Disabled veteran, amputee husband left on dark Hinesville road after police stop over insurance error

HINESVILLE, Ga. (WTOC) - A disabled Army veteran and her amputee husband were stranded on a dark highway in the early morning hours of April 27, after getting pulled over for an insurance issue that the couple’s insurer says was never their fault.

Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims, 71, a retired U.S. Army veteran and former law enforcement professional, and her husband Bobby Sims, 75, a below-the-knee amputee who has not walked in two years, were driving home on Highway 196 around 2:36 a.m. when Officer Todd Parmentier stopped their vehicle.

Parmentier told the couple the state database showed their vehicle had no active insurance coverage. Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims says she immediately attempted to show the officer proof of her active USAA policy — both on her phone and through her vehicle registration — but the officer refused to review either.

“He just left us out there on the side of the road like we were bags of trash,” she said.

Officer knew of husband’s disability, wife says

After issuing a citation, Parmentier called a tow truck and instructed the couple to exit the vehicle. Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims says she told the officer her husband had not walked in two years and had only one leg.

“He helped Bobby out of the car,” she said. “So it’s not like he didn’t know. I told him my husband hadn’t walked in two years, and he only has one leg. And he’s missing toes off the other foot. So he cannot walk. And I’m definitely not going to be able to push him out here where it’s not lit.”

The officer then drove away, leaving the couple on the side of the highway at approximately 3 a.m. They said the temperature was 54 degrees. Neither was dressed for the cold, having returned from a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

When Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims asked how they would get home, she says Parmentier told her to “call somebody” or “catch an Uber.”

With no other options, she called her sister and asked her to leave their 97-year-old mother home alone in the middle of the night to come get them.

USAA confirms coverage was active

USAA, the couple’s insurance provider, has since confirmed in writing that Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims’ policy was active and in force at the time of the stop. The state database had incorrectly flagged the vehicle as uninsured.

The citation issued by Parmentier listed a fine of approximately $446. Under Georgia law, if a driver can show the court that required minimum insurance coverage was in effect at the time a citation was issued, the maximum fine is $25.

Georgia POST weighs in

Georgia’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) released a written statement to WTOC on May 7 addressing the incident.

Executive Director Chris Harvey said the agency is aware of the situation and has spoken directly with the Hinesville police chief.

“Georgia peace officers have discretion in many circumstances, and agency policies generally dictate appropriate officer conduct,” Harvey said in the statement.

“Ethical conduct includes exercising due regard for the well-being of those interacting with officers and compassionate handling of unusual circumstances.”

Harvey described the incident as “an isolated case of short-sightedness by the officer involved.”

Department apologizes, dismisses citation

Hinesville Police Chief Howard confirmed the department conducted an internal investigation following the incident. The assistant chief and a captain personally visited the couple’s home to apologize. The department issued a check to cover the towing fee and told the couple the citation would be dismissed.

Chief Howard said the officer acted within the boundaries of Georgia law, which requires a vehicle to be towed when the state database flags no insurance. However, he said the incident did not reflect the department’s values or how its officers are trained to operate.

Officer Parmentier, who has been with the department for two years, is currently attending a training class and is being closely monitored, according to the chief.

Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims, who spent 17 years working in law enforcement and corrections across multiple states, says she understands the law, but not the lack of compassion.

“I was like, wow,” she said. “Served my country well... and this is how I’m treated?”

She says she hopes the incident serves as a lesson.

“Once the bell is rung, you cannot unring it,” she said. “All you can do is train. So hopefully they will train.”

Complaints filed, records requested

Mobley-Sadler Sims says her daughter, a former police officer, has filed complaints with the Americans with Disabilities Act office, the Hinesville Police Department, and sent a letter to the Hinesville mayor.