DeKalb employee under investigation after assault accusation

DECATUR, Ga. — Channel2 Action News has learned a DeKalb County planning supervisor is under investigation after an employee says he assaulted him, then forced him to resign.

Tracy Evans worked at the county's permitting counter until he had a run-in with his boss, Eric Woods, back in May.

"The first thing he says is 'get out,' and I said 'for what,' and he says 'get out'," Evans told investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer.

He said the incident happened in front of several employees and customers and now has county leaders and police investigating.

"I said OK sir, let me log off of my computer,' and as I bend down to log off my computer, he pushes my hand away," Evans said.

Evans said Woods' supervisors forced him to leave, saying they were accepting his resignation, which he says he never submitted.

"I didn't resign, I'm not resigning," said Evans, adding, "I never dated it, nor did I ever sign it, nor was it ever sent to anyone's attention specifically."

He said another supervisor told him to resign or he would be terminated, so he left.

"The county's position is [that] he did resign," said DeKalb spokesperson Burke Brennan, "I think it's clear in the resignation letter he did intend to resign, or he wouldn't have written the resignation letter, and he wouldn't have given it to another employee to review or to forward in this case. Those things clearly did happen."

Evans admits he did hand the note to an administrative assistant and threatened to resign in two weeks.

"It was a cry for help, 'This is going on and this is what's happening in your department. This department has never been in the condition that it's in right now,'" said Evans.

After the encounter with Woods, Evans filed a report for assault with Decatur police, who confirm they are investigating.

"I felt the people I had left behind would be subject to the same hostility; the same conditions that I had worked in," said Evans.

Records show another county employee also complained about Woods. On June 13, Police Officer Richard Hillan was working security at the public building when Evans returned to visit a co-worker.

Hillan's statement says Woods got irate, leaned over the counter and said, "When I tell you to throw someone out of the building, that's what I need you to do."

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"Mr. Hillan told him that I didn't do anything wrong, why can't I come in the building? And from what I understand, he went ballistic on the police officer as well," said Evans.

"We are always concerned when something is in violation of the human resources policies and procedures, and the things you described, if they happened, they would be in violation," said Brennan.

He added that the administration is particularly concerned since Woods was just hired in March to improve customer service in the planning department.

"You can't have good customer service if you have problems going on behind the counter with employees. Of course these are things the CEO takes very seriously and things he's directed his top managers to look into and improve," said Brennan.

Woods is out of the office for the rest of the week on an unrelated matter.

He is still on the job and not charged with anything.

Evans said he doesn't want his job back if Woods is still there, but he's hoping the county investigation will restore his reputation.

WSBTV