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NSBNEWS.net by Henry Frederick. NSBNEWS.net audio by Sera Frederick.
Oak Hill police officer Brandy Sutherlin, at left in the photo, fills out a report while Oak Hill Police Chief Diane Young greets his wife, Christina, Saturday night in a gas station parking lot Saturday night across from the New Smyrna Speedway, after the couple told troopers they were victims of a road-rage incident that began on I-95 and continued onto S.R. 44, resulting in the off-duty cop shooting his gun at the other motorist's vehicle. Listen to the 9-1-1 call,
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- New details have emerged in Saturday's bizarre road-rage incident, which could call into question the judgment of an off-duty Oak Hill police officer chasing another motorist at speeds approaching 90 to 120 mph with his wife and kids in the car, as described in the 9-1-1 call he made to the authorities.
NSBNEWS.net obtained a copy of the 91--1 call from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office through a public records request.
From the onset, Brandy Sutherlin addresses the operator in his police officer mode, even though he's off-duty in a family car with three small kids in the back, which the dispatcher isn't told right away after he said he was twice struck in his BMW sedan by a Ford pick-up truck on Interstate 95 just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday that ended after the pick-up left the interstate for State Road 44 and he fired a shot art it after the driver turned around and started head toawards him. As it turns out his wife was behind the wheel of the BMW, even thogh at first he gives the dispatcher the impression he's behind the wheel and alone.
He starts off: "This is the Oak Hill Police Department. I'm actually on I-95 northbound. I've just got signal threed."
He then adds, "He decided to run from me," adding "I'm actually off-duty."
It gets worse from there when Sutherlin tells the dispatcher he's having trouble reading the plate because the other driver is speeding. "He is doing in excess of 120 (mph), and we are at 90," Brandy Sutherin says near the beginning of the 16-minute call.
"I know you are an officer, but you don't want to put your family in danger by flying down the highway to get a license," the dispatch operator responds.
"I know you are an officer, but you don't want to put your family in danger by flying down the highway to get a license," the dispatch operator responds.
Sutherlin later fires his personal revolver, aiming at the tires, but says be believes he missed after the driver turned around and headed straight for his car.
The chase finally ended when Sutherlin's wife pulled into the Kangaroo gas station/convenience store and the other driver kept going. A statewide bulletin was issued for the apprehension of the other driver on aggravated battery charges.
New Smyrna Beach police said they weren't anticipating charges against Sutherlin or his wife, but he has been placed on paid administrative leave by Oak Hill Police Chief Diane Young while she conducts an internal affairs investigation to see if he followed proper procedures.
Young declined comment on the issue and Sutherlin could not be reached for comment. Sutherlin started out with Oak Hill as a reserve officer before being hired part-time in January and elevated to full time in March.