The Columbia County deputy who dodged gunfire from a Harlem domestic violence suspect spells out Saturday night’s dramatic chase in a newly-released sheriff’s report.
Deputy N.D. Gilliam explained what happened when he responded to a domestic violence report on Rolland Road that ended with suspect Bradley Gooding trying to kill himself. The suspect was moved from the hospital to jail on Tuesday, charged with fleeing and attempting to elude officer, aggravated assault, reckless driving, DUI, failure to maintain lane and two counts of battery – family violence.
Here is the unedited narrative from Deputy Gilliam’s sheriff’s report:
“On 08/10/2024 at approximately 1830 hrs Deputy Muldrow and I were dispatched to a physical domestic at 1157 Rolland Rd.
Dispatch informed us via radio that an intoxicated male, later identified as Bradley Gooding, struck two females at the residence. Dispatch also informed us he was in possession of a firearm and may be leaving the residence in an older model red Acura. It was unclear whether or not the subject was still on scene or whether he was still in possession of the firearm when deputies arrived.
At approximately 1837 hrs Deputy Muldrow and I arrived on scene at the residence.
Upon arrival, Deputy Muldrow and I approached a group of people standing on the front porch of the residence. They told Deputy Muldrow that Bradley may have run off into the woods behind the house. Deputy Muldrow walked into the front yard and began to circle around the right side of the house near a carport. I was walking in the front yard towards the group of people. When Deputy Muldrow began to approach the carport, Bradley peered over the roof of the red Acura that was parked in the car port. While using the vehicle as cover, Bradley raised a black rifle, pointed it at Deputy Muldrow and yelled “Back off!”.
I saw Deputy Muldrow run from the right side of the house away from the car port back into the front yard to take cover. Deputy Muldrow told me the subject had a gun. I drew my duty weapon and ran up onto the front deck. I took cover against the house and quickly looked around the corner. I saw Bradley standing on the other side of the red Acura with a black rifle in his hands. Deputy Williamson and Deputy Bouvier arrived on scene and I notified dispatch over the radio that the subject had a firearm. I yelled to the arriving deputies that the subject had a rifle. Deputy Williamson and Deputy Bouvier equipped themselves with their duty rifles and took cover near the front deck of the house. Deputies began to circle around the house from both sides attempting to gain sight of the subject.
I saw the red Acura drive off at a high rate of speed from the carport through the front yard. The vehicle continued onto Rolland Rd and began driving in the direction of Old Louisville Rd. Deputies ran back to our patrol vehicles and began driving down Rolland Rd attempting to locate the vehicle. While I was driving my patrol vehicle on Rolland Rd towards Old Louisville Rd I activated my emergency lights and sirens. When I arrived at the intersection of Rolland Rd and Old Louisville Rd, I did not have sight of the vehicle. I made a left turn onto Old Louisville Rd traveling south and began searching for the vehicle.
When I arrived at the intersection of Old Louisville Rd and Harlem Grovetown Rd, I saw the vehicle stopped at the red light at the intersection. I radioed to dispatch to inform them I was behind the vehicle. My emergency lights and sirens were still activated. The traffic signal turned green and the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed through the intersection. I pursued the vehicle through the intersection and continued south on Old Louisville Rd behind the vehicle.
I saw the driver point an unknown black object appearing to be a handgun out of the driver side window in my direction. I heard the distinct sound of a gunshot ring out and saw smoke exiting the barrel of the gun as it was fired while pointed in my direction. I immediately veered my patrol vehicle off the roadway on to the shoulder in order to avoid any additional gunshots. Bradley fired another shot at me and I was forced to steer my vehicle onto the shoulder again to avoid any additional shots. I began to slow my patrol vehicle to allow Bradley’s vehicle to create distance to avoid any additional gunshots. I continued to pursue Bradley’s vehicle at a distance.
I was only able to view Bradley’s vehicle’s taillights as I continued to pursue him at a safer distance. The vehicle went around a curve as it was approaching Huntington Dr and I briefly lost sight of the vehicle. As I rounded the curve I saw that Bradley had lost control of his vehicle, steered off the roadway and came to a final stop in the ditch next to the road just after passing Huntington Dr.
I brought my patrol vehicle to a stop approximately fifty yards away from the wreck in the southbound lane of Old Louisville Rd. I exited my vehicle and retrieved my outer vest and patrol rifle from the trunk. I took cover behind my vehicle and scanned the area attempting to gain sight of Bradley. I saw that the vehicle was partially on fire. Deputies Williamson, Bouvier and Muldrow arrived on scene and we formed a plan to approach the vehicle. Deputies tactically approached the vehicle. When we arrived at the wreck I saw that Bradley was laying on his side still inside the wreckage of the vehicle. Deputy Mason arrived on scene and helped us to drag Bradley from the wreckage. We noticed that Bradley was breathing but unresponsive and appeared to have a gunshot wound to his head.
EMS arrived on scene and began performing life saving measures on Bradley. Bradley was transported to MCG via ambulance by Gold Cross for further treatment.
Supervisors arrived on scene and CID was notified of the incident. Investigator Clark arrived on scene and the scene was turned over to him.
I met with the on call Magistrate Judge Morgan and obtained a warrant for Fleeing and Attempting to Elude OCGA 40 6 395(c)(1)(3). I issued Bradley citations for Fleeing and Attempting to Elude OCGA 40 6 395(c)(1)(3), Reckless Driving OCGA 40 6 390 and Failure to Maintain Lane OCGA 40 6 48.
Video evidence of Bradley firing the weapon at my patrol vehicle has been uploaded to the evidence drive under this case number.
The post Columbia County Deputy Describes Tense Chase & Gunfire from Suicidal Driver appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.