Trouble in Paradise: Police Officer Shoots man after he flips his vehicle

The Paradise police officer who investigators say accidentally shot a man in the neck last month will not face criminal charges, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey announced Thursday.

Ramsey said the evidence in this case shows the shooting to be accidental, and possibly negligent, but not criminally so. “This shooting is not justified, but also not criminal."

Paradise Police Officer Patrick Feaster, a five year veteran of the department, was parked on the Skyway around midnight Thanksgiving morning, when he saw a Toyota Four-Runner speeding out of the Canteena Bar parking lot without headlights on.

Feaster followed in his patrol car, as the Toyota ran a red light and turned onto Pearson Road where the driver, 26-year-old Andrew Thomas struck the median and flipped, ejecting his 23-year old wife Darien Ehorn from the vehicle. Ehorn was killed in the crash.

Ramsey said Feaster drew his gun when Thomas “popped” out of the car, believing he would flee. As Officer Feaster moved towards Thomas, the gun discharged and struck Thomas in the neck. The shot hit Thomas in the C7 and T1 vertebrae and could lead to him being paralyzed for life.

When backup arrived on the scene, Feaster did not mention anything about having fired his weapon. According to Ramsey, Feaster notified his commanding officer about the discharge only after Thomas’ gunshot wound was found.

As the commanding officer suggested an officer return to Canteena and try to find out if Thomas had been shot at the bar, Feaster revealed that he may have shot Thomas.

Ramsey said nearly 11 minutes passed before any other officers, medics or firefighters learned Thomas had been shot.

According to Ramsey, several factors led investigators to believe the shooting was accidental. “The dash cam video shows Officer Feaster was not prepared for and was surprised by the guns firing. The pistol discharges in mid-stride and the officer both flinches his head to the right and does a stutter step indicative of an officer not prepared for nor intentionally firing his pistol. Additionally, officers normally train to fire a minimum of two shots. There was no second shot and the officer immediately holstered his weapon after the discharge.”

In a media release, Ramsey said “His (Officer Feaster’s) reaction on the dash cam video and his statements to protocol investigators confirm an honest belief that he did not intentionally fire his pistol.”

Paradise Police Chief Gabriela Tazzari-Dineen said Patrick Feaster remains on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation

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Comment by XLFD on December 14, 2015 at 11:16am

Paradise is in Montana, and one almost has to hold the prosecutor to account in not pursuing criminal charges here (as Aquaman notes), as it effectively gives police in that district a license to kill without repercussions.  The video speaks for itself, the officer pulled his gun out and shot the guy while the guy's hands were occupied in lifting himself out of the car, and proceeded as if nothing happened.  He even methodically went about  ignoring the man he shot in cold blood and avoided any mention of it until others came, noticed it, and indicated they planned on investigating it. 

Comment by AQUAMAN on December 13, 2015 at 1:15pm

As sad and warped as this video is, it reminds me of events I witnessed before, not in the streets, but in a carnival, or shooting range. If you've been to a circus or carnival where there is a shooting gallery, it's up to the shooters/public to shoot a target down quickly and precisely when it pops up from the gallery at the back of the tent. At a shooting range for LE, it's up to the officer practicing to shoot a target, or reject shooting it, depending on if it's good guy or bad guy. Points are awarded for speed and accuracy on the targets. Shooting a good guy takes points away, or disqualifies the officer back to shooting fixed targets, and perhaps not allowing them a firing weapon in the field until they have proven they can ID targets without this mistake.

Comment by Willy on December 11, 2015 at 5:55pm

Good points about how he hurriedly put his pistol back in his holster Aquaman.

Comment by AQUAMAN on December 11, 2015 at 5:50pm

Quite correct Willy, no sense, no warning, no reason for this at all. Looking at the video over and over, I can't see any stutter step, flinch, nor anything the Prosecutor somehow envisions in his warped head. Officer Feaster quick drawed his weapon on the man, even though it was obvious the kid was exiting the car unarmed, with both hands clearly visible lifting himself out the top of the vehicle. I also noticed Feaster quickly put his revolver into his holster right after shooting. If you have a suspect that is suspicious in nature and possibly going to shoot you, you don't quickly holster your gun so you aren't armed for the potential attack either. This isn't manslaughter, it's second degree murder in the raw. Any jury would find Feaster guilty, plain and simple. I have no idea why this officer did this, it surely was not any accident, but a prosecutor not charging him is also criminal. Both need to be jailed and fired immediately. Where is Paradise, in Michigan? Sad video of another calamity of Law Enforcement gone wild and careless at the least.

Comment by Willy on December 11, 2015 at 5:05pm

This doesn't make any sense. Why did the officer have his weapon drawn because it was clear the man did not have a weapon. Was the officer's weapon holstered with  the safety off or did he disengage the safety as he raised the weapon? It sure seems as if he was ready to shoot so It didn't look like an accidental shooting to me. It looks as though he intentionally fired on the man. I didn't hear any warning for the man to raise his hands. If this was an accident then why did he not report it over the radio and by not reporting it then that in itself is a crime. The cop is guilty of manslaughter at the least. If this was an accident then it's obvious he cannot  be trusted to have a firearm in his posession when dealing with the public.

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