Georgia Official Indicted After Interfering in Fatal Accident Investigation

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A south Georgia elected official has been indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges after police said he interfered in the investigation of a fatal accident in June.

WALB-TV reports a Crisp County grand jury returned the indictments Monday against Cordele City Commissioner Royce Reeves Sr.

Reeves is indicted for felony obstruction of law enforcement and felony violation of his oath as a public official. He’s also indicted for misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement, misdemeanor criminal trespass and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

The felonies are punishable by one to five years in prison.

Reeves did not immediately respond Friday to a Facebook message seeking comment.

Officials said Reeves made three separate attempts to cross police lines to reach a fatal crash involving a motorcycle and a car. The motorcyclist, Adonis Smith, died when a car tried to change lanes into Smith’s path.

A state trooper said Reeves pushed him and both a trooper, and a Cordele police officer said Reeves didn’t obey instructions.

Cordele City Attorney Tommy Coleman said earlier that a commissioner had no authority to interfere with law enforcement.

“He felt like he knew this person and he wanted to get to the scene. According to the state patrol, he used his position to say, `You have to listen to me, I’m a city commissioner.’ And of course, they don’t,” Coleman said.

If convicted of a felony, Reeves would be removed from office. Reeves could also be suspended from office now that he’s been indicted.

Reeves, who is African American, drew notice in 2018 when multiple troopers and Cordele officers responded to a traffic stop. A trooper sought to ticket Reeves for illegally parking a limousine he had borrowed to ferry Stacey Abrams supporters to the polls.