Cop Drank 10 Beers, Attacked Wife And Son On Thanksgiving: Report

WOODSTOCK, GA -- An incident report released by the Cherokee Sheriff's Office has revealed new details surrounding the events that led to a Roswell police officer being charged in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident on Thanksgiving.

Chad Harris, 39, was charged Nov. 23 by sheriff's deputies with simple battery, battery and two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree under the Family Violence Act. Harris was released from the facility on a $4,500 bond, and has been placed on administrative leave while the Roswell Police Department conducts its own investigation into his alleged actions.

According to the sheriff's office's report, deputies were dispatched around 1:41 a.m. Thursday to a call of an alleged assault taking place at a home in unincorporated Woodstock. According to the report, dispatchers informed deputies that a man was "drunk and possibly assaulted his wife," information they said was confirmed by one of two juveniles inside the house.

The deputies arrived on the scene and as they got closer to the home, one deputy could hear two people arguing loudly. As they made their way to the front door, deputies report hearing a "muffled thump" followed by a "loud bang."

"While we were positioning ourselves, we heard a loud scream which sounded like it was produced by a female," a deputy wrote in his account. "I rushed the front door and almost made it there when the front door was flung open."

An adult female, later identified as the victim, came out of the door and was followed by Harris, who "looked as if he was pushing her out the front door," the report states.

The deputy drew his weapon to "restore order," and ordered everyone inside the house, which included Harris, a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, to come outside. Once the situation was defused, Harris was detained and placed into the rear of a patrol vehicle.

While on the scene, a deputy spoke with the older juvenile, who provided police with an account of what happened that evening. According to the report, Harris allegedly came home, "started drinking" and began to argue about the house being in disarray.

The teen, who alleges Harris has hit mother and verbally abused him and his sister in the past, said he sent the younger child upstairs as Harris "picked up a bunch of shoes and threw them at him." According to the report, the teen, who said the cop allegedly drank 10 beers, said Harris threatened to harm him if he didn't clean his room. The boy went upstairs with the younger child where they both heard screaming and yelling.

"A short while later, (the teen) said he heard a loud smack," the report states, adding he described the sound as skin-on-skin contact. "After (he) heard the skin on skin contact, he heard his mother crying."

Harris and his wife continued to argue until police arrived on the scene. Deputies on the scene also spoke with the female victim, who said Harris "became enraged because she wouldn't look him in the eye." She also said Harris grabbed her by the neck and "forcibly moved her face to look him in the eye."

The deputy asked the woman if Harris hit her due to statements made by the children, but she said the officer never hit her.

"She attributed his aggressiveness to being a police officer and being able to play the part well," the woman, who deputies note had red marks on both sides of her neck, allegedly said in the report.

When asked for his side of the story, Harris said he and his wife did have an argument, but that it did not turn physical. Harris, who admitted to having a few beers, stated he was a detective sergeant with the Roswell Police Department. When he was told that he was being placed under arrest, Harris asked the deputies if they were serious about their actions.

"On the way to my patrol vehicle, Chad made remarks to the effect that he was with the Roswell Police Department," the report added. "He stated he was a 15-year veteran and this would ruin his career."

While en route to the jail, Harris continued to ask why he was being arrested and quizzed the deputy on what probable cause he had in arresting him on the charges.

"He continued to make comments about the investigation being sub-par and asked again what his charges were," the deputy wrote, adding he once again recited the charges Harris is facing. "He asked if we were loading his boat so he wouldn't be able to afford the bond amount. He also made several comments about his law enforcement career, his contacts within the law enforcement community, and his career being over. When we were close to the jail, Chad said he hopes that one day, a neighbor calls the police on me after an argument with my wife, and I end up in the back of his patrol car for doing nothing."

Image via Cherokee County Adult Detention Center