Chamblee police lieutenant arrested on child porn distribution charges
Lt. Roy Collar (Chamblee Police Department)
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A 48-year-old Georgia police lieutenant was arrested, accused of sharing child pornography online.
Roy Collar, who lives in Paulding County, was charged with two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material on Monday, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Collar, who is a sworn officer with the Chamblee Police Department, was placed on leave following the charges.
State investigators said a tip through the Cyber Tipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, led to a search warrant being obtained for his home and, eventually, his arrest.
The GBI has not released the particulars of the case.
Collar was booked into the Paulding County Jail.
The Chamblee Police Department, in a statement released late Monday afternoon, said it is "troubled by these allegations" and that it has cooperated with the GBI in the investigation.
Lt. Roy Collar in the news
FOX 5 has previously profiled Lt. Roy Collar after he was critically injured during a high-speed pursuit that ended in a violent ambush. Collar, who led the Chamblee Police Department's Special Operations unit the evening of Halloween 2002, was struck by gunfire after a stolen vehicle involved in an armed robbery and carjacking was cornered by the police.
The chase started around 11:30 p.m. when officers spotted a stolen vehicle which was involved in an armed robbery.
Lt. Collar, commanding the lead vehicle, chased the suspects at speeds exceeding 140 mph. The chase concluded when the suspects lost control and crashed the vehicle shortly after exiting the interstate. As Lt. Collar approached the wrecked vehicle, the passenger opened fire, hitting his patrol car four times, with one bullet penetrating the windshield and striking him in the forehead.
Despite the critical nature of his injuries, including a skull fracture and two brain bleeds, Lt. Collar was able to find cover and was promptly stabilized by fellow officers before being rushed to Grady Hospital. After spending four days in the ICU, he is currently recovering at home but remains unable to work.
In June 2022, while managing traffic for a highway construction project, he was hit by a car driven by a suspected DUI driver. He sustained minor injuries during that incident and returned to work within a week.
Lt. Collar began his law enforcement career in 1998 with the Cobb County Police Department before joining Chamblee PD.