June 27, 2009

GBI and Jefferson County investigators charge a man who was out feeding his cows with shooting a suspect on the run through his pasture.

News 12 @ 11 o'clock -- June 27, 2009

JEFFERSON COUNTY, GA -- In the small Jefferson County community of Stellaville; it's mostly barns, open fields and dirt roads. But Saturday afternoon, the small community took center stage when a local farmer shot a suspect on the run from deputies.

"I was surprised, this is such a small town, nothing like this happens,"said Juanita King who lives in nearby Matthews.

Jefferson County deputies say they first tried to pull over Brian Lane in this car for a traffic stop. He sped off and officers chased him at speeds reaching 100 miles an hour. After five minutes, deputies say Lane bailed out of his car and ran through Andrew Swan's field. That's when they say Swan took his help too far chasing after Lane, then shooting him.

"If they come into your house, that's another thing. When someone is just on your property, that's something different. To me, on your property doesn't mean okay, I'll go and shoot him even if you see someone running behind him,"said King.

"I don't think he'd be intentionally trying to do that,"said Andrew's friend Bo Holley. He owns "Old Timer's Cafe" and says Andrew is a good friend and he's sure he was trying to do the right thing. "Maybe he didn't intend to hit him. Maybe he was just trying to scare him or something. But, like i say, he made a mistake,"said Holley.

It's a mistake that comes with costly consequences that both men will pay a price for.

"I think he shouldn't have taken the law into his own hands and shot someone. First you look at all the details and see what's going on, then go from there. You just don't take the law into your own hands,"said King.

As of Saturday night, Andrew Swan is still behind bars in Jefferson County. The suspect Brian Lane, he's listed in "guarded condition" at MCG. Once released, deputies say he'll face a number of charges. There was also a pregnant woman in the car with the suspect, she will not face any charges in the case.