Burke County deputy arrested after clash with Richmond County deputy

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A Burke County deputy was arrested after an altercation with a Richmond County deputy on Saturday.

Both agencies gave their own accounts of the incident.

According to a deputy with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the altercation happened when Burke County Sgt. Allen Crispin was attending an event at the Augusta Common Saturday night around 8 p.m.

Preliminary findings by the Burke County Sheriff’s Office show he witnessed an act of physical child abuse when he, his wife, and brother-in-law heard a baby crying.

They looked in the direction of the crying to see what was causing it, when they saw a man slap the baby in the face.

The baby then continued crying as the man started to leave with the child.

According to the Burke County Sherriff’s Office’s preliminary findings, a woman, who seemed to be with the man and baby, hurried behind and the woman and man began arguing.

As a result of these events, Crispin followed them and walked to a nearby Richmond County deputy who was working the special assignment at the event.

After reporting the event to the deputy, later revealed as Sgt. Ty Hester, Crispin and Hester became involved in an argument.

Hester then arrested Crispin on a county ordinance charge of disorderly conduct.

Crispin was later released from the Richmond County Detention Center and received medical attention for numbness in his hands and shoulders.

The investigation has been turned over to the Internal Affairs Division, and anyone with information with information regarding the identity of the persons involved in physical child abuse is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

News 12 has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for more details regarding the incident.

The Richmond County agency on Monday gave this account of the incident:

On March 25, 2023, at approximately 8:15 pm while working a special duty event at the Augusta Common, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Ty Hester was approached by an unknown male who was later identified as Sgt. Allen Crispin of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Crispin advised Sgt. Hester that a child was slapped by an unknown male who was accompanied by an unknown female. Sgt. Crispin gave no description other than the child was in a stroller. Sgt. Hester recalled that a few minutes prior, he observed a couple with a child in a stroller, but the child was not crying, and the couple appeared to be having a normal conversation. Sgt. Hester pointed out the couple and child to Sgt. Crispin, and Sgt. Crispin was uncertain whether this was the same couple and child. Sgt. Crispin then returned to the event.

At approximately 8:45 pm, Sgt. Crispin approached Sgt. Hester a second time in an aggressive manner and called him a derogatory name. Sgt. Hester tried to verbally deescalate the situation advising Sgt. Crispin to continue walking and leave the area. Sgt. Crispin continued to be loud and uncooperative by not leaving and using more profanity. Sgt. Hester repeatedly instructed Sgt. Crispin to stop using profanity in front of families attending the event and to leave the area. After multiple times of refusing Sgt. Hester’s request, Sgt. Crispin was arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct.

This incident will follow the same course as any other criminal investigation, and no other information will be provided at this time.