On September 2, 2024, a trip from Pearson to Douglas turned violent and landed a Pearson man in jail, according to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department.
According to the report, three individuals were traveling from Pearson to Douglas – a male and two females. The male was identified as Billy Charles, Jr., 40, of Pearson. One of the females was Charles’s girlfriend and the other was his sister. Charles was sitting in the back seat while one of the females was sitting in the front passenger seat. At some point during the trip, Charles became agitated, according to the report, and began grabbing the back of her neck and punching her in the back of the head, to the point that her wig came off, according to the report. Charles’s sister was sitting beside him and she attempted to hold him back. The report states that Charles also hit his sister. The girlfriend had visible marks at the scene, the report says.
During the investigation, officers noticed a child in the back seat of the car. With the consent of the child’s parent, officers spoke to the child. According to the report, the child said, “He hit the lady in the front seat and pulled her wig off.”
Charles was arrested and charged with simple battery and cruelty to children – child less than 18 years of age present (3rd degree). He was transported to the Coffee County Jail but has since been released.