Trooper Kills Suspect Who Was Drowning Him
Sergeant Auston Allen shot the man trying to drown him
Saturday night, Georgia State Patrol Sergeant Auston Allen was working a DUI checkpoint when a Ford Explorer driven by Rodrigo Guardiola, 36, tried to run the checkpoint. This led to a pursuit which resulted in Sergeant Allen catching Guardiola at a creek. A struggle ensued and Guardiola attempted to drown Sergeant Allen in the creek, holding him underwater. Sergeant Allen attempted to use his Taser, which didn’t work. Sergeant Allen then shot Guardiola dead.
Gainsville Times reports:
The chase, which also resulted in another being suspect being taken to jail and two other troopers being injured, began after a Ford Explorer driven by Rodrigo Guardiola, 36, of Gainesville, fled a road check at 8:25 p.m. Saturday on Ga. 53, just south of Interstate 985.
Troopers began pursuing the car, following the vehicle to I-985, then onto Queen City Parkway and back toward Gainesville.
“Troopers boxed in the vehicle to stop the pursuit, which resulted in a collision,” states a press release from Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the incident.
The pursuit ended near Industrial Boulevard, authorities have said.
Guardiola and his passenger, Epitacio Gudino-Almazan, 31, also from the Gainesville area, then ran from the vehicle, according to the GBI.
Sgt. Auston Allen caught up to Guardiola at a creek and tried to take Guardiola into custody, according to a state patrol release Monday.
“A physical altercation ensued and Guardiola attempted to submerge and hold Sgt. Allen underwater,” the release states. “Sgt. Allen was able to fire his Taser at Guardiola with no effective impact, at which point he fired his service weapon striking Guardiola.”
Allen will be placed on leave while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducts its investigation of the incident.
Also injured in the altercation were Trooper First Class Bronson Taylor and Trooper First Class Spencer Munger.
Gudino-Almazan was captured nearby about 45 minutes later and taken to the Hall County Jail.
GBI spokesman Scott Dutton said it was not known why Guardiola and Gudino-Almazan ran and that neither was wanted by authorities.
The troopers were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, and they have since been released.
Gudino-Almazan has been charged with possession of an open container and two counts of obstruction of an officer, according to his arrest report.
Great job by this warrior for defending his life from a brutal assault.
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Janice Seager
Thank you God for sparing this Guardian! For giving him the courage and strength to do what was needed. And, thank you Patrol Sergeant Auston Allen for getting that trash to the curb!
SCPDBLUE
Was I.C.E. contacted?
Sam
Why would ICE be needed? The race card never stops!
Larry Wittenberg
Good work, Sgt. Allen