Georgia POST, O’Kelley is currently under investigation for an incident in 2021. At that time – he was with the Taliaferro County Sheriff’s Office.
That’s also where O’Kelley is now running for sheriff. His slogan is “Experience matters”.
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Records show O’Kelley’s experience includes working for at least seven law enforcement agencies since 2001. He’s been fired from five of them.
He avoided being fired from a sixth by agreeing to resign.
The I-TEAM sent open records requests to all six agencies asking for O’Kelley’s personnel file.
His file from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office says O’Kelley was fired while on probation. No reason is written about why he was on probation. There are no disciplinary reports in his file.
It wasn’t until we received his personnel file from the Taliaferro County Sheriff’s Office that we found stacks of issues Morgan County failed to include in the open records request.
In performance evaluations written by superiors with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, they say O’Kelley lacks knowledge of state and criminal traffic laws.
Emails exchanged with command staff show O’Kelley was working as a deputy for Morgan County when he conducted a traffic stop in Oconee County. O’Kelley issued a traffic citation to the driver even though he did not have the authority to do so.
At the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, O’Kelley resigned instead of being fired. For what? The file doesn’t say. Also, entire pages are redacted – concealing what his time with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office was like.
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Dispatch: “Wilkes County 911.”
But back to that night in Wilkes County, car parts and tire tracks piece together the story of the crash.
TPS Employee: “Hi, I have an accident right out here in front of the TPS.”
It adds to a pattern of bad judgment that’s moved from agency to agency throughout Georgia.
The I-TEAM reached out to O’Kelley about that accident and running for sheriff. He told us he could not give a comment – but said it was an unfortunate situation, and he’s glad no one was injured.
According to a GSP crash report, the family hit by O’Kelley were all sent to Augusta University instead of Wills Memorial Hospital in Washington.
Georgia POST records show O’Kelley has not had any pursuit training since 2017.
We requested the dash cam video from Georgia State Patrol. They say they can’t release that because of an active criminal investigation.
Our I-TEAM reached out to the family involved in the accident – but has not heard back yet.
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