WTOC Exclusive: DPS video shows word of ‘PIT for Pay’ practice was spreading in GSP

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Video recordings obtained by WTOC Investigates reveal the inside details of a Georgia State Patrol scandal in which four troopers were fired for filing (or trying to file) personal injury claim against insurance companies of people they had intentionally hit during pursuits.

WTOC Investigates first reported in April that four local Georgia State Patrol troopers were fired for bringing personal injury claims against the insurance companies of people they had PIT maneuvered. A PIT maneuver means they intentionally hit another car to end a pursuit.

Tyler Byrd, Hunter Waters, and Isaiah Francois made almost $100,000 from the claims. Joseph Curlee was fired because he failed to report the practice and even tried to cash in himself.

Supervisor called situation ‘a nightmare’

WTOC has obtained recordings of all the fired troopers’ interviews with Department of Public Safety internal investigators and an interview with the trooper who blew the whistle.

Troopers, supervisors, and DPS investigators are all caught on tape talking about PIT crashes, stress claims, and the possibility of “getting a check.”

Former Sgt. First Class Joseph Curlee of the Nighthawks South unit said he knew about the PIT for pay practice nearly a year before it was reported to the Department of Public Safety.

“I look at it as a nightmare if the news were to get ahold of it. An absolute nightmare,” Curlee said.

When an investigator asked why, Curlee said, “Well, you would think that people would be going out there to try to PIT a car for a check.”

“That’s what it looks like,” another investigator responded.

Whistleblower reported ‘check’ jokes

The investigation began in January when Sgt. Zachary Parker, the unit’s assistant post commander, blew the whistle.

“Every time we get into a chase and someone pitted a car, jokes were kind of made. ‘Oh, there’s a check, go get a check.’ And I would make comments like, ‘Ya’ll don’t see anything ethically wrong with that? You’re making the intentional contact and now it looks like you get a bonus from the insurance company from doing the job,’” Parker said.

Parker told investigators the talk had spread so far, even cadets riding along on shift were asking questions about it.

“Cadets are starting to ask questions about it. And we’ve got other troopers in other troops bringing it up. I’m like, okay, this is obviously a lot bigger than just these two doing it, or word’s starting to spread about it,” Parker said.

Troopers confronted over claims

The investigation that followed put four troopers in a room on camera and asked them to explain themselves.

Trooper Hunter Waters from Post 42 Rincon told investigators his claims were for anxiety, stress, and soreness from physical exertion.

“The only loss was basically an anxiety level, stress level as a result of the incident. And like, soreness from physical exertion. Which I’ve basically had with almost every single PIT,” Waters said.

When investigators asked if he carried himself as injured during crash investigations, took sick leave or filed workers compensation claims, Waters said no to each question.

Waters received three settlements of $25,000 each, netting roughly $50,000 after legal fees. He admitted filing claims for at least seven or eight pursuits.

Trooper Tyler Byrd sent crash reports to the same attorney as Waters for up to 15 separate incidents and received two settlements.

“You have filed claims with Tina Maddox’s office against the violator’s insurance policy for reports that you had not claimed injury for and not visited medical professionals for. Why didn’t you report any of that to the department?” an investigator asked.

“I don’t know. I feel like the biggest things was the hassle,” Byrd said.

When asked why he was filing claims for personal injuries while acting on behalf of the department, Byrd said he was going as an individual.

“Reading it, when I was looking at policy, I was going there as an individual,” Byrd said.

“For something you did under the color of law, as a trooper for this department,” the investigator responded.

Byrd also admitted he spread the word to fellow Nighthawks members, pointing them toward Maddox.

Trooper Isaiah Francois drove more than two and a half hours to meet with Maddox in Vidalia, bringing as many as six crash reports. He told investigators he expected a settlement but could not remember which incident it was tied to.

“You’re getting paid but you don’t know what from?” an investigator asked. “If your injury or anxiety is so stressful, that you feel it’s so important, that you suffered some type of loss, that you have to file a suit against an insurance company, but you can’t remember to tell me what this is from?

“I know it’s from one of the ones when I met with her,” Francois said.

The investigator responded, “So did you really suffer loss? Did you really suffer stress?”

“I think so,” Francois said.

The investigator said later in the interview, “What it looks like is, you have no ethical concept. You talk to these troopers, go down here, tell this attorney this, sign some paperwork, give her some documentation — crash reports, incident reports — and then just sit back and wait on a paycheck. She’s gonna tell you which ones you can get paid on, you ain’t gotta worry about that. That’s what it looks like.”

Supervisor inquired about filing claim himself

Curlee, the supervisor who called the practice a nightmare, told investigators he inquired about filing a claim himself.

“Have you done any of this yourself? Are you involved in this?” an investigator asked.

“I inquired about one. But there’s nothing there, I wasn’t hurt ” Curlee said.

Maddox told Curlee he had no claim. Investigators pointed out the obvious: a supervisor who knew about the practice, looked into cashing in himself and never reported it up the chain.

Waters, Byrd, Francois, and Curlee have all been fired.

Parker, the whistleblower, said he knew it would eventually come to this.

“If this ever got leaked to the media or anything, I think this is gonna look terrible for the department. To me it was just a huge ethical issue, trying to almost get compensated, like a bonus. It needed to be brought up,” Parker said.

When WTOC Investigates first reported this story, DPS sent a statement saying the agency holds its employees to a high standard and that the actions of these four troopers do not reflect the department’s core values.

In the interviews, troopers told investigators they believe this practice is happening all over the state. WTOC Investigates has reached out to DPS to ask whether there are any ongoing investigations into whether that’s true.

Tina Maddox, the attorney who was litigating these claims, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.