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South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Davie police officer accused of abuse twice in five months
By Susannah Bryan

South Florida Sun Sentinel

12:21 PM EDT, April 13, 2009

DAVIE

Five months before a rookie police officer was charged

with aggravated battery on his pregnant wife, an ex-
girlfriend made similar accusations of abuse.

The wife of Officer Vally Getejanc, 25, told Davie police

he held a gun to her head on one occasion and threw her
to the ground on another. Davie officers arrested Getejanc
on Feb. 27 after his wife called 911.

In October, Getejanc's ex-girlfriend, Casey-Lyn Bird,

sought a restraining order against him, claiming the two
had a three-year relationship marked by a "history of
violence." Her request, denied by a judge two weeks
later, triggered an Internal Affairs investigation into
whether Getejanc had engaged in conduct unbecoming an
officer.

Bird, 27, claimed Getejanc had punched, choked, kicked and head-butted her during their relationship
and sent her a threatening text message in October. She also told Internal Affairs he once threatened to
shoot her in the head. Getejanc admitted he and his ex-girlfriend had a "tumultuous" relationship but
denied ever hitting her.

On Feb. 28, the day after Getejanc's arrest in the battery case involving his wife, Police Chief Patrick
Lynn cleared him in the Internal Affairs case involving his ex-girlfriend, citing a lack of evidence.

"One case doesn't have anything to do with the other," Lynn said.

Getejanc, hired in March 2007, is on paid administrative leave from his $53,644-a-year job pending the
outcome of the battery case. He declined to comment through his attorney, Anthony Livoti.

Livoti called his client a "really good guy" and questioned both women's version of events.

"I'm just saying that when emotions are involved, the facts oftentimes get lost," Livoti said. "If someone
puts a gun to your head, do you marry them?" he said of Getejanc's wife, who requested her name not be
published.

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Davie police officer accused of abuse twice in five months -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.... Page 2 of 2

Getejanc's wife, 25, told detectives the two argued on Feb. 27 after he complained she'd spent too much
time visiting her mother. Getejanc, while in uniform, wrapped his right forearm around her neck and
threw her to the ground, according to the police report. The two had been married just four days and the
wife was five months pregnant, the report says.

On Feb. 3, according to police records, Getejanc put his duty weapon to his wife's head and said "Say
one more f------ word and I will shoot you!"

Getejanc's wife obtained a restraining order against him on March 2.

"She is afraid of him" and plans to file for divorce, said her attorney, Greg Lauer. "She wants nothing to
do with him."

Lauer said the 911 tape speaks for itself and questioned whether Getejanc should be entrusted with
police work.

"There are certain people who don't need a badge and a gun and he may be one of them," Lauer said. "If
he did these things, he most definitely should not be a police officer."

Bird declined to comment on her former boyfriend, saying she wanted to move on with her life.

On Oct. 21, Judge Jack Tuter denied her request for a restraining order against Getejanc. The officer told
the judge he never hit Bird and showed messages she had sent days after an argument professing her
love and asking him to stay in the relationship. He also claimed she was jealous of his new girlfriend.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sebryan@SunSentinel.com or 954-385-7929

Copyright 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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