‘He's innocent': Mom defends son in car when friend killed Gwinnett officer

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — There are new developments in the case of slain Officer Antwan Toney.

[READ MORE: Here's what we know about fallen officer Antwan Toney]

Isaiah Pretlow, who is accused of pointing a gun at another officer during an October manhunt, appeared in court Friday.

The judge said there was enough evidence to keep the 19-year-old in jail in Lawrenceville.

The suspect's mom spoke with Channel 2 Action News for the first time, saying her son is totally innocent.

Pretlow's mother said her son, who's accused of aggravated assault, was scared when his friend, Tafahree Maynard, allegedly opened fire from his mom's car in unincorporated Snellville, killing 30-year-old Toney.

Channel 2's Rikki Klaus found out there were three people in the car when the gunfire originated, including a girl.

Police said there's no visual evidence of Pretlow's encounter with an officer because the body camera became dislodged, but gunshots can be heard.

“The investigation revealed the defendant had taken that bookbag from the vehicle, the suspect vehicle, and that bookbag contained two handguns,” a Gwinnett County police detective said.

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The investigator said they also located a revolver. The detective said Pretlow drove off, crashed, ran, then pointed a gun at an officer.

The detective said that officer fired five shots, hitting a nearby garage. Pretlow's mother, Tammie, wants to clear her son's name.

"I do not believe that my son did anything like that. He was trying to get away from them because he was scared of his life," she said. "I came and visited him last Thursday, and he just wants to come home. He's still scared."

Klaus asked her why she thinks her youngest of four is innocent.

"Because I know my son. I be around him all the time. He haven't shown anything that he have no gun. He's not a disrespectful child. He just hangs around the wrong people," the mother said.

The defendant's attorney did not make a request for a bond.

Cox Media Group