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Woman says officer spit on her, called her racial slur

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — An officer was placed on leave after he was arrested, accused of spitting on a woman and calling her a racial slur.
 
Clayton County police Officer Thomas Sheats faces simple battery, simple assault and disorderly conduct.
 
He was arrested and booked into the Henry County Jail but has since bonded out.
 
Henry County police said the incident began June 29 on Highway 155 in Locust Grove. Michele Griffith, 27, said that's where Sheats followed her for miles, blowing his horn, driving erratically and bumping her car.
 
Griffith said when they pulled into a parking lot where she was going to get pizza, Sheats approached her car and angrily shouted at her.
 
"Why the (expletive) you going 35 miles per hour on a 45 mile per hour road," Griffith said Sheats told her.

She told Sheats he could have went around her. She said that's when he really exploded.
 
"'I couldn't pass, you low life piece of (expletive) (n-word)' ... and (he) spit on me," Griffith said was  Sheats' response.
 
Griffith said she was horrified. She said Sheats was screaming so loud people came out of stores and attempted to block him in until police arrived.
 
Some people wrote down his tag number, as did Griffith. Police said some of the witnesses heard Sheats cursing at Griffith and using a racial slur. One man said he saw him spit on her.
 
Griffith said Sheats, who wasn't in uniform, drove away.
 
Tristan Holt works in the shopping center, and said Sheats was out of control and in Griffith's face.
 
"He was in her face the entire time. It was wrong. Everything he did was wrong in my opinion," he said.
 
One woman took a picture of Sheats' truck.
 
Griffith thinks he's not fit to wear the badge.
 
"I want him gone, period," she said.

Sheats has had a run-in with the law before. He was arrested two years ago for domestic violence.
 
He is on unpaid administrative leave.
 
Chief Greg Porter sent a statement that said Internal Affairs is investigating. He said he is extremely concerned and will address the matter immediately.
 
Sheats has not returned a message from Jones to tell his side of the story.