Winder officer injured in wreck

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Winder officer injured in wreck

Posted by

Mike Buffington

in Public Safety Archives

Wednesday, April 29. 2009

Comments (23)

A Winder police officer was injured Monday in a wreck on Hwy. 81 after he made an improper U-turn that caused another vehicle to crash into his city vehicle.

According to a Barrow County Sheriff’s Office report, Officer Christopher Stapleton was traveling south on Hwy. 81 in an unmarked Ford Taurus, and Ken Parks of Nicholson was behind him in a Chevy Silverado. When they reached the intersection with Township Avenue, the officer attempted to make a U-turn in the middle of the road.

However, the Silverado had moved simultaneously to the road’s center lane, and it hit the Taurus on the driver’s side.

Stapleton was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center for treatment. Parks was not injured, according to the report.

The officer said he had not seen the Chevy, but he was found to be at fault in the accident.

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#1 Citizen on 04/29/09 at 01:01 PM [Reply]

I almost hit one of Winders cops 2 weeks ago in the same way on 53 north of town. I had to veer off the road when a Winder cop made a sudden u-turn with no warning. Maybe it should be addressed.

#2 UncleTed on 04/29/09 at 04:23 PM [Reply]

I work in Athens where there is a police training site. Every morning I see officers from various areas going 10 to 15 mph over the limit to get to class. Badgeamerica, don't leave home without it!!

#2.1 PoPo on 04/30/09 at 05:56 AM [Reply]

Uncle Ted would you like some cheese to go with that WHINE

#2.1.1 Joy on 05/04/09 at 05:19 PM [Reply]

hey, If you are a police officer You are to set a example for the rest of us folk { YOU ABIDE BY THE LAW ALSO }. NOW WOULD YOU LIKE SOME CHEESE FOR YOU WHINE.

#3 TIM on 05/01/09 at 10:11 AM [Reply]

I have whitnesed the clown Christopher Stapleton at his job he is a lose cannon and is going to cost the city lots of money on day! This guy is from arcade police dept and we all know what that is about!

#4 Tim on 05/02/09 at 02:27 AM [Reply]

I dont know Stapleton but I sure hope he can spell better than you (witness does not have a "h" and "loose" is the way it is spelled)

#5 Anonymous on 05/02/09 at 06:14 AM [Reply]

One too many tickets Tim? Or maybe one too many arrest?

#6 TIM on 05/04/09 at 08:27 AM [Reply]

SORRY ABOUT MY SPELLING I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS A CLASSROOM? AND JUST FOR THE RECORD I HAVE NEVER BEEN ARRESTED! BUT I DID SEE THIS JERK!!!! MAKE A ARREST!!! YALL LET ME KNOWW WHEN THE SPELLING BEE STARTS!!!!

#6.1 Anonymous on 05/04/09 at 08:10 PM [Reply]

BUT I DID SEE THIS JERK!!!! MAKE A ARREST!!! YALL LET ME KNOWW WHEN THE SPELLING BEE STARTS!!!!

But I did see this jerk make an (an not a) arrest!!! Y'all (not yall) let me know (only 1 w) when .......

Oh and caps mean yelling, but I think you get that

#7 Joy on 05/04/09 at 05:10 PM [Reply]

Have seen this office do the same thing on other occasions. Also have seen other Winder police officers make U-turns in the road and also turn on their emergency lights { blue lights } just get to a place for their coffee breaks or just to have their meals. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THE CITY HAS PAY OUT ON A LAW SUIT.

#7.1 Anonymous on 06/06/09 at 09:05 AM [Reply]

#8 Tim on 05/04/09 at 07:24 PM [Reply]

I see you got mad because he made an arrest? That is really a bad thing for a police officer to do. What will they do next? They might put the bad guys in jail. What a terrible thing for the police to do.

#9 Great article!!! on 05/05/09 at 12:50 AM [Reply]

Wow. An officer made a faulty U-turn and caused an accident, in which he suffered some scratches and the victim received no injuries. Big news Mr. Editor! What an incident. Let’s announce this officer’s name and make sure that everybody knows that he received citations. Now his job is going to be a whole lot easier. Nobody is going to give him grief whenever his is conducting his duties. How many accidents of this nature are reported in this manner? Oh, I forgot, he is an officer. When an officer arrests a murderer, rapist, robber… Is the officer’s name announced in this manner? I don’t think so. Is it because somebody doesn’t like this officer? The question is asked because when officers blatantly violate its oath of office and such facts are made publicly aware, nothing is published here. But big accidents like this, of course, the public needs to be aware, because an officer can’t make a faulty U-turn. Of course the officer made this faulty U-turn because he is reckless, not because he probably seen something like a criminal activity, a wanted person, a possible commission of a crime… Then, illiterate blogs are placed in this great article. What a joke!!!!

#10 TIM on 05/05/09 at 07:34 AM [Reply]

Ok Mr. Anonymous since you seem to be so infatuated with the spelling rather than the story here it goes!
I am 100 percent behind arresting the bad guy but in the instances I am referring to the only bad guy was wearing the badge! I have several friends that are police officers and some of them work for the winder Police Department and believe it or not they know the story I am referring to and agree that this guy is bad news!!!
Like what I have to say or not the fact that this guy is a problem is still a dead on fact and time will bear out the truth.

#10.1 Joe on 05/05/09 at 04:25 PM [Reply]

Okay so the officer made an illegal u-turn and was cited for it. That's a good thing. It shows there is no favoritism. He was at fault, he was ticketed. They could have said, oh he heard a call on his scanner and was making the turn in the line of duty.(Seen that happen)

What I take offense to is your calling him a clown and loose cannon.

I'm sure that if he truly isn't a good, safe cop, then the chief of police has addressed the issue as I'm sure he will address the issue of his making the illegal u-turn.

#10.2 Great article!!! on 05/05/09 at 05:29 PM [Reply]

Tim,
It is clear that you have something against this officer. It is also clear that you can't write and probably can't speak correctly. Why do you need to be so offensive? It offends me just to read your blog, because it worst than 5th grader writing. I am not going to write here in this article anymore because this is just ridiculous. He wrecked. End of story. Tim, why don’t you announce your real name here? Is it Tim? Are you perfect? I think that it has been established that you are not, because you can’t write. What are you trying to say Tim? Here’s what you’re trying to say: I am an idiot that can’t write, but this is a great opportunity to let everybody know that I can’t write and that I hate this guy. Good Tim, you are an idiot that hate this officer. Stop your 5th grader crying! You can reply, but I am not writing or reading this article anymore.

#10.2.1 carol on 05/06/09 at 06:54 AM [Reply]

Great Article, perhaps Tim does have a 5th grade education, and poor writing skills, but your comment "You can reply, but I'm not writing or reading this article anymore." is a 5th grade maturity level. You guys should get together.

I don't know this officer. While I'm glad the police force is here and know there are many fine officers that I respect. I also have seen many that are complete buttwipes who abuse their power and this guy could be one of them. It does happen!

#11 TIM on 05/06/09 at 07:13 AM [Reply]

I will be destitute if you don’t write me any more!!!!

#12 terry raber on 05/06/09 at 06:15 PM [Reply]

It is amazing how many of these people could not pick chris out of a line up, but have witnessed him make so many illeagle activities.
I can't believe that he made a u-turn out of the blue, I am willing to bet that he saw something or someone. I guess for some people, it is easier to criticise than to get the facts.

#13 ?!? on 05/12/09 at 03:16 PM [Reply]

Actually i know for a fact (yes i know the facts) that the officer did make an illegal u-turn, and it was out of the blue. and the guy hit him because the officer is irresponible and paid no attention to the fact that someone was coming over the hill.

why do you people sit here and argue about things? read the newspaper, and talk to people in your community, its crazy what you will see and find out.

#14 Anonymous on 05/22/09 at 07:10 AM [Reply]

The problem with some law enforcement agencies is that we hire very young people with little life experience and give them a badge and a gun and the authority and descretion to make decisions that may affect another human being the rest of their life. This descretion may be based on a perceived need to impress their supervisors or a sick need to hurt someone. Too many officers have no idea or the desire to perform true public service. They spend too much time asserting their authority and not enough time serving citizens. Take a look at some of these podunk small town police departments. Their cars are marked "LAW ENFORCEMENT". What happened to just "POLICE" and "TO PROTECT AND SERVE". Maybe some police cars should be marked: "TO HARASS AND DISTURB". No, I've never been arrested or received a ticket but I did serve the public for 22 years as an officer police services.

#14.1 Anonymous on 06/01/09 at 01:36 PM [Reply]

Your an Idiot. I bet you never were an officer. People make mistakes. How do you gain experience without starting young. If you don't ask a question or make a mistake you will never learn. Oh I bet you were super cop !!!. Probably talked and hated by most in your locker room.

#15 nobody special on 06/01/09 at 07:33 PM [Reply]

Why wasn't he taken to Barrow Regional Medical Center?

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