CARROLLTON, Ga. (Court TV) — A former Georgia state trooper admitted in court that he was speeding without emergency lights or sirens and not responding to a call when he was involved in a fatal crash.
Anthony James “A.J.” Scott is the mayor of Buchanan, Georgia, but the charges he’s facing stem from his time as a trooper with Georgia State Patrol. Scott is charged with two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle as well as two counts of serious injury by vehicle, speeding and reckless driving.
Defendant A.J. Scott testifies in his homicide trial Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Carrollton, Ga. (Court TV)
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On direct, Scott admitted he was driving without his emergency lights or sirens on before the fatal crash. When asked if he was responding to a dispatch, Scott replied, “No, sir.”
Prosecutors say Scott was speeding on Sept. 26, 2015, while driving north on U.S. Highway 27 in his patrol car when he slammed into a vehicle heading south with four people inside. The driver, Dillon Wall, suffered a fractured skull. Benjamin Finken, a passenger, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Two teenage girls in the car, 16-year-old Isabella Chinchilla and 17-year-old Kylie Lindsey, were killed in the crash.
“When I noticed the car to the left, I went to the right lane….I realized they weren’t going to stop, so I tried to go left,” Scott testified.
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After the crash, Scott said he activated his emergency lights and notified the communications center before running up a hill toward the other vehicle involved.
“I just remember a lot of smoke, so I wanted to get the occupant to a safe area,” Scott said.
During cross-examination, prosecutors established that Scott had received multiple trainings on proper vehicle operation and rules of the road. Scott acknowledged that while there are circumstances where law enforcement officers are permitted to exceed speed limits, none of those exceptions applied in this situation.
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Scott confirmed he was traveling at approximately 90 mph in a posted 45 mph zone without emergency lights or sirens activated at the time of the crash.
After Scott testified, the defense rested and the jury was sent home while the attorneys held a charge conference. Closing arguments are expected on Tuesday.
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