Officer Charles Starks of the Little Rock police is shown firing into the vehicle driven by Bradley Blackshire, first from the side and then from the front, in this Feb. 22 police dashboard camera video. The video shows Starks confronting Blackshire, ordering him multiple times to get out of the car. Then the car rolls forward, striking Starks.

A Little Rock Police Department officer who fatally shot a motorist during a February traffic stop will appeal his termination to the city's civil service commission, his attorney said Monday.

Officer Charles Starks was called to Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey's office at 8 a.m. Monday to receive his letter of termination, said Robert Newcomb, Starks' attorney.

According to the letter of termination, which Newcomb provided to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Starks was fired because he violated a general order which states an officer will not "voluntarily place themselves in a position in front of an oncoming vehicle where deadly force is the probable outcome. When confronted by an oncoming vehicle, officers will move out of its path, if possible, rather than fire at the vehicle."

Newcomb said this was an unfair characterization of the officer's actions, and that Starks was devastated when he heard the news Monday. Newcomb said he intends to appeal the decision to the civil service commission soon.

The Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police said in a news release Monday that it "strongly disagrees" with Police Chief Keith Humphrey’s decision to fire Starks.

In the letter, order President Ronnie Morgan said Starks did not voluntarily move to place himself in the path of the vehicle, but rather that he was backing away and then the vehicle struck him. Everything after that initial contact, Morgan said, was a result of the deadly force used against the officer.

“Today’s decision sends a message to officers of the department, that even when you’re right, your employment can still be terminated,” Morgan said in the release. “While the LRFOP Executive Board is greatly disappointed with the Chief’s decision, we continue to support Officer Starks as he goes through the appeals process.”

Reader Vote Results Do you agree with the decision to fire Little Rock Police Department officer Charles Starks? Yes - 47% (379 votes) No - 52% (416 votes) 795 total votes

Police Department spokesman Eric Barnes earlier confirmed that Starks was fired.

Starks confronted the 30-year-old Blackshire, who was driving a car that was reported stolen, near West 12th Street and South Rodney Parham Road. Blackshire put the car in motion and it rolled forward striking Starks, who shot Blackshire eight times, according to autopsy records.

Starks was relieved of duty three days after the incident.

Thirteen days later, the Police Department released video footage from the incident and turned the investigative file over to the Pulaski County prosecuting attorney’s office.

On April 18, the Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney's office announced it would not press charges against Starks, noting that the vehicle moving toward him was considered a deadly weapon.

Starks had been a police officer since Aug. 12, 2013.

Humphrey said previously he has been reviewing the findings of an internal investigation into whether Starks violated any internal rules.

Past records show Starks has been reprimanded at least 10 times in recent years.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.