Off-duty Fort Worth officer shot man as he was trying to drive away, attorney claims
FW officer shot man trying to drive away: attorney
The attorney representing the man who was shot by an off-duty Fort Worth police officer laid out his client's version of events on Tuesday. Those events are very different from those described by Officer William Martin, who has since been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
FORT WORTH, Texas - The attorney representing the man who was shot by an off-duty Fort Worth police officer laid out his client's version of events on Tuesday.
Those events are very different from those described by Officer William Martin, who has since been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Martin says he was driving home from work on Sept. 3 when he was hit by Samuel Christopher's car.
Christopher's attorney Doug Hafer claims his client did not know he hit Martin, but did notice the off-duty officer in his personal vehicle cut in front of him on 35W.
"Officer Martin got out of his vehicle and he immediately advanced toward the driver side of Mr. Christopher‘s vehicle while pointing a weapon at him. Officer Martin did not display a badge or otherwise identify himself as a law enforcement officer. There was no way for Samuel Christopher to know the person pointing the weapon at him was a Fort Worth police officer," said Hafer, who gave no opportunity for follow-up questions.
Samuel Christopher's truck
The attorney's on-camera statement is consistent with information in the arrest warrant for Officer Martin where police say 14 witnesses told investigators they "saw Martin chasing Mr. Christopher and thought it was a road rage incident."
"They saw Mr. Martin exit his vehicle with a handgun in his hand and go over to the driver’s side of Mr. Christopher’s vehicle. They saw Mr. Martin fire his handgun into Mr. Christopher’s vehicle," the affidavit continued.
Martin told investigators it was Christopher who was the aggressor, starting with a hit-and-run that struck Martin's personal car.
The officer explained he pursued Christopher after perceiving him to be a threat to public safety.
In response to the affidavit, Officer Martin's attorney insisted the outcome of the police investigation defied logic and believability, including the claim that "Mr. Christopher did not know he had hit Officer Martin's vehicle and was not fleeing the scene of the accident."
As the case moves forward, Martin maintains his innocence. He insists Christopher struck his vehicle, then threatened the lives of other motorists.
Fort Worth police officer's attorneys claim 2016 incident is to blame for recent arrest
Fort Worth police officer William Martin, who was arrested after an off-duty shooting, says he was doing his duty when he chased a driver who hit his car.
Christopher's attorneys describe a very different scenario, particularly the final encounter between the two.
"Mr. Christopher remained in his vehicle while Officer Martin continued toward his pick up truck from Mr. Christopher‘s left side. Fearing for his life, Mr. Christopher turned his vehicle to the right to drive away from Officer Martin. It was then Officer Martin opened fire, as Mr. Christopher was moving away from, and never towards, Officer Martin," said Hafer.
William Martin is out of jail on bond as the case moves forward.
Martin is currently on detached duty while Fort Worth Police Internal Affairs investigate the incident.