October 18, 2016 1:02 PM
PARADISE (CBS13) — A police officer who shot and killed a man who was climbing out of a crash on Thanksgiving has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Patrick Feaster was with the Paradise Police Department when dashcam footage showed him driving up on the scene of a crash on Nov. 25. Andrew Thomas, 26, was crawling out of the vehicle, but before he could get out, Feaster shot him once in the neck, leaving him paralyzed. Thomas died on Dec. 19.
Investigators say it took 11 minutes to report that he had fired his gun.
Prosecutors initially said they would not be pressing charges, leading to protests and the eventual trial.
Feaster lost his job with the department in February.
The investigation revealed Thomas left a local bar with his headlights turned off. Feaster followed him. Thomas struck the median and rolled his vehicle ejecting his wife who died at the scene.
Feaster failed to tell dispatchers that shots had been fired. No shell casings were found, but Feaster can be seen searching the ground as Thomas told other officers he’d been shot.