Augusta County sheriff's investigator convicted of assault in Staunton
STAUNTON — An Augusta County investigator was convicted Thursday in Staunton on two charges of misdemeanor assault and battery in a 2022 incident where he roughed up one man and grabbed at another as the victims tried filming members of an area drug task force.
Investigator C.J. Taylor of the Augusta County Sheriff's Office was fined $2,000 on the two convictions.
Following the guilty verdicts, Taylor's attorney, Tripp Franklin, said he respectfully disagreed with the judge's decision and immediately filed an appeal.
Testimony on Thursday in Staunton General District Court showed that Taylor was part of a drug task force and was in pursuit of a suspect when two men — Antwhon Suiter, a constitutional activist who runs what he said is an auditing firm that monitors police activity, and Christopher Shifflett — came upon a police scene.
Suiter said he'd just picked up Shifflett the night of Aug. 31, 2022, in Staunton, and testimony showed they were headed to a local convenience store for a snack when they noticed a police vehicle near Gypsy Hill Park. Suiter, who turned on his car's dashboard camera and began recording, followed the vehicle and a second one to nearby Reservoir Hill Park, located at the intersection of North Madison and North Jefferson streets.
Both men exited Suiter's vehicle and were filming with their phones when approached by Investigator Taylor.
Footage of part of the incident posted on YouTube shows Taylor confronting a shirtless Shifflett, who is seen holding a phone. Taylor pulls out a pair of handcuffs and then grabs Shifflett by his wrist before knocking the phone out of his grasp and slinging him to the ground.
"I let him throw me like a rag doll," said Shifflett, who noted he did not resist. He was handcuffed and briefly held before being released with no charges, according to testimony.
Suiter testified that after Taylor threw Shifflett to the ground, the investigator ordered him to leave. Taylor then grabbed at Suiter's wrist and phone. "I honestly thought I was next" to get thrown, he said.
Tripp argued that Suiter's hand was only grabbed "for a second," and said Taylor's takedown of Shifflett was not aggressive.
Taylor was prosecuted by Roanoke City Commonwealth's Attorney Donald Caldwell and his chief assistant, John McNeil.
General District Court Judge Robin Mayer lamented the fact that the only recordings available came from the victims and not police, and said it appeared both men were assaulted. "At the end of the day, that's what it is for me," Mayer said.
Taylor remains on paid leave, according to Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith.
Suiter has filed a $2 million lawsuit in federal court, records show.
In an unrelated incident, on Thursday, Sgt. William Mikolay of the Augusta County Sheriff's Office had charges of malicious wounding and assault certified to the grand jury in Albemarle County, court records show.
Mikolay is accused of being in a September pursuit that involved a Gordonsville man. The suspect's car was chased into Albemarle County, where deflation devices were used. The driver lost control of the car and crashed into an embankment. He reportedly ran from the scene but was chased on foot.
Albemarle County authorities allege Mikolay assaulted the suspect during his arrest, resulting in him being hospitalized at UVA Health in Charlottesville before being arrested on numerous charges.
Mikolay is free on a $5,000 unsecured bond, and is also on paid leave.
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Augusta County sheriff's investigator convicted of assault
