Guns were drawn, shots fired and women fought in an incident involving an off-duty Soddy Daisy Police officer early Saturday morning. No one was arrested.
The sheriff's office said the incident shortly after 3 a.m. involved Officer Ryan K. Patterson, who had been to a birthday celebration at Charlie's Lounge with two women, Carrie M. Rogers and Bridget Frederick.
Deputy William Ben Johnson said he determined that Officer Patterson had been drinking but was not too intoxicated to drive after he was given field sobriety tests. Ms. Frederick was too drunk to give a statement.
A report said the road rage incident on Montlake Road involved the Patterson Toyota pickup truck and a vehicle driven by Melissa Twiner. Ms. Twiner said she was on the way home from the gym.
Deputy Johnson was dispatched lo 8608 Brow Lake Road on "a disorder with a weapon." Charles Hunt said his neighbor, Melissa Twiner, came over and said her husband was holding two people at gunpoint on the ground and for him to please call police. Ms. Twiner ran back to her house where Mr. Hunt next heard gunshots and saw two people on the ground.
Deputy Johnson said another officer had disarmed the neighbor, Brett Twiner, when he pulled up and saw "another white male was placing a handgun on the ground per law enforcement requests."
Deputies found "a white male and a white female (the Twiners) standing over a white male and two white females who were on their knees in front of a Toyota pickup in the driveway." Those on the ground were the off-duty officer and the two women with him.
Ms. Twiner said she was behind a truck that later pulled off to the side. She continued up to her home and noticed the truck followed her in. She said she called her husband and told him "to get a gun and the dog."
She said Officer Patterson "got out of the truck and accused me of bright lighting him. She said, "l told him l didn't, but he kept arguing. Him and Brett started talking when the two girls got out. They started calling me names and l hit one in the face. Both then jumped me. Brett fired two warning shots and put them on the ground. l went to Charlie Hunt's house and told him to call the cops. Brett kept them seated on the ground til the cops arrived."
Brett Twiner said he was home watching TV when "my wife called screaming get the dog and a gun. l walked outside to see a truck in my driveway that was not one l recognized and a man walking toward my house cussing my wife. l told him to halt. He stated he was a police officer."
He said he ordered the officer "to get on the ground while l called the police. He refused and I fired a warning shot in the air and he got on the ground. While l was watching him two girls with him assaulted my wife. I then fired another warning shot and told them to get on the ground and the officer told them l did the right thing and told the girls to get on the ground. We waited for the police and it was over."
Ms. Rogers said, "Coming up Montlake Road, a car behind us seemed to be brighting us. Ryan pulled over lo let them pass. They proceeded lo break check us after that. Ryan followed the car to their driveway. Ryan got out of the vehicle in which a man pulled a gun on him. After a few minutes my sister and I got out of the truck to see what was going on. A few choice words were said, then she swung and hit me in my left jaw. We proceeded to fight, then we heard gunshots. 'We were told to iay on the ground at gunpoint until the police arrived."
Ryan Patterson said, "I was traveling up Montlake Road when a car started tailgating me for a while up the mountain until I pulled over and let the car pass me. After passing me, the car slammed on the brakes several times and then sped off until it turned left onto Brow Lake Road at which time l followed it into the driveway. Halfway in the driveway l was met by a white male with a gun. l exited the truck by the male's commands: then spoke to him briefly before Bridget and Carrie got out of the truck and became involved with a verbal disorder with the female. The female assaulted Carrie and Bridget joined the fight as the man held me at gunpoint and then fired three shots past my head at which time he ordered Bridget and Carrie to get on the ground. Soon thereafter police arrived."
Deputy Johnson said the Twiners declined prosecution, saying, "We all make mistakes."
He said Officer Patterson "apologized for the event and was sorry that it occurred. Twíner understood and advised he was glad he didn't shoot him. Mr. Patterson and Mr. Twíner shook hands at which point Mr. Twiner told Mr. Patterson he loved him."