Fired Butner officer fights to regain job

Former Lt. Daniel Parrott has appealed his May 2010 termination, and the case is being heard in the state Office of Administrative Hearings.

Parrott and former Butner Capt. Walter Williams stopped former Highway Patrol Capt. James Williams Jr. in Granville County on April 3, 2010, and the two officers suspected that James Williams was driving while impaired.

Instead of taking action against James Williams, the officers dropped him off at a nearby Best Western motel, according to police-radio traffic recordings.

The officers never filed any charges nor administered any sobriety tests, an internal investigation by the public safety department and the Highway Patrol found.

"He failed to take appropriate enforcement actions," Maj. Danny Roberts, an internal affairs investigator for Butner police, testified Tuesday in Parrott's court hearing.

"It is alleged that the captain was impaired, that Lt. Parrott did not charge the captain with a crime and that Lt. Parrott was untruthful with (Police Chief Wayne) Hobgood when asked about the incident," Roberts said.

Hobgood also fired Walter Williams and Maj. Anthony Moss after the incident. Moss was called by the others after the traffic stop, and he didn't object to them taking James Williams to the motel.

Hobgood ordered an internal investigation immediately after listening to police radio calls regarding the traffic stop.

"I remember specifically he turned to Maj. Moss with a look of, 'How come I didn't know this?'" Roberts testified.

James Williams, who was fired by the Highway Patrol, could testify in the court case, which is expected to last several days.