Roswell Policeman Demoted After Putting Teen In Cold Car: Report

ROSWELL, GA — A police officer who left a 13-year-old boy to freeze in a cold police car on a chilly night back in January has been suspended and demoted, according to a media report. Daniel Elzey, who was a sergeant with the Roswell police, was demoted last week to the rank of police officer II, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Elzey also will be suspended for 30 days without pay, Roswell's police chief told the newspaper. He was placed on paid administrative leave in July.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Jan. 2 on Highway 9 near Elkins Road. The teen was driving a golf cart on the busy highway when another police officer pulled him over and detained him.

A report from the Roswell Police Department stated that the teen had grass over his knees, and "his sweater sleeves were soaked and frozen in this cold weather."

Temperatures fell to between 11 and 16 degrees Fahrenheit on the night of Jan. 1-2, according to a weather report.

For More: Roswell Officer On Leave After Keeping Teen In Cold Car

The teen did not cooperate with police; when Elzey arrived at the scene, he attempted to get the boy to talk, the newspaper reported.

Elzey put the teen in a patrol car, turned off the ignition and lowered the windows, letting freezing air into the vehicle, as shown on video from his body camera. The video also shows Elzey taunting and berating the boy, according to media reports.

The police eventually reached the boy’s mother and released him to her, the AJC reported.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Image: Patch file