GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A former Rockford police officer will spend nine months on probation after pleading guilty to failing to stop at the scene of a hit-and-run crash.
Court documents show Aaron Sawyer pleaded guilty on Wednesday and was sentenced to nine months of probation in connection to the Ottawa County hit-and-run crash on December 9. A judge also ordered Sawyer to pay $620 in fines.
Sawyer was also charged in Grand Rapids with making a false police report in connection to the crash.
MORE: Former Rockford police officer accused of filing a false police report pleads not guilty
The hit-and-run crash happened at the intersection of Baldwin Street and 28th Avenue in Georgetown Township.
Deputies say two vehicles were involved, but one of the vehicles involved left the scene prior to the arrival of deputies. That vehicle was driven by Sawyer.
According to a report, Sawyer claims his patrol SUV was hit at the intersection of Scribner and Leonard in Grand Rapids around 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 9.
RELATED: More details released on Rockford police officer charged with making false report
In the report, Sawyer claims he had the green light that morning when a dark pickup truck ran a red light right by the Mercantile Bank near there and hit him.
After reviewing surveillance video from nearby businesses, GRPD ruled: "The camera footage refutes Sawyer's report of a crash at this location and time. The damage to the Ford Explorer clearly occurred elsewhere."
Sawyer has pleaded not guilty to filing a false report.
At the time of the crash, Sawyer was a lieutenant with the Rockford Police Department. He was placed on administrative leave shortly after the crash and later resigned.
