Author: Jerry A. Hudson

The City of Douglas issued a statement Thursday afternoon regarding alleged recent criminal activity on the part of a Douglas police officer. Officer Tony Ward was caught by surveillance cameras at the Douglas Salvation Army illegally dumping a trailer load of various items on April 24, 2016. The matter had gone unresolved prior to the issue being addressed today by Douglas City Manager Terrell Jacobs. “(Mr. Jacobs) would like to inform the public that an off duty officer of the Douglas Police Department was captured on camera disposing of some items in a dumpster located at the Salvation Army,” officials…

A woman who managed to evade arrest for several days after stealing a car while handcuffed has been arrested. Drucilla Thomas was captured Wednesday in Pearson after being on the run from the law since Friday. Coffee County sheriff’s officials state the Pearson Police Dept. assisted with her apprehension. Thomas was originally detained by authorities on May 13 on suspicion of a violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act. However, she was managed to escape authorities after flipping her handcuffs, jumping into a nearby vehicle, and fleeing the scene. Thomas faces multiple charges in relation to these incidents. Drucilla Thomas…

Several individuals, including multiple children, were seriously injured Friday afternoon following a two-vehicle collision involving a school bus. Coffee County Schools Superintendent Morris Leis stated a bus carrying approximately 11 middle school students collided with a Toyota pickup truck, which was also carrying three children. The bus was traveling north on Herbert Batten Rd. en route to Coffee High School when the pickup, which was traveling west on Van Davis Rd., allegedly pulled into its path. All occupants in the pickup were seriously injured, and a number of students on the bus were transported from the scene for treatment. One…

A video depicting what appears to be two South Georgia State College students duking it out on the school’s Douglas campus has landed on YouTube. The video, apparently captured by an onlooker’s cell phone, was published on April 19 and shows two African-American females engaged in heated physical confrontation outside the school’s dining hall. Bystanders eventually break up the fight, but not until after one of the combatants winds up on the ground after being struck multiple times and having her hair pulled. Douglas Now is attempting to contact school representatives for comment. CAUTION: Video contains graphic language Video…

An appeal for a new trial by convicted murderer Claron Carter was denied today by the Georgia Supreme Court, but he will return to be sentenced on further charges. Carter filed the appeal claiming the evidence presented at his trial was insufficent to support the jury’s verdict. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict and life sentence, but added the trial court judge failed to sentence him separately for armed robbery and burglary charges for which he was also found guilty. Carter was convicted in March of 2015 and sentenced to life without parole for the 2013 murder of Daquavious Reed,…

Monday marked the end of an era for one of Douglas’ oldest family-owned restaurants. The Catfish House was opened by the Peterson family in 1977 and has stood the test of time as one of the area’s most beloved eateries. Catfish House owners took to social media Monday afternoon to announcement their retirement: “It’s official. As of 11 a.m. today, we are no longer the face of the Catfish House. We are, however, leaving you in very capable hands. The new owners, Garrett and Kacey Spivey, would like for everyone to come by and meet them. They are excited about…

Bacon County attorney and State Court Judge Kenneth Futch is in a Florida hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds during an incident that occurred Tuesday night at a residence in Alma. Bacon County deputies responded to 216 Port’s End Lane in Alma around 8:30 p.m. in reference to a report of a shooting, where they discovered the victim had sustained several gunshot injuries. Futch was transported to the Bacon County Hospital and later flown to Shann’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida where officials report he is in stable condition. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Douglas Regional Office was requested by the…

Southwire will be investing $21 thousand in the Coffee County community to provide better 911 services to the area through a company called Hyper-Reach. The Coffee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve the agreement with Southwire and Hyper-Reach, which will be able to provide citizens of Coffee County with immediate notifications in the event of emergencies. Southwire’s investment includes the initial start-up cost of the project, along with two years of service. To learn more about Hyper-Reach, click here.

If you’re going to accuse a Douglas police officer of misconduct, you’d better have an airtight case. One local citizen learned this lesson the hard way this week after she posted a picture to social media allegedly showing veteran officer Sgt. Stacey Williams drinking an alcoholic beverage at a local restaurant while on duty. The police department learned of the post and added their response to the deparment’s own Facebook page, chastising the individual for jumping to conclusions and publicly defaming Officer Williams. “Apparently Ms. Sadie Ahearn and a companion thought Sgt. Williams was drinking an alcoholic beverage and, before…

Former Coffee County Jail Officer James Avery Dixon has been placed on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry after pleading guilty earlier this month to one count of sexual battery. Dixon was arrested in August 2015 and charged with three counts of sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority and one count of violation of oath by a public officer. Officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation stated at that time that the arrest occurred after Coffee County Sheriff Doyle Wooten contacted the GBI’s Douglas office to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by Dixon that were made by…