Ira Troy Williams (Georgia Bureau of Investigation)
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A 53-year-old Conyers man has been sentenced to 135 years in prison after pleading guilty to shooting at three Georgia State Patrol troopers and wounding a police K9 during a high-speed chase on Interstate 85, prosecutors announced.
What we know:
Ira Troy Williams entered a non-negotiated guilty plea on Thursday, pleading guilty to three counts of criminal attempt to commit malice murder.
PREVIOUS STORY: Man wanted for shooting GSP K-9 caught in Grantville, police say
He admitted guilt to 13 additional felony charges, including three counts of aggravated assault upon a public safety officer, one count of aggravated harming of a public safety animal, one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, three counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and one count of possession of cocaine.
A superior court judge sentenced Williams to serve 135 years in prison followed by 35 years of probation.
The backstory:
The encounter began around 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2024, near mile marker 38 on I-85 Southbound in Coweta County. GSP Trooper Christopher Butler initiated a traffic stop on a Chevy Cruze. Williams pulled over and initially stepped out of the vehicle, but quickly jumped back behind the wheel and sped away, according to the district attorney's office.
Williams drove at high speeds, wove through heavy traffic, and brake-checked pursuing patrol units, prosecutors said. Trooper Butler executed three PIT maneuvers to stop the car. After the third PIT, Williams fired directly into Butler's patrol cruiser.
One of the initial rounds pierced the vehicle and struck Butler's K9 partner, Amor, who was sitting in the backseat. Butler's in-car audio system recorded Amor yelping in pain. Veterinarians later treated the dog for two gunshot wounds to his right legs, the district attorney's office said.
GSP Sgt. David Whitehead and Cpl. Anthony Munoz joined the pursuit as Williams continued firing multiple rounds down the interstate at all three patrol cars. Williams exited onto US-29/GA-14 and turned onto a dirt road near railroad tracks south of downtown Grantville. He jumped out of his car, fired at least four more rounds at the three troopers, and vanished into the woods, prosecutors added.
Inside the abandoned car, investigators recovered two handguns, multi-caliber ammunition, and more than nine grams of cocaine, authorities added.
The shooting triggered a two-day manhunt. Around 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2024, two troopers searched an alleyway behind an antique shop off Moreland Street in Grantville. They discovered Williams sleeping inside the cab of an old pickup truck with an AR-style pistol lying across his chest. Ballistics testing later matched that gun to shell casings recovered from Williams' car and the final shooting scene, the district attorney's office said.
What they're saying:
The Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office praised the troopers' courage and confirmed that K9 Amor made a full recovery:
"By the grace of God, these troopers were not injured or killed by this Defendant. Their bravery in pursuit of [a] homicidal maniac cannot be overstated. It is infuriating that K9 Amor suffered gunshot wounds, but our office is relieved that Amor is doing well and continues to serve the Georgia State Patrol. This is a harsh sentence, but such a sentence is appropriate for a defendant who would attempt to murder police officers and risk murdering every other person in range of his firearm."
What we don't know:
Prosecutors and court records did not disclose why Trooper Butler initially pulled Williams over, nor did officials state what prompted Williams to flee and open fire after initially stepping out of his vehicle.
The Source: Information in this article came from an official announcement by the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office and records filed in Coweta County Superior Court.