A west Georgia police officer is set to begin rehabilitation for a brain injury two weeks after he was shot in the head during a frightening car chase and gunbattle with two suspects, authorities said.
Carrollton police Officer Sgt. Rob Holloway was transferred from Grady Memorial Hospital to the Shepherd Center’s intensive care unit Monday, the police department said in a statement.
“Soon, he will move into the hospital’s brain injury rehabilitation program, where he will begin therapy under the guidance of a full team of medical and rehabilitation specialists,” the statement said.
Holloway, one of three officers who were wounded April 12, had been in Grady’s ICU since the deadly shootout. A fourth, Cpl. Jamison Troutt of the Carroll County sheriff’s office, was injured during the incident but was not hit by gunfire, officials said.
Carroll County Deputy Jay Repetto, who was in the same patrol vehicle as Troutt, was shot in the arm and flown to Atlanta Medical Center. Villa Rica police Officer Chase Gordy, who was on the scene first, was shot twice and underwent surgery at Grady. Both have since been released.
The incident began when a state trooper tried to pull over a 2015 Nissan Sentra it had clocked going 111 mph on I-20, according to the Georgia State Patrol. The trooper used a PIT maneuver to disable the car after it sped away from the attempted traffic stop, but the driver regained control and kept going.
Local authorities joined the chase as it crossed into Carroll County. Someone inside the Sentra fired multiple rounds at the officers, officials said.
During the chase, Holloway was hit by gunfire and injured but continued his pursuit, the GBI said. He later crashed into a pole.
The Nissan eventually crashed near an elementary school in Villa Rica, and the suspects ran away from the vehicle. At some point, officers located them and a gunfight ensued.
Gordy was hit during a barrage of gunfire, and Repetto was struck while he and Troutt were en route to find Gordy. During the exchange, one of the suspects was also shot.
The armed suspect, identified as Pier Alexander Shelton, 28, of Birmingham, Alabama, was pronounced dead at the scene. The GBI has not said who fired the shot that killed him.
His cousin, Aaron Jajuan Shelton, 22, also of Birmingham, was arrested and charged with five counts of aggravated assault and three counts of aggravated battery. He is being held at the Carroll jail without bond.
In a statement through the Carrollton Police Department, Holloway’s family said they appreciate the outpouring of support from the community “but has requested privacy at this time.”
“Sgt. Holloway’s family said they are grateful for the excellent care he received while at Grady Memorial Hospital, which referred the injured officer to Shepherd Center for rehabilitation,” the statement said.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to cover Holloway’s medical-related expenses.
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