Some Butte County Residents Outraged Officer Won't Face Charges For Shooting
PARADISE (CBS13) – Residents in Butte County are outraged that an officer will not face criminal charges he after shooting a man trying to escape from a wrecked SUV.
Officer Patrick Feaster followed Andrew Thomas after he sped out of a parking lot with his headlights off when the 26-year-old suspect crashed the car.
Thomas tried to get out of the car when Officer Feaster walked toward him. Officer Feaster then fired one shot that hit Thomas in the neck.
Investigators say it took the officer 11 minutes to report that he had fired his gun.
"The 11 minutes waiting to notify is awful," said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. "Regardless, can we prove a case of intentional discharge of that weapon beyond a reasonable doubt, we could not."
Even though prosecutors will not press charges, an internal investigation is ongoing.
Thomas had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. His wife was killed in the crash and he is facing vehicular manslaughter charges for her death.
The shooting might leave Thomas paralyzed from the waist down.