CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — What started as a routine arrest tied to a drug investigation quickly turned deadly Monday afternoon, leaving 45-year-old Justin Eric Hardin dead after a tense confrontation with law enforcement.
Authorities say the incident unfolded around 3:00 p.m. on March 17, when deputies with the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside agents from the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, moved in to serve an arrest warrant. The warrant was linked to an ongoing narcotics investigation that had already drawn the attention of multiple agencies.
Investigators say Hardin was first spotted sitting in an SUV in the parking lot of a Days Inn along Highway 20. As deputies approached to take him into custody, he suddenly sped off, triggering a short but urgent vehicle chase through the area.
That pursuit came to a halt beneath the Interstate 75 and Highway 20 overpass. Deputies used a tactical move known as a PIT maneuver to force the SUV to stop. What followed was a tense standoff, with officers issuing repeated commands for everyone inside the vehicle to step out.
A passenger in the vehicle, identified as 44-year-old Angela Green of Acworth, followed those commands. She exited the SUV calmly and was taken into custody without any trouble, according to investigators.
Hardin, however, stayed inside the vehicle and refused to comply. Deputies escalated their efforts, first deploying OC spray in an attempt to force him out. When that failed, they broke the driver’s side window, trying to physically remove him from the SUV.
That’s when the situation took a violent turn. Investigators say Hardin pulled out a firearm and opened fire on deputies. Officers immediately returned fire, striking him during the exchange.
Hardin was pronounced dead at the scene. No deputies were reported injured in the incident.
A search of the SUV later revealed what authorities described as a significant amount of suspected methamphetamine, adding another layer to the already serious investigation.
Angela Green was arrested in connection with the drug case and taken to the Bartow County Detention Center. Meanwhile, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has stepped in to conduct an independent review of the shooting, a standard procedure in cases involving law enforcement use of deadly force.
Officials say the investigation is still ongoing, and more details are expected once agents complete a full review of the evidence and circumstances surrounding the deadly encounter.
