Spalding sheriff Darrell Dix reported last week that Terry Belvin has resigned his post as a deputy with his department after issues arose with his background check. Belvin’s hiring earlier this year set off a firestorm of criticism. He was at the wheel of a BPD patrol car on May 16, 2014 when he hit and killed two pedestrians while running in excess of 90 mph. The incident killed Justen Shenard Sullivan of Barnesville on his 25th birthday. Also killed was Quenton Byrd, 21 of Forsyth. A third pedestrian narrowly escaped death in the 1 a.m. incident on Ga. Hwy. 7 at Grove St. Sullivan’s family was irate upon learning of Belvin’s hiring in Spalding, insisting they had been promised he would never work in law enforcement again or they would never have agreed to charges against him being dropped. Sheriff Dix reviewed Belvin’s file personally after coverage by the Herald Gazette, other media outlets and the social media outcry that followed it. He found discrepancies, including the fact Belvin was written up for another pursuit here in 2014 prior to the fatal incident. Dix then met with Belvin who resigned, according to reports. Additionally, Dix demoted his background investigator Todd Smith and sent him back to the road division as a sergeant. Dix has also revamped the department’s background check procedures in the wake of the Belvin fiasco.
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