Author: Staff Reports

On Feb. 2, a traffic stop resulted in the largest heroin bust in Coffee County. According to a press release from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the drug unit attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Skylar Merson. Merson fled from deputies and a pursuit ensued. Merson struck a patrol vehicle during the pursuit before eventually being apprehended after a precision immobilization technique was conducted by a deputy. A quantity of suspected heroin was located at the scene. Officers later served a search warrant on Merson’s residence, where they found an additional…

In a time when patriotism is often frowned upon, officers from the Douglas Police Department and Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as firefighters from the Douglas Fire Department, braved wet and windy conditions to salvage an American flag that was resting on the ground in front of a local business. Douglas police officers Margarito Perez and Rebecca Mallery Lira rode by Goo Goo Car Wash this weekend and noticed that the large American flag had been lowered down the pole and was sitting on the ground. Despite the rain and wind, they stopped and held the flag off…

A Douglas man is in jail after he was arrested on suspicion of stabbing his girlfriend in the knee during an argument. According to an incident report obtained from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, a female called 911 and requested an ambulance after she reported being stabbed. Deputies responded to the emergency room at Coffee Regional Medical Center and questioned the female. She stated that she and her boyfriend, identified as Justin Cody Ray, 26, had gotten into an argument at a residence on First Avenue in the Oak Park community. During the argument, she stated that her boyfriend…

Thursday night, Rodderian “Rae Rae” D. Barnes, 27, of Douglas lost his life after being assaulted at his residence on Juanita Street, according to the Douglas Police Department. Barnes was transported to Coffee Regional Medical Center for treatment. From there, he was transferred to a trauma center via Air Evac helicopter for further treatment. Barnes succumbed to his injuries after being transferred. Officers from the Douglas Police Department are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made. Investigators encourage anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Unit. You may call 912-384-2222 and speak to an investigator or…

Assistant District Attorney Ian Sansot has announced his candidacy for District Attorney of the Waycross Judicial Circuit. Current District Attorney George Barnhill is not seeking re-election in the upcoming race. Sansot released a statement Monday morning. His statement is as follows: “I am EXCITED to officially announce my candidacy for District Attorney of the Waycross Judicial Circuit! “My decade-long career has been spent right here in the Waycross Circuit. As an Assistant District Attorney, I have handled thousands of cases, from drug and theft offenses to murders, and every aspect of criminal prosecution: from the beginning of cases…

An officer from the Ocala, Fla., police department arrested three individuals on drug trafficking charges Thursday, two of whom are from Douglas. According to a post on the Ocala PD’s Facebook page, Angelique Tucker, 25, a corrections officer, and Assyria Watts, 26, both of Douglas, were arrested along with Javorise Watkins, 28, of Ocala, during a traffic stop. During the stop, officers discovered 306 grams of fentanyl, 223 grams of MDPV, and 898 grams of marijuana. According to sources, Tucker was an officer at Coffee Correctional Facility in Nicholls. All three were charged with trafficking fentanyl, amphetamine, and…

Tyreek Hill’s streak of consecutive Pro Bowl appearances remains intact. For the sixth time in his six-year NFL career, Hill has been named to the Pro Bowl. This season, Hill, the Kansas City Chiefs’ leading receiver, has caught 102 passes for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns. He has accounted for half of the Chiefs’ passing offense during the 2021 campaign. For his career, Hill has 470 receptions for 6,569 yards and 56 touchdowns. He also has 717 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he scored once on a kick return and four times on punt returns. …

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is one of three starters who have tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 13 players are on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including tight end Travis Kelce, according to an ESPN report. Kansas City faces the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on Sunday. Players who are vaccinated, such as Kelce, could play against the Steelers, according to the report. Unvaccinated players cannot return for 10 days. Hill and Kelce are the Chiefs’ top two receivers. Hill is the second-leading receiver in the NFL this year. He has caught 102 passes for 1,178 yards…

Wyatt Miller isn’t giving up on his NFL dream just yet. On Dec. 15, the San Francisco 49ers announced that Miller has signed with their practice squad. Miller (6-5, 302) originally entered the NFL after signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2019. He has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs. He was on Dallas’s active roster for the final game of the 2019-2020 season but did not play.

Douglas City Commissioner Olivia Pearson is one of six individuals The Anti-Defamation League will recognize for their extraordinary courage and compassion when confronted with bigotry and hate as part of the 27th annual ADL In Concert Against Hate. Commissioner Pearson is the only Georgia resident to receive this recognition and will be presented with the ADL Kay Family Award. Here is here bio according to the ADL press release: Olivia Coley-Pearson of Douglas, a small town in Coffee County, GA, has for decades led the fight there for voter rights. She was criminally charged with voter fraud in 2012 for legally helping one Black voter cast a ballot,…