Author: Staff Reports

Deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office arrested and jailed a 26-year-old on drug charges after stopping him while he was walking down the side of the road around 11 p.m. on January 4, 2025. A report from the sheriff’s office states that a deputy noticed a man, later identified as Austin Blake Lee Musgrove, 26, of Douglas, walking down the side of Bethel Road. There had been several thefts and drug activity in the area, the report states, so the officer stopped Musgrove. He stated he was going to a friend’s house, the report says, but he couldn’t say…

On January 3, 2025, Coffee County deputies arrested Randall Lee Chapman, 36, of Douglas, a convicted sex offender, for failure to register after changing addresses. A report from the sheriff’s office states that on January 3, a detective went to 100 Parkway Road to verify Chapman’s address. An individual at the home stated that Chapman hadn’t been there for a month and he was living with his girlfriend. The detective figured out that the girlfriend’s address was 216 Red Oak Street. The detective and a deputy went to the address and found Chapman there with his girlfriend. When questioned, Chapman…

The Georgia Department of Economic Development team specialized in supporting arts and culture, Georgia Council for the Arts, has announced that Douglas is one of 10 Georgia communities have been selected to host a curated traveling exhibition of works from Georgia’s State Art Collection. The exhibition, “Reimagine: Contemporary Georgia Artists,” is the first of its kind in over a decade and will encourage additional arts and cultural activities that celebrate and increase awareness for the local community and spur tourism. At each of the selected locations, works from that community’s local and regional artists will be exhibited alongside 20 featured…

A 4th Amendment waiver search at a local motel on Christmas night yielded a quantity of suspected illegal drugs. As a result of the search, Walter Gene Outler, 69, of Douglas, who was the subject of the search, and another occupant of the room, Tangela Jackson, 46, also of Douglas, were both arrested and jailed. A report from the Douglas Police Department states that around 10:30 p.m., officers went to a room at a North Peterson Avenue motel. They knocked on the door and announced who they were. They knew that Outler was in the room and that he had…

Friday, a 15-year-old, who was not a student in the Coffee County School System, was arrested at the George Washington Carver Freshman Campus with a handgun. According to the school system, the student was quickly located and arrested without incident. The school system sent a message to all parents on Friday afternoon. The message reads as follows: “Today at the George Washington Carver Freshman Campus, a 15 year old male, who is not a student of the Coffee County School System, was reported to be on campus and in possession of a handgun. Law enforcement and school officials were notified…

Master Staff Sergeant Alfalene “Al” Walker (retired, USAF), 69, of Douglas, passed away on Saturday, January 4, 2025, surrounded by her family. Commander Walker was a past commander of American Legion Post 515 and was current Senior Vice Commander of District 12 of the American Legion Department of Georgia. She also served on the Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Board of Directors and was very active in a number of community organizations. She leaves to cherish her memories one brother, Horace Wilcox, of Homestead, Florida; one sister, Sandra Wilcox, of Goulds, Florida; two aunts, Phyllis Givins, of Douglas, Georgia, and Mary…

A 19-year-old was arrested and jailed on Christmas Day when he was discovered in a North College Avenue home that didn’t belong to him. A report from the Douglas Police Department states that just after 7 p.m. on December 25, 2024, officers responded to a North College Avenue address where a burglary in progress had been reported. Officers found the suspect, Walter Curts McMinis Jr., 19, inside the house. The initial report stated that McMinis was wearing a black mask. Officers found the mask as well as lorecet, naproxen, marijuana, and a glass pipe, the report states. McMinis was arrested…

Citizens Christian Academy Lady Patriots pitcher and third baseman Gracie Giddens has committed to play softball for the Valdosta State University Lady Blazers. Giddens, a junior, was an integral part of the Lady Patriots’ 2024 run to the Class A state championship. Giddens was 6-4 with a 3.10 ERA. She threw a team-high 58.2 innings and struck out 62 while walking 37. She also tallied three saves. Offensively, Giddens hit .519 with seven home runs, six triples, eight doubles, and 51 RBI. In the state championship game against Crisp Academy, Giddens hit a home run to center (her third of…

Former Coffee Trojan Maurice Turner is leaving the Derby City for the Big Easy. Friday, Turner announced his intention to enroll at Tulane University for his final two years of eligibility. Turner has spent the last three seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, where he never really had the breakout season Louisville fans were expecting. He was set to be the focus of the Cardinals’ running back room for 2024 but an early season ankle injury kept him off the field for eight straight games. He did see some game action late in the season but in a limited role. In…

Around noon on December 18, 2024, a Nicholls man was arrested and transported to the Coffee County Jail after he allegedly threatened to harm himself and burn down a house. A report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office states that an officer arrived at an address on Highway 32 East in reference to a threat. The suspect, Dickie Delano McLendon, 38, had been making threats to harm himself and burn down the house, the report says. A witness at the scene and the victim reported that McLendon had just returned from a store; he came back with a roll of…