Name of Accused:
Sullivan, James Edward
Date of Arrest:
08/11/2024
Charges For Arrest:
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F
POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN FELONIES – F
RECEIPT, POSSESSION OR TRANSPORT OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON OR FELONY FIRST OFFENDER, ETC – F
BATTERY – M
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On 8/11/2024
at approximately 1010hrs I responded to [2300 BLOCK] New Mexico St in reference to an assault.
Upon arrival other officers and I made with Mr. [VICTIM ] in the street outside the residence at the above address. Mr [VICTIM ] stated he loaned his truck to Mr. [REDACTED], who is Mr [VICTIM ]’s employee and resides at the above address. Mr [VICTIM ] stated he came to the residence to retrieve the truck. He stated he knocked on the door and it was answered by Mr James Sullivan, who is also his employee and resides at the address. Mr [VICTIM ] stated Mr Sullivan told him [REDACTED] was keeping the truck in lieu of owed wages, and the punched Mr [VICTIM ] in the face (left eye area) when Mr [VICTIM ] demanded the return of his vehicle. Mr [VICTIM ] stated Mr Sullivan then shut the door. Mr [VICTIM ] stated Mr Sullivan then opened the door again and pointed a silver pistol at Mr [VICTIM ]’s head and told him “Ill kill you.” Mr [VICTIM ] stated he then retreated off the property and called PD. Mr [VICTIM ] informed me Mr Sullivan was a convicted felon and there were multiple firearms inside the .
I observed Mr. [VICTIM ] to have bruising around his left eye consistent with being struck recently with a closed fist. It was photographed and uploaded to Evidence.com
For officer safety reasons, I elected to position officers around the residence and call Mr. Sullivan out of the via my in-car PA system. After two demands for Mr. Sullivan to exit the residence with his hands on his face he complied. Mr. Sullivan was patted down for weapons and a small pocket knife was taken from his right hip pocket and secured in my vehicle. Mr. Sullivan was not detained in hand cuffs at that time.
I then interviewed Mr. Sullivan about the incident. He stated he was alone in the residence. He stated his roommate was at his girlfriends house. He stated Mr. [VICTIM ] owed Mr. [REDACTED], his roommate, approximately $40,000 and he should be allowed to keep the truck in lieu of wages. He stated Mr. [VICTIM ] demanded they return the vehicle, pushed him inside the , and then almost broke the door when he left. I asked him if he had any weapons and he stated he did not, but his roommate, Mr. [REDACTED], had some.
I then interviewed Mr. [WITNESS ], who was in the passenger seat of Mr. [VICTIM ]’s truck at the time of the incident. He stated when he and Mr. [VICTIM ] first arrived they pulled into the driveway, which was to the right (west) of the residence. He stated he saw Mr. [VICTIM ] get punched in the face and a few moments later saw a hand holding a gun come out of the door and point at Mr. [VICTIM ]. He stated he could not see the individual holding the gun. He described the gun as silver in color and appearing to be a semiautomatic.
SGT Davey arrived and notified Major Crimes Detectives. While awaiting their response Mr. [REDACTED] arrived in Mr. [VICTIM ]’s truck. I interviewed him regarding the firearms inside the . He stated he owned three firearms inside the residence. One was a chrome Smith and Wesson model 1911 .45 cal.
I then spoke with Mr. [VICTIM ] again regarding the description of the firearm used to assault him. He stated it was chrome in color with brown hand grips. He stated it was a full sized gun and magazine fed. He had a firearm inside his vehicle that he showed me to gauge the size of the firearm. Based off my experience, the size and description was consistent with a model 1911 pistol.
I then spoke with Mr. [REDACTED] again and informed him he could not go inside the residence because I was going to obtain a warrant for the residence. He stated he would give me consent and allowed me to look at and take the firearm in questions, if it was indeed used in the offense. He later signed a consent-to- form for his bedroom, where he stated his firearms were kept. He stated he does not keep his door locked and Mr. Sullivan knew where the firearms were kept. He stated Mr. Sullivan had access to them.
After the consent form was signed, Mr. [REDACTED] led me into his bedroom and opened a drawer on the top left of his dresser. From the drawer he removed a Smith and Wesson model 1911 .45cal Pistol. The pistol had brown hand grips and was full sized. I seized the weapon as evidence and issued Mr. [REDACTED] a hand receipt for it.
It was confirmed through Teletype that Mr. Sullivan was a convicted felon.
The seized firearm was logged into Savannah PD Property room.
Mr Sullivan was placed under arrest and in handcuffs that were double locked and checked for proper fit, then placed in the back of my marked patrol vehicle. He was charged with Aggravated Assault O.C.G.A. 16-5-21, Possession of A Firearm During The Commission of Certain Felonies O.C.G.A. 16-11-131, Possession of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon O.C.G.A. 16-11-106, and Battery O.C.G.A. 16-5-23.1. He was transported to CCDC where he was booked without incident.
Major Crimes was notified but did not respond.
A DNA warrant was applied for.
[End of Narrative]