Case file: Former officer had 2 incidents where gun went off in car

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned new information about the former Alpharetta police officer accused of buying a gun for a convicted felon.

Craig Garner's personnel file shows that prior to his arrest, he was involved in incidents where guns accidentally went off in his patrol car.
 
In one case, a bullet caused thousands of dollars in damage.
 
Channel 2's Dave Huddleston put in an open-records request for Garner's personnel file.
 
The file showed that on two occasions, an unauthorized Alpharetta Police Department weapon was found in the trunk of Garner's squad car, and both times they discharged. 
 
The latest incident happened in February. The gun went off at a car dealership. 
 
A disciplinary action letter in his file says it caused more than $3,000 in damage to a customer's car.  The letter says there was a round in the chamber and the safety was off. 
 
An Alpharetta police spokesman said the gun was an assault weapon. 
 
A month later, Garner was arrested by Forsyth County sheriff's deputies, accused of buying an assault weapon and another gun for convicted felon Michael Cummings.
 
Cummings was a member of Garner's motorcycle club, the Blue Bloods. 
 
Instead of being terminated, Garner submitted a one-sentence resignation letter.

Huddleston went through Garner's entire 24-year personnel file.  Early in his career, there are letters of praise, like job well done and consideration for employee of the quarter.
 
In later years, there are disciplinary letters.

Garner, 54, now faces federal charges for allegedly buying a gun across state lines for a convicted felon and two state counts of buying a gun for a convicted felon.

WSBTV