ROME, Ga – According to a report from Northwest Georgia News, the Georgia State Patrol has concluded its investigation on Richard Penson who turned himself in on Friday after warrants were issued for his arrest concerning an incident that took place at Kids Stop on 1700 Dean Avenue.
The former Rome Police Department lieutenant has been charged with felony second degree cruelty to children, and misdemeanors hit and run as well as reckless driving. The charges came as a result of the Georgia State Patrol investigation which was concluded on Thursday, according to their report obtained by the Rome News-Tribune Saturday.
The Georgia State Patrol stated in their report:
Richard Penson (shown as Driver 1 on the report) was pulling through the Kids Stop Learning Center driveway on Dec. 17 in his pickup truck. The three-year-old pedestrian was standing with her mother beside their vehicle with the door open on the left side of the lane. Penson told GSP he tried to squeeze between their vehicle and another vehicle parked on his right. He said he had six to seven inches of clearance and began moving between the vehicles.
When passing between the two cars, the report stated Penson’s back left tire ran over the child’s foot. The mother picked up the child and began screaming at Penson saying “You hit my child” several times. The mother of the child said Penson rolled down his window halfway and she looked at him directly while repeatedly saying he had hit the child. The mother then walked in front of Penson’s truck and carried the child into the Kids Stop.
Penson told GSP he waited a few minutes before leaving the daycare, saying he did not think he hit the child. He said he had heard the mother say something about the child being hit and that he wasn’t sure if the child had been run over or struck during a domestic incident.
The mother of the child took her to Floyd Medical Center where she called 911. The report advised a Rome police officer was dispatched but a report was not completed on Dec. 17. On Dec. 20 the Rome Police Department asked the Georgia State Patrol to take over the investigation. The investigation was completed Thursday, which was when the warrants were taken out against Penson. The child that was struck had minor injuries, according to the report.
Assistant RPD Chief Debbie Burnett said the delay in handing the investigation over to the GSP came from a miscommunication between the officer dispatched on Dec. 17 and the mother of the child. She said the initial officer’s understanding was that, due to the commotion at the hospital at the time, the mother would call for another officer once things settled down. However, the mother’s understanding was that another officer would be sent back out later. The mother of the child came to Rome police on Dec. 19 to ask why a police report had not yet been filed. Burnett said after it was discovered the person who allegedly hit the three-year-old was an employee of RPD, the post commander of GSP Post 38 was contacted and the investigation was handed over to the GSP.
As a result of the arrest, Penson’s job was terminated with the RPD.
“He is innocent until convicted, but we have to separate his employment because his police certification would be immediately suspended once we report this to POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training),” Burnett told Rome News Tribune on Friday.
