Nearly 30 DUI cases dropped amid Georgia trooper ‘PIT for Pay’ scandal

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Twenty-seven DUI cases were dismissed Thursday in Recorder’s Court after four former Georgia State Patrol troopers failed to appear despite being subpoenaed. The troopers were fired earlier this year following an internal investigation into an alleged “PIT for Pay” insurance scheme.

Troopers were key witnesses

The four former troopers — Tyler Byrd, Joseph Curlee, Isaiah Francois, and Hunter Waters — were the key witnesses in each of the dismissed cases. None appeared in court Thursday.

Chief Judge Joe Huffman, who presided over the hearings, confirmed with his prosecutor that the troopers’ alleged conduct essentially made it impossible to proceed on allegations for each person with a hearing today.

“Those actions or alleged actions, made it impossible for you to proceed on those cases? Basically. And I don’t think they’d want to appear on behalf of Georgia State Patrol,” Huffman and his prosecutor said.

Chief Judge Huffman also addressed the broader impact of the scandal on the cases before his court.

“This conduct caused a lack of faith in their ability to do their job,” he said.

How the alleged scheme worked

The troopers were terminated at the end of March after an internal Department of Public Safety investigation found they filed or attempted to file personal injury claims against drivers they pursued — even when the troopers themselves initiated vehicle contact using the Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, a tactic in which an officer intentionally strikes a fleeing vehicle to end a pursuit.

The investigation began in January 2026 after a supervisor reported hearing troopers discuss pursuit-related incidents as opportunities to receive a “check.”

Investigators found that Waters, Francois, and Byrd collectively made nearly $100,000 by sending crash reports to attorney Tina Maddox, who issued demand letters to insurance companies seeking payouts for alleged injuries including stress, soreness, and anxiety.

Some of the demand letters never identified the claimants as police officers or disclosed that the crashes occurred in the line of duty. The letters sought the minimum insurance policy limit of $25,000 and gave insurers 30 days to respond.

Waters received three settlements of $25,000 each, netting roughly $50,000 after legal fees. Byrd admitted to submitting more than a dozen crash reports to Maddox and received two settlements. Byrd said the practice was a way to supplement his salary. Francois said he expected a settlement but could not recall the specific incident tied to his claim.

None of the troopers sought medical attention or reported injuries to Georgia State Patrol at the time of the incidents.

Our Investigates Team has also spoken with a victim in this case. You can watch that full story here.

Supervisor also fired

Curlee, who served as their supervisor, was fired for failing to report the conduct and for consulting Maddox about filing a claim of his own, though she determined it would not result in a settlement.

Investigators also found Curlee violated departmental rules by allowing discussions about the ongoing investigation despite a direct order not to.

See previous coverage: www.wtoc.com/2026/05/01/wtoc-exclusive-dps-video-shows-word-pit-pay-practice-was-spreading-gsp/

POST records do not yet reflect the firing of the troopers, but they do show Curlee is now working at the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office.

More cases expected to be dropped

Recorders Court officials say the 27 dismissals Thursday could be just the beginning. More cases are expected to be dropped in the coming weeks.

Additional investigations underway

The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, known as POST, has opened an investigation into all four troopers. POST has the authority to revoke or suspend an officer’s law enforcement certification. Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner is also investigating the matter.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has not been requested at this time, according to a spokesperson.

Maddox did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The State Bar of Georgia will neither confirm nor deny whether it is investigating Maddox.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety issued a statement through Lt. E. Starling, the agency’s public information officer:

“The Georgia Department of Public Safety is committed to upholding the public’s trust. When claims of misconduct are alleged, we take them seriously and fully investigate according to our policy and the law. Information surfaced in January 2026 that four Troopers were making personal injury claims for monetary settlements arising from pursuits. The Department’s Office of Professional Standards conducted an internal investigation which revealed that the Troopers had presented a large number of crash and incident reports to an attorney, who sought money for them from available, minimal coverage limits of violators who had initiated pursuits terminated by those Troopers. It was determined that the manner, method, and conduct of these Troopers in making such claims violated the Department’s policy and ethical standards. The Troopers involved were fired for their wrongdoing. The actions of these few individuals do not reflect the core values of professionalism and trust that define our agency.”

The Georgia Department of Public Safety