Man driving stolen car from Atlanta shot by police in Peach County, GBI says
PEACH COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been asked to investigate a shooting on Oct. 23 involving the Byron Police Department in Peach County.
Officers from the Byron Police Department received a tip from the 911 center indicating that a stolen vehicle, a Silver 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, was believed to be in the vicinity of Byron. The vehicle had reportedly been taken from the Atlanta area. Responding to this information, officers began scouring the area for the reported stolen vehicle.
Their search led them to a McDonald's restaurant located off Highway 49 in Byron, where they came across the silver Volkswagen. At the time of the discovery, the vehicle was unoccupied.
As the officer approached the stolen car, a man, later identified as 37-year-old Kory Matyas Karpich from Gainesville, emerged from the McDonald's and entered the vehicle. The officer immediately ordered Karpich to exit the car, but he refused to comply with the instructions.
In an attempt to apprehend the suspect, the officer broke a window to gain access to the car. However, Karpich persisted in ignoring the officer's commands, according to the GBI's press release. As the tense situation escalated, the officer deployed his Taser in an effort to subdue Karpich, but the Taser proved ineffective.
Amidst the escalating tension, Karpich took the wheel of the stolen vehicle and began driving. In the process, he collided with both the McDonald's building and the police officer's patrol car. Notably, the officer's vehicle was positioned directly behind the stolen Volkswagen at the time.
In response to Karpich's actions, the officer resorted to using his firearm, discharging multiple rounds into the moving vehicle and striking the suspect. Despite the injuries sustained, Karpich managed to drive away from the scene, prompting a pursuit by Byron PD officers.
The pursuit ultimately concluded in Bibb County when Karpich crashed his stolen vehicle. Law enforcement officers took him into custody without further incident. Following his arrest, Karpich was transported to a medical center in Macon for necessary medical treatment. Fortunately, his injuries are expected to be non-life-threatening, and he is anticipated to recover.
Once the GBI's investigation is complete, the case file will be forwarded to the Bibb Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for review, as part of the standard procedure in cases of this nature.