By Carol Kent
HOLMES COUNTY – A TikTok video capturing a portion of an encounter between a
Washington County man and Holmes County Sheriff John Tate is going viral on social media.
Chipley resident Eugene Nadery posted the video Saturday, July 1, after he was pulled over by Sheriff Tate while traveling southbound on Highway 79 near Esto.
Nadery states in the video that his wife was 23 weeks pregnant and going into labor.
“Wife’s in labor right here, and I’ve got Holmes County Sheriff right here writing me some tickets,†Nadery says in the video, “because my wife is having labor pains…â€
Nadery went on to say he told Sheriff Tate, “Either arrest me or follow me†after the sheriff told him he “should have pulled over on the side of the road and waited for EMS instead of taking his wife to the hospital.â€
The video shows Sheriff Tate writing Nadery a citation in an area hospital parking lot, the first traffic ticket Sheriff Tate has written since first becoming sheriff in 2017, according to public records.
Sheriff Tate responded to the video on Monday through a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office press release, stating that Nadery’s truck, which had no tag, passed Sheriff Tate’s vehicle in a no-passing zone (double yellow line), on a hill, with oncoming traffic.
“The truck ran Sheriff Tate’s vehicle off the shoulder of the road and nearly clipped the vehicle in front of him, which was driven by Sheriff Tate’s 16-year-old son,†states the press release.
“Sheriff Tate initiated a traffic stop on the truck. The driver told Sheriff Tate his wife was 23 weeks pregnant and having pains and that he was trying to get her to the hospital. Sheriff Tate offered to have EMS enroute with an ambulance to take her safely the rest of the way to the hospital.â€
According to the press release, Nadery “began cussing at Sheriff Tate and told him he could meet him at the hospital.â€
“Sheriff Tate followed the truck south from Esto, observing the driver passing multiple vehicles in no-passing zones and running other vehicles off the road while reaching speeds of 100 mph,†officials wrote. “Upon entering Bonifay, Sheriff Tate observed the truck run a red light, nearly causing an accident at the intersection.â€
HCSO stated the truck, followed by Sheriff Tate, arrived at the hospital, and Nadery escorted his pregnant wife inside.
“When he came back out, Sheriff Tate attempted to talk to him about the situation, but the man continued yelling and cussing,†said HCSO officials. “Sheriff Tate also noticed two young children in the backseat of the vehicle. Multiple citations were issued to the driver for the infractions that occurred during the drive from Esto to Bonifay, and he was free to go.â€
HCSO went on to say Nadery’s wife was not in labor, rather “having an issue with her
magnesium levels,†according to a Facebook comment she posted.
“We are glad to hear she did not enter pre-term as the driver feared,†wrote HCSO. “While we understand that sometimes emergencies happen, it is still the person’s responsibility to drive safely and not endanger other motorists on the roadway.â€
As of the end of business day on Monday, Nadery’s video was gaining traction on TikTok with nearly 50,000 “likes,†more than 2,500 saves, nearly 3,400 shares, and more than 12,000 comments. The same video had more than 350 shares on Facebook.
Most of the comments focused on Sheriff Tate’s response to Nadery telling him if anything happened to his wife, it was “on him.â€
“I can live with that,†said Sheriff Tate in the video.
Holmes County Advertiser reached out to Sheriff Tate, who referred reporters to the press release for details. He did expound on the “I can live with that†statement, saying he meant that he could accept responsibility for his actions, “just as the driver should accept responsibility for his as well.â€
“My statement is being taken out of context,†said Sheriff Tate. “I can live with the decisions I made that night, but even when first responders are responding to an emergency, they still have to observe traffic laws and ensure the safety of others. If you blow through a red light, even running your emergency lights, you’re at fault.â€
Holmes County Advertiser also reached out to Nadery; however, the family was not yet ready to comment further on the incident.
COLLIN BREAUX 
Staff Report
Anybody that believes Tates web of lies is just as full of it as he is! My child was almost killed in his Gap school by a correctional officer. My son was charged with a felony for almost losing his life! And Tate and his finest swept it under a rug, and bullied us into thinking they had evidence proving otherwise when they didn’t! I’m sure they will keep writing tickets and putting everyone in jail over some petty a** sh**. That new helicopter they got, I’m sure it was very expensive! I hope and pray that idiot don’t get reelected! We need him and Michael Rayley out of there.
Do you have documented proof of what you are accusing the Sheriff of. Anyone can make accusations all day long but where is the proof??
There’s low… And then there’s this
This man was afraid for his wife and unborn child – tf is wrong with Tate???
The man put multiple lives at risk including his wife and kids.
So that mans family is more important then everyone else on the road that day. seems to me he just used his pregnant wife as an excuse for trying to get out of a ticket which ended up not working
YES!!!!!!! Finally someone with some common sense can see through this man’s bull crap. He’s lucky he didn’t go to jail with as many laws he broke. Had it been me in charge and me witness what all he done that’s where he would have went especially talking to me like he did Sheriff Tate. That’s probably why I’m not in Law Enforcement 😉 This man was just wanting attention he even posted pics of his previous child from years ago that was a premie to make it look as if his wife had that child during all this. How low can you go?? Why would someone do that? Which, I’m sure by now he’s pry deleted since so many ppl finally started seeing through his bull crap!
“Keep writing tickets and putting everyone in jail?” Did you NOT SEE Tate as you “refer” to him, has not written a ticket since becoming elected in 2017? Until the incident with Nadery?? Sheriff Tate has done a phenomenal job, and goes above and beyond. Residents of Holmes Co. is lucky to have him.
He is a cop he must be telling the truth. Just a leader of a gang that can break rules, laws and rights with immunity. This individual is why police have a bad name. We need to increase funding for the police to get people of better quality.
Turning off and deleting comments on Facebook is a try sign of corruption in the department.
Eugene Nadery is an idiot just like his brother and the rest of his family.
Seems so. If you were really concerned about her you would have called 911 and got emergency care to her. I agree that driver did not have the right to endanger others. Why no tag? Why were kids left unsupervised in vehicle? Doesn’t sound like they should be having more kids.
He actually has proof he didn’t run the red light he supposedly ran. If the cop is lying about one thing, how many other things did he lie about?
I just watched the Video how is this man in an unmarked pick up no front plate with his wife writing tickets to a man that just brought his wife to the emergency room Even if he was riding him speeding tickets or violations the fact that he didn’t even let him in to see his wife is very disturbing he could’ve left the tickets I can see what kind of a sheriff he is And what a coincidence he’s with his wife how is he driving around pulling over people with his wife so because he’s a sheriff he could be on duty 24 7 And if that’s true he can pull up to anybody he wants with a unmarked vehicle
He better be glad I was not the officer I would have. Arrested him on the spot. When first pulled over an an no tag reckless driving endangerment to children’s an other lives and speeding n especially of all the other traffic violations he done he would have been put under the barn
He not only a jeopardized everyone else safety
If he would have killed someone like one of y’all that’s taking up for him on e of your kids or so . Would have not been no different that what Jackson did June 3 2022 west bound mile marker 108 n 109 she was twice over the limit in. Alcohol lost control an hit. the back of service truck my Grandson. Corey Aaron Reynolds was only 18 years old she hit the b ack of truck smashed him to death .
That guy was no different than Jackson
“She was twice over the limit” is your difference. She was drunk. This man was sober.
Learn how to type before you try to compare a drunk driver to a man with a wife in labor.
We all know there’s a double standard when it comes to police officers. There’s no way this sheriff would have waited who knows how long on an ambulance to come pick his wife up in the same situation. But no matter who you feel is right or wrong, the arrogance of him not letting the guy go in the hospital to be with his wife??? There’s no justification for that. As a matter of fact, if you’re not arresting me, why am I being detained? Are you kidnapping me?
Lived in a nearby county for years. Very corrupt sheriff’s department, poorest county in the state.
Tate was angry because it involved his family and 16 yr old son. He was looking to settle the score and use his position to his own advantage. He says there were speeds up to 100mph and running red lights so show us – what sheriff wouldn’t have a dash cam? Keeping him outside while his wife was inside was retaliation, he could’ve even gone inside with him to write tickets
I agree. It was clearly personal. He wanted to cause emotional turmoil for the already stressed out, worried man. He sure was taking his time writing those tickets too. Dragging it out intentionally. Power tripping psycho.