Former trooper, Buchanan Mayor A.J. Scott testifies in fatal crash trial
Former trooper, current mayor testifies in vehicular homicide trial
Buchanan Mayor Anthony James "A.J." Scott, a former Georgia State Patrol trooper, took the stand to testify on Monday morning about the 2015 crash that killed two teenagers and injured two others. As he drove that night, Scott confirmed he was not on a call and did not have his lights or sirens activated. Under cross-examination, Scott acknowledged he was traveling close to 90 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone.
CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - Buchanan Mayor Anthony James "A.J." Scott, a former Georgia State Patrol trooper, took the stand to testify on Monday morning about the 2015 crash that killed two teenagers and injured two others.
Mayor takes the stand
What they're saying:
Scott described his career background, noting that he served in the Marine Corps from 2007 to 2011 before joining the Georgia State Patrol in 2011. He explained his training and assignments, stating he worked posts in Thomaston, Jasper, and Villa Rica before becoming a regular trooper. On average, he said he handled "anywhere from two to ten" crashes a day, primarily in Carroll and Douglas counties.
On the night of Sept. 26, 2015, Scott said he began his midnight shift around 10 p.m. He acknowledged that his portable radio was dead, so he left it with a Bremen officer to charge while relying on his in-car radio. When a chase involving two vehicles ended, he remained in the Whitesburg area to look for suspects before eventually returning toward Bremen. He also admitted he was behind on paperwork: "I’d fallen behind on crash reports and actually been written up for not having them completed in time."
FULL: Mayor A.J. Scott testifies in his own defense
Former Georgia State Patrol trooper and current Buchannan Mayor A.J. Scott took the stand on Monday to testify in his own defense in the case charging him in the deaths of two teenage girls in 2015.
Scott confirms no lights or sirens
As he drove that night, Scott confirmed he was not on a call and did not have his lights or sirens activated. "The majority of the crashes we worked, we did not respond with lights and sirens," he said, explaining that sirens were typically reserved for emergencies or chases.
Moments before the crash, Scott testified that he initially moved right when he saw a car to his left, believing the driver would stop. "Because, I mean, thinking that they would see me, I figured they would end up stopping right there and I didn’t want a chance to hit them." When the car continued, he tried to move left, but the collision occurred.
After the crash, Scott said, "I activated my blue lights to let people know there was a hazard, and I notified the communications center that I was involved in a 10-50." He added that he helped the Nissan driver out of the vehicle and moved him to the roadside.
Scott admits driving almost 90mph
Under cross-examination, Scott acknowledged he was traveling close to 90 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, despite signs suggesting 45 mph up the hill where the wreck occurred. When asked directly, he said, "Yes," it was accurate that he was going about 90 mph without lights or sirens, not responding to any call, and "going back to the bridge."
Scott also admitted issuing "15 to 20" speeding tickets per month as a trooper and was familiar with speed limits and Georgia’s super speeder laws.
His testimony concluded with the defense resting its case.
What's next:
The jury has been dismissed for the day with instructions to return on Tuesday morning. At that time, lawyers for both sides will deliver their closing statements and the jury will begin deliberations.
The rest of the day will be spent reviewing necessary items related to charges and jury instructions.
ORIGINAL STORY
The mayor of Buchanan, Georgia, is back on trial nearly a decade after a deadly crash that killed two teenagers and seriously injured two others.
What we know:
Anthony James "A.J." Scott, who was serving as a Georgia State Patrol trooper at the time of the 2015 wreck, faces charges including two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle, two counts of serious injury by vehicle, speeding and reckless driving.
Prosecutors say Scott was driving north on U.S. Highway 27 at high speed when his patrol car struck a vehicle carrying four people. Sixteen-year-old Isabella Chinchilla and 17-year-old Kylie Lindsey were killed, while driver Dillon Wall and passenger Benjamin Finken suffered severe injuries.
The trial began last week. After jury selection took 2 days, testimony began on Wednesday.
What they're saying:
On Friday, retired state trooper Brandon Stone returned to the witness stand, testifying about his role reconstructing the 2015 crash that killed two teenagers and injured two others. Stone told jurors that training teaches troopers how to avoid collisions and confirmed that speed reduces the time drivers have to react.
Prosecutors argue Buchanan Mayor A.J. Scott, then a state trooper, was driving more than 80 mph without lights on wet, dark Highway 27 when his patrol car struck a Nissan carrying four teens. Kylie Lindsey and Isabella Chinchilla were killed.
The defense highlighted that the Nissan, described as an older hand-me-down vehicle with a small engine, failed to yield while turning left. Investigators testified that had Scott been driving the posted 55 mph speed limit, he would have had time to stop.
The backstory:
Scott’s first trial in 2019 ended in a mistrial after defense attorneys learned prosecutors had not disclosed evidence about the possible seating position of one of the victims.
The retrial was delayed for various reasons, including the original prosecutor and judge recusing themselves and the lead defense attorney taking medical leave.