Disabled Army Veteran Says Georgia Police Left Her and Amputee Husband Stranded on Highway

A disabled Army veteran and her husband were stranded on a highway after Georgia police officers pulled them over an insurance dispute, and towed their car.

Speaking to WTOC 11 in a recent interview, 71-year-old retired U.S. Army veteran Debra Mobley-Sadler Sims claimed the officer, "just left us out there on the side of the road like we were bags of trash."

In the interview, the veteran explained that she and her husband, an amputee who has not walked for two years, were pulled over while driving home on Highway 196 just after 2:30 a.m. on April 27.

The police body-cam footage showed Officer Todd Parmentier asking for the woman's driver's license and telling them the vehicle showed as uninsured after running the plate through the state's CJIS/GCIC network.

Although Debra told the officer her car was insured, he said the system showed otherwise, adding, "There’s a tow truck en route, and you’re gonna get towed. So are you gonna have time to have somebody come and get you?" She even tried to show him proof of insurance from USAA on her phone and through her car registration.

Debra then asked the officer if he could drop them off because they had nobody to come get them, and explained about her husband's condition. However, the officer denied, stating, "No ma'am. This is your opportunity to have somebody to call somebody to come get you a ride, Lyft, Uber, something."

Parmentier later asked the Army veteran to walk out of the vehicle and assisted her husband, Bobby, out of the car.

"He helped Bobby out of the car," she said. "So it’s not like he didn’t know. I told him my husband hadn’t walked in two years, and he only has one leg. And he’s missing toes off the other foot. So he cannot walk. And I’m definitely not going to be able to push him out here where it’s not lit."

The officer subsequently drove away, leaving the couple on the highway at 3 a.m. The disabled couple, who were returning from a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., were not dressed for the 54-degree temperature.

Debra later called her sister to pick them up, forcing her to leave their 97-year-old mother home alone.

“He pulled off and left us. I was like ‘wow.’ I serve my country well, and this is how I’m gonna be treated,” she told the outlet.

USAA later confirmed that Debra’s policy was valid and in effect at the time of the incident and that the database incorrectly listed the vehicle as uninsured.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) issued a statement to WTOC on May 7, describing the incident as “an isolated case of short-sightedness by the officer involved.”

“Georgia peace officers have discretion in many circumstances, and agency policies generally dictate appropriate officer conduct,” Executive Director Chris Harvey stated, adding, “Ethical conduct includes exercising due regard for the well-being of those interacting with officers and compassionate handling of unusual circumstances.”

Additionally, the Hinesville Police Chief Howard conducted an internal investigation, and an assistant chief and a captain went to the couple’s home to apologise. The department reimbursed the towing fee.

"Once the bell is rung, you cannot unring it. All you can do is train. So hopefully they will train," Debra stated.