Covington, Georgia — A routine response to a reported Walmart shoplifting incident reportedly turned into a dangerous confrontation when a Georgia police officer was allegedly dragged more than 100 yards through a QuikTrip parking lot by a woman who was trying to flee in her Kia, authorities said.
The incident reportedly unfolded after police received a call from a theft prevention officer at a nearby Walmart. Investigators say 19-year-old Destinee Riggins had allegedly been seen shoplifting at the store before leaving the property.
Police then located Riggins at a nearby QuikTrip and pulled her over, but the traffic stop quickly escalated.
Officer Warned Suspect Not to Drive Away
Body camera footage obtained by local media reportedly captures the tense moments before Riggins allegedly drove away. The Covington Police Department officer can be heard telling her, “Put it in park.”
Riggins allegedly responded, “It’s already in park.” Moments later, police say she put the Kia into drive and accelerated away while the officer was still hanging from the vehicle’s window.
“Don’t!” the officer can be heard saying as the vehicle begins moving.
According to investigators, the officer had already positioned himself at the window and was attempting to reach inside the vehicle when Riggins allegedly took off.
Officer Dragged Through QuikTrip Parking Lot
Covington Police Det. Daniel Seals described the sequence of events. Seals said the officer was already in the window trying to reach in when Riggins allegedly put the vehicle into drive and accelerated.
“Puts it in drive, takes off,” Seals said.
A witness who was at the QuikTrip reportedly described seeing the officer being pulled through the parking lot.
“Drug him all the way around the QuikTrip,” witness Andrew Phillips told. “It was pretty crazy.”
Police said the officer was dragged for more than 100 yards before he eventually fell from the vehicle.
Officer Suffered Scrapes and Bruises
The officer reportedly experienced significant pain after hitting the ground.
“When he hit the ground, obviously there was a lot of pain,” Seals said.
Despite the injuries, the officer reportedly got back up immediately and radioed police to report what had happened.
He was later taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for scrapes and bruises. Authorities said the officer has since been released and is recovering at home.
Police Say Suspect Had Stolen Handgun
Investigators also allege that Riggins had something much more serious in her possession during the traffic stop. According to police officials, she allegedly had a stolen handgun inside a bag at the time of the encounter.
Authorities said the firearm allegation added another layer to an already dangerous incident that began with a reported shoplifting investigation.
Riggins was eventually stopped and arrested.
Multiple Charges Filed Against Suspect
Police said Riggins faces several charges connected to the incident, including aggravated assault on an officer, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of an attempted felony, along with other alleged offenses.
The allegations remain part of the criminal case, and the charges are not a determination of guilt. For investigators, the incident serves as another reminder of how quickly a seemingly ordinary traffic stop can become dangerous.
“That’s why most of us don’t like the term routine traffic stop, because there’s nothing routine about a traffic stop,” Seals said.
The injured officer is now recovering at home while the criminal case against Riggins moves forward.
What do you think about how quickly this traffic stop escalated? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
