From Polk Today:
A local man remains in critical condition with traumatic brain injuries following a wreck in southern Polk County that saw a suspect in a Floyd County shooting incident who has threatened judges locally as well taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
The story of Thomas Cody Tanner, 35, of an address in the Felton area, involved a series of holiday weekend incidents that included allegations of a shooting incident in Floyd County, threatening to kill several people including Judges Tony Brazier and Meng Lim, and was just minutes away from confronting Floyd and Paulding County SWAT teams with an arsenal of weapons and ammunition before he was the lone individual critically injured in a wreck.
Tanner had previously been taken into custody but not booked on charges after he was found in the Polk County Courthouse parking lot with a loaded firearm in his vehicle next to him in an incident that occurred following a domestic dispute with his wife who works with the courts in April. Polk County Sheriff’s officials confirmed this incident took place well in advance of what happened on Monday.
During the holiday weekend, Tanner and his wife got into a heated argument that ended with his wife leaving after he accused of her of having an affair. She went into hiding for fear of her safety.
Following that argument and with the idea in his head that his wife was being unfaithful, Tanner then drove to a Plesant Valley Road address in Floyd County, confronted a man he believed had been in a relationship with his wife.
Floyd County Police confirmed that Tanner shot several rounds inside and out of the house, and shot several vehicles in the driveway after leaving and returning again.
He’s facing both felony and misdemeanor charges in Floyd County for aggravated assault, battery, criminal damage to property and reckless conduct should he recover from his injuries.
After the incident in Floyd County on Monday, Tanner then sent threats to his wife that he wanted to kill her, Polk County Probate Court Judge Tony Brazier, Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Meng Lim, and any law enforcement officers who tried to stop him. He additionally was reported to have said that he wouldn’t be taken alive if confronted by police.
Officers got a search warrant to ping his phone for his location, and after determining that he had been at home for several hours and considering the threats and the fact that he was known to have what was described as “an arsenal of weapons and a ton of ammunition” by a source who was close to the investigation.
Polk County Police did confirm that SWAT teams never made it to Tanner’s house in Haralson County to make an arrest.
Instead, Tanner apparently took off before officers could stage and serve a search warrant on the premises and wrecked his Jeep just after crossing back into Polk County on Highway 27 South near Grogan Road coming down Dugdown Mountain around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Georgia State Patrol has been sought for additional information about the wreck and had not yet responded at the time of posting.
Sources close to the incident reported that Tanner had been traveling at a high rate of speed in a Jeep when he flipped it over and was ejected from the vehicle and severely injured. Redmond EMS and other emergency personnel on the scene were able to stabilize him enough and Lifeflight was called upon to make an airlift to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
Police also found multiple firearms and ammunition around the damaged vehicle.
The pair of SWAT teams ultimately served the search warrant and found the house had been barricaded, and weapons were made ready for what was likely heading to a violent shootout between officers and Tanner. Haralson County Sheriff Stacy Williams confirmed the search occurred this evening.
Tanner remained in critical condition as of the last update available on Tuesday at midday from officials.
Check back for more information as it becomes available involving this incident.