Trash collection. It’s one of the biggest complaints Coffee County citizens have. The city and county have been served by GFL Environmental and the service has been poor – to put it nicely. You name it – late pickups, no pickups, damaged cans, the inability to contact GFL personnel with complaints and concerns – for far too long, these and other problems have been a thorn in the sides of both citizens and local government alike. The contracts the city and county had with GFL expired at different times. The city’s expired this year while the county’s doesn’t expire until…
Author: Staff Reports
Douglas police officers arrested a 20-year-old Nicholls man on numerous serious charges after he allegedly went into his pregnant ex-girlfriend’s house and assaulted her twice in the same day. A report from the Douglas Police Department states that on June 15, 2026, at around 3:20 p.m., an officer responded to an Adams Street address. The victim stated that her ex, Jechoniah Armari Renfroe, 20, of Nicholls, had sent her a text message saying he was going to “stomp her stomach in.” The victim was pregnant with Renfroe’s child and the report says that he had been asking her to terminate…
Deputies arrested a 44-year-old after he allegedly threatened to stab his brother during an argument at a First Avenue address, according to a report from the sheriff’s office. The report states that around 8 p.m. on June 20, 2026, an officer was dispatched to the home in reference to a domestic incident. The complainant had asked Terry Lynn Smith, Jr., 44, who owns the home, to turn his music down because it was disturbing others who were in the house. The complainant called 911 because, the report states, Smith “was causing a disturbance.” While on the phone with 911, Smith…
Deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 44-year-old Willacoochee man on terroristic threats and acts charges after he allegedly went to his ex’s house and threatened to kill her new boyfriend, according to a report from the sheriff’s office. The report states that the incident took place on June 20, 2026, at around 1 p.m. at an Apple Blossom Road address. The complainant stated that Marshall Courdle, 44, of Willacoochee, had ridden a scooter to the address and arguing with another man who there, saying he was going to kill him. Witnesses at the scene corroborated the complainant’s…
Saturday night, a deputy with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office ended a chase that began with a fatal shooting in Crisp County and went through several counties, including Coffee and Jeff Davis. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Hazlehurst Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol, were involved in the investigation that led to the chase and the chase itself. WALB has reported that the suspect, who has not been identified, allegedly shot two people in Crisp County, one of them fatally. The deceased…
Deputies arrested a 57-year-old after he allegedly stole copper from Satilla REMC and attempted to sell it to Jewell’s Recycling so he could go to the doctor, according to a report from the sheriff’s office. The report says that on June 17, 2026, just before 1 p.m., a deputy responded to a theft call. When he arrived at the location, the complainant stated that two rolls of copper wire were missing. One was missing from a recycling bin and the other had been taken from a truck on the premises. Suspecting that the alleged thief would take the copper to…
Thursday afternoon, former educator James Sirmans, who had been convicted of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud in connection with a death certificate falsification scheme dating back to the 2022 death of a relative, was sentenced in Coffee County Superior Court. Sirmans was sentenced to 10 years probation. He had petitioned the court for first offender status. That, however, was denied. Sirmans was convicted earlier this month of the aforementioned charges. Sirmans, along with former funeral home director Chris Johnson, were indicted on the charges nearly a year and a half ago. Johnson has been in jail since…
A slew of first responders converged on George Deen Road earlier this week to investigate a side-by-side accident involving three juveniles. All three were transported to Coffee Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The accident occurred on June 22, 2026, at approximately 4:20 p.m. and involved a 2023 Polaris Ranger XD. According to an incident report from the Georgia State Patrol, the Ranger was traveling west on George Deen Road when it began to spin in the eastbound lane of the road. The vehicle traveled 70 feet across both lanes of traffic. It left the road then went into…
A 57-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking after he allegedly violated the conditions of his bond following a battery arrest a week prior. According to reports from the Douglas Police Department, Tony La’Anthony Jones, 57, of Douglas, was arrested and charged with simple battery on June 1, 2026. He was granted a bond in magistrate court on June 3 but as a condition of his bond, he could not have any contact – direct or indirect – with the victim. A week later, on June 8, as the victim was arriving at work at 6 a.m., Jones allegedly…
The Douglas Municipal Airport was a featured stop during the four-day Air Race Classic, a women’s air racing event that began three days ago at the St. Louis Regional Airport. The event celebrates the legacy of 97 years of women’s air racing, which began with the Women’s Air Derby back in 1929. Forty-five teams comprised of over 100 pilots are in the race, which spans 2,744 miles. The race is an important one for women’s aviation and it boasts a tremendous heritage – Amelia Earhart flew in the first edition of the race. Flying under team names such as the…