Nearly three years after authorities say he hit and killed two teenage girls, a now-former Georgia state trooper is in trouble again.
Police were called to an auto repair shop in Paulding County last month after the shop’s owner recognized Anthony “A.J.” Scott from the fatal 2015 crash and asked him to leave. The exchange became heated, and Scott allegedly threatened the business owner, according to a police report.
Scott is facing misdemeanor charges in the deaths of Kylie Lindsey, 17, and Isabella Chinchilla, 16, who were killed in Carroll County in September 2015. The girls were in the back seat of a Nissan Sentra traveling through an intersection when Scott’s patrol cruiser smashed into the side of the car.
Lindsey and Chinchilla died of their injuries. The driver, Dillon Lewis Wall, then 18, and front-seat passenger Benjamin Alan Finken, 17 at the time, were critically injured.
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Scott was driving 90 mph in a 55-mph zone seconds before the crash, but he tried to slow down before impact, according to authorities. Scott, who was fired from the state patrol, was not on an emergency call and was not trying to stop a vehicle at the time, Capt. Mark Perry of the Georgia Department of Public Safety has said.
MORE: Ex-trooper driving 91 mph before fatal crash indicted on misdemeanors
Scott’s case has languished after his latest indictment on charges of reckless driving and speeding was challenged, thrown out and appealed, court records show. A trial date has not been set.
He serves as a council member for the city of Buchanan in Haralson County, a position he won just two months after the deadly wreck.
MORE: Ex-trooper fired after wreck that killed teens wins city council seat
The Lindsey and Chinchilla families said they are still waiting for justice for their girls. The latest incident further calls Scott’s character into question, Chinchilla’s aunt, Tracy Tatum, said in an interview with Channel 2 Action News.
“Our families, Kylie’s family, Isabella's family, we're deeply disturbed and again disappointed,” she said.
According to a police report obtained by AJC.com, the owner of Dallas Hydraulics called Dallas police July 10 after he refused Scott’s business and Scott threatened to "whoop his (expletive)," and began beating his chest. Scott allegedly told the man to “watch the video again.”
The owner said he could “not do business with a murderer.” His employee knew one of the teenage girls who was killed, he told police.
Scott left before officers arrived. The situation was diffused, Scott’s attorney Mac Pilgrim told Channel 2.
“The man was very aggressive, was very confrontational with A.J.,” he said. “But he didn’t go looking for an argument, he didn’t go looking for a fight.”
No charges were filed. The city of Buchanan has not offered a comment on what impact, if any, it could have on Scott’s role on the city council, Channel 2 reported.
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