Who Is Shada Canzater? Georgia Cop Who Was Promoted One Month Ago Resigns After Being Arrested on Child Cruelty Charges
An Atlanta-area police sergeant who celebrated her promotion just a month ago has resigned after being arrested on child cruelty charges. Shada Canzater, 35, a sergeant with the Hapeville Police Department, was arrested Aug. 31 by deputies from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, according to WSB-TV.
Canzater faces charges of first-degree cruelty to children, aggravated assault and simple assault related to family violence. Her bond was set at $5,000. Authorities haven’t revealed what prompted the arrest. However, Hapeville Police Chief Bruce M. Hedley announced Thursday that Canzater had resigned from the department. This comes just a month after the department announced on Facebook that Canzater had been promoted to sergeant.
Shocking Allegations
“These promotions represent their dedication, hard work, commitment to professional growth and the trust they have earned from their fellow officers and our community,” Hedley said of Canzater and two other officers who had been promoted in the post on August 5.
“Leadership is more than a title, it is a commitment to serve, mentor and set the example for others.”
She joined the Hapeville Police Department in May 2019 and had received two promotions during her time with the agency, according to Canzater’s file with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, obtained by 11 Alive.
Canzater’s record also shows that she came under investigation in 2024 and was arrested that year over a fatal traffic incident involving her patrol vehicle. The crash occurred a year earlier, though it remains unclear whether the department’s internal investigation was directly connected to the incident.
Canzater was ultimately charged with four misdemeanors in connection with the crash. The charges included two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle, along with allegations of failing to yield the right of way at a crosswalk and failing to yield to a pedestrian.
The case has faced several delays, but a final plea hearing was scheduled for later this month.
According to affidavits related to the incident, Canzater was working at the time and driving a marked Hapeville police cruiser along Central Avenue in Atlanta. She was reportedly heading toward the Fulton County Courthouse when she stopped at a traffic signal at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
No Clean Record
Investigators said Canzater was the second vehicle waiting to make a turn. After the traffic light changed to green, the vehicle ahead of her proceeded through the intersection. At about the same time, Donell Holiday, a 63-year-old local attorney, was caught on video crossing the road. Holiday was reportedly on his way to work when he was struck.
An online fundraiser created by Holiday’s wife to help cover his medical expenses said the Air Force veteran suffered severe injuries, including brain damage, following the incident.
The earlier case adds another legal matter to Canzater’s record as she now faces the separate child cruelty and assault charges that led to her resignation from the Hapeville Police Department.
An affidavit mentioned that Holiday was about two to three feet beyond the crosswalk and had already crossed two lanes of traffic when he was struck.
The document also alleged that Holiday waved his hands toward Canzater in an apparent attempt to stop the patrol car shortly before the vehicle’s left front headlight hit him.
The impact sent Holiday several feet into the air before he landed on the pavement and struck his head. He was taken to a nearby hospital and underwent brain surgery. Despite treatment, Holiday died on March 8, 2024, more than six months after the crash.
Canzater was arrested in July 2024 in connection with the incident.
