Family forgives former Fort Worth officer for crash that killed minister

The family of a man killed in 2012 by a speeding Fort Worth policeman he knew forgave the former officer at his plea hearing Friday, when he accepted a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.

As part of the plea, Christopher Bolling was sentenced to 18 months deferred adjudication probation and had to surrender his Texas peace officer’s license. He has resigned from the Fort Worth Police Department.

Investigators found that Bolling was traveling 86 mph without his emergency lights and sirens activated when he crashed into a Toyota Camry driven by Billie “Joe” Addington, 77, in the 5600 block of Azle Avenue on Aug. 20, 2012. The speed limit was 45 mph.

Addington, a retired Baptist minister who had known Bolling for about 25 years, died from complications of his multiple traumatic injuries on Nov. 1, 2012.

Bolling was indicted on a manslaughter charge, a second-degree felony, in June 2014.

During the plea hearing downtown Friday morning, Randy Addington, Joe’s son, read a victim impact statement of certain sadness and justice, but also forgiveness of the officer who fatally struck the minister who used to bring him to church decades ago.

“We can turn this tragedy into a triumph, and build on the relationship my dad started with you 25 years ago,” Randy Addington told Bolling in the courtroom.

Addington said that in a Facebook message, Bolling told him that Joe Addington used to pick him up and take him to church when Bolling was a kid.

“I want you to know that same man cared about you just as much in 2012 as he did when you were an 8-year-old child,” Randy Addington said.

Addington said the family has forgiven Bolling and accepted Bolling’s invitation to sit down with the family.

“I will not bring any condemnation or judgment to the table,” Addington said. “Together, we can set an example to bridge the gap that currently exists between public servants and the general public.”

Bolling’s defense attorney at the time of the indictment, Jim Lane, told the Star-Telegram that Bolling was rushing to try to intercept a suspected drunken driver who was being followed by an off-duty Hurst officer and had reportedly almost hit another car head-on.

According to his disciplinary letter, Bolling was responding to the call shortly after 11 p.m. when Joe Addington made a left turn into the path of his patrol car.

The call had been dispatched as a Priority 2 — one that does not have an immediate threat but could escalate.

The letter says Bolling was traveling at night through a residential area with hills that reduced his visibility. Though he tried to brake, he could not avoid the collision, the letter stated.

Police officials have said the DWI suspect was stopped by other officers and released without arrest.

In October 2013, the City Council approved paying Addington’s relatives a settlement of $250,000 after they filed a claim with the city.

In December 2014, Police Chief Jeff Halstead offered Bolling a 30-day suspension without pay in lieu of termination.

After completing his suspension, Bolling returned to restricted duty, prohibited from carrying his gun and badge until the completion of his criminal trial.

This article includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Family forgives former Fort Worth officer for crash that killed minister."