ATLANTA — A local probate judge was arrested early Thursday after she was accused of punching an Atlanta police officer during a scuffle at a Buckhead bar.
Channel 2′s Tom Jones spoke with a pair of witnesses, who said the judge did nothing wrong.
The witnesses say they were at the Red Martini Bar early this morning when Douglas County Probate Judge Christina Peterson accidentally hit the officer.
The witnesses told Channel 2 Action News that Peterson was trying to defend one of them from a vicious attack.
“I mean I’m getting emotional because I don’t want to see her get in trouble,” Madison Shannon Kelly told Channel 2.
She says the judge was a peacemaker...and shouldn’t face charges
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Peterson faces simple battery on a police officer and felony obstruction of an officer.
Officers say Peterson hit the officer with a closed fist as he investigated an altercation between two parties at the Red Martini Bar in Buckhead around 3 a.m. on Thursday.
Alexandria Love says the dispute started when a couple accused her of jumping the food truck line, something she strongly denies.
Love said the man who accused her of cutting in started to fight her. She said in the ensuing tussle, the judge accidentally hit the officer.
Love says the judge was her savior.
TRENDING STORIES:
- All 6 victims of devastating Coweta County house fire identified
- Metro Atlanta judge arrested at Buckhead bar after hitting officer, report says
- ‘We need answers.’ Mystery remains as to why Warm Springs police chief fired, officers suspended
“That’s the only person that helped,” Love said.
The women say the judge posted on their social media thanking them for posting the truth.
Channel 2 Action News contacted Peterson’s attorney but has not heard back.
Peterson lost her election but has filed a lawsuit challenging the residency of her opponent and the judge overseeing the case.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/06-20-2024/t_dfc0f591de074a37b432e51e716d9b32_name_CH2_FIRE_MACEDONIA_COWETA_frame_51145.jpeg)
©2024 Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/N6HE2AP2GBHHDEGQ7LWUDRWVJA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/5EF5ZWOPBVAJVDQD2RPXP2MUIQ.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/A5HH2T76PFAPNBA43W2IUST7D4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/R4VFHLHCN5DEPCXHWTU7J7WTWE.JPEG)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/S66FCXUZHZBQLEFOGMUHBHZTKM.jpeg)