Man involved in shootout with trooper in Twiggs County faces multiple felonies, GBI says

A Gordon man shot after he allegedly sideswiped a state trooper’s vehicle and then fired upon the trooper is facing felony charges upon release from a hospital, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says.

Clinton Matthew Smith, 38, is facing charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and criminal use of a firearm with an altered identification mark, according to a GBI news release.

Smith also faces charges of criminal interference with government property, fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer and hit and run involving damage to a vehicle, the release said.

Smith is expected to charged upon release from the Medical Center, Navicent Health, and booked into the Twiggs County jail.

J.T Ricketson, special agent in charge of the GBI’s Perry’s office, previously confirmed that the trooper fired multiple rounds at Smith, hitting him in the hand or arm. Smith’s injuries were not life-threatening.

Here’s what happened according to the GBI’s preliminary findings:

Tuesday, a Georgia State Patrol trooper was traveling on Ga. 57 in Macon when his unmarked patrol vehicle was sideswiped by a white extended cab pickup truck.

After the collision, the pickup sped away. The trooper initiated his blue lights and siren and attempted to stop the truck.

The more than 3-½ mile pursuit traveled into Twiggs County where the pickup and patrol vehicle collided a second time before both vehicles finally crashed in the middle of the divided highway.

As the trooper got out of his vehicle, he saw the driver pointing a handgun at him and then heard a gunshot. The trooper returned fire and struck the driver in the arm and hand area.

Smith was taken to the Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

The GBI investigation is on-going. Once completed, the investigative file will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for review.

This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 11:54 AM.