Author: Staff Reports

An Eastman police officer was killed Saturday night while responding to a call of a suspicious person. GBI officials state preliminary information indicates that at approximately 9:30 p.m., Dodge County 911 received a call for a suspicious person near the intersection of Smith and Main Streets in Eastman. Officer Tim Smith arrived in the area and encountered an individual. Smith exited his patrol car to investigate and was shot by the individual. The officer returned gunfire, and the individual fled the scene. Officer Smith was transported to an area hospital where he died. He was 31-years-old. GBI agents and local…

Two individuals were arrested in separate incidents recently on cocaine and methamphetamine charges, according to information released Thursday by Coffee County sheriff’s officials. The Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division served a search warrant on Aug. 4 at 958 Kingwood Rd. After an investigation, authorities gained information an individual identifed as 27-year-old Juan Maldonado was selling illegal narcotics out of his residence. The DCDU obtained a search warrant for the residence and found Maldonado to be in possession of methamphetamine and a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. He was arrested and transported to the…

Sheriff’s officials reported Wednesday the recent discovery of over 300 mature marijuana plants growing in southern Coffee County. The Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit, along with Georgia State Patrol Aviation, conducted over flights on Aug. 3, 2016 in the southernmost part of the county, and several marijuana grows were discovered. Ground units were directed by the aviation unit to the grow operations which resulted in the discovery of a total of 327 marijuana plants. Agents pulled up the plants and secured them as evidence in an ongoing investigation, authorities said. Drug agents estimated that at least 75% of the 327 plants were…

A search warrant executed recently at a Coffee County residence yielded the discovery of a quantity of methamphetamine and other drugs. The Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit, along with Coffee County sheriff’s deputies, conducted the operation at 4895 Huffer Rd. in West Green. During the search, detectives located two packages of methamphetamine in the possession of an individual identified as Julia Hester. .2 grams of the drug were located in Hester’s bedroon, and 2.7 grams were found in her vehicle. Hester was also found to be in possession of Lorcet tablets, a Schedule II controlled substance, and Xanax tablets, a Schedule…

Douglas police are hoping these photos and video will help lead authorities to two people wanted in connection to a recent armed robbery. Officials say the robbery/burglary occurred Friday, Aug. 5, some time between the hours of 2:30 and 3 a.m. Anyone with information that could assist in identifying theses individuals is asked to contact the Douglas Police Dept. at 912-384-2222 or the Tips Line at 912-260-3600. Information can also be shared on the Department’s Facebook page. [iframe src=”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDouglasGAPoliceDepartment%2Fvideos%2F818937461576809%2F&show_text=0&width=560″ width=”560″ height=”315″ style=”border:none;overflow:hidden” scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″ allowTransparency=”true” allowFullScreen=”true” ]

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens says a fire yesterday at a home in Coffee County was intentionally set. The fire, which occurred Thursday morning at 67 North Sheridan Street, heavily damaged the doublewide manufactured home. No one was home when the 6 a.m. fire started, and investigators estimate damages at $9,000. Hudgens is asking anyone with information about this fire to call the Georgia Arson Hotline at 1-800-282-5804. Rewards of up to $10,000 are given for information leading to the arrest and conviction of an arsonist. Calls are taken 24 hours a day, and callers can choose to…

An Alma woman is charged with methamphetamine possession and obstruction of law enforcement after squaring off against Nicholls police early Thursday morning. Around 9 a.m., Aug. 4, agents with the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU), along with Coffee County sheriff’s deputies and investigators, responded to the Nicholls Pharmacy at 400 Van Streat Hwy. to assist the police chief with an uncooperative female. When the units arrived, they found the chief still struggling with the woman, who was identified as 35-year-old Temesha Hunter. Officers were able to subdue Hunter and, subsequent to the arrest and investigation, a quantity of methamphetamine was found…

A man wanted in Coffee County since June 2015 on multiple felony drug and other charges was arrested Monday in Fulton County. Coffee County Sheriff’s investigators stated last year that Francis Lee Grantham abandoned over one pound of methamphetamine after authorities attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Grantham fled on foot at the time and has been on the run since. He allegedly left behind a backpack containing over one pound of methamphetamine, along with his state-issued identification. Detectives with the Douglas – Coffee Drug Unit subsequently seized a firearm, ammunition, a small amount of marijuana, digital…

Douglas police authorities stated Monday the deaths of two citizens that occurred around the same time and were investigated the police department have been determined to be unrelated. Officers from the Douglas Police Department responded to two separate locations on July 25 in reference to the deaths of Bruce Leon Clark and Pamela Gail Curtis. The initial investigation, authorities said, indicated there was a substantial amount of time between the two deaths, and the evidence at both scenes showed no similarities in circumstances. The death of Ms. Curtis was investigated by the Douglas Police Department and the Coffee County Coroner’s…

Telfair County officials and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation located the remains of a man believed to be 40-year-old Tommy James Hulett Sunday evening. Hulett had been missing since around 11 a.m. Friday. “Investigators will be working to positively identify the deceased, and a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine cause of death,” authorities stated. Anyone with information that could assist in this case is asked to contact the Telfair – Wheeler 911 Center at 229-868-7833 or The Telfair County Sheriff’s Office at 229-868-6621.