Author: Staff Reports

Coffee County sheriff’s authorities have arrested a Coffee County man in a shooting death that occurred early Sunday morning. Deputies responded to a residence off Ramblewood Rd. in the Green Acres community shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, in reference to a report of criminal trespass. While officers were en route to the scene, they were informed the suspect, identified as 58-year-old Thomas Lamar Vining, had been shot. Mr. Vining was discovered by deputies with a shotgun wound to his back and was transported to Coffee Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. As a result of…

The body of a white male that was found in a wooded area in the Green Acres community on Feb. 6, 2017, has been positively identified as 38-year-old Shawn Wayne Brooker. Brooker was reported missing on Jan. 20, 2017 and the last known contact with him was on Jan. 18, 2017. Coffee County sheriff’s investigators with the assistance of Douglas Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas Coffee Drug Unit, Georgia State Patrol and local area residents searched the area on ATVs, by foot and aerial surveillance attempting to locate Brooker from the time he was reported missing until the…

Southeastern Marine’s staff hit the jackpot this week on their annual fishing trip to the coast. The fish were really biting and everyone racked up on the sheepshead. It didn’t take the guys but about four hours to limit out. The fish weren’t just numerous; they were big as well. It was exciting fighting the monster sheepshead; some took as long as 15 minutes to land on light tackle. They took a 218 DLV Carolina Skiff with a 150 Suzuki on it and really had an enjoyable day on the water. Interestingly, they didn’t leave an open invitation to the…

A 38-year-old man was jailed in Alma Tuesday after allegedly slicing the throat of a female victim. Alma police responded to a report of an aggravated assault in the 400 block of S. Bead St. Tuesday evening. Authorities stated this was the second incident involving the victim this date in the same area. The victim was life-flighted to a trauma center. Following a brief search for the suspect, police arrested an individual identified as Torris Tonyakus Snell. Anyone with further information concerning this case is asked to contact the Alma Police Dept. or Bacon County 911.

A 22-year-old man currently serving a probation sentence was arrested last week after authorities discovered cocaine, marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia during the execution of a search warrant. Officials from the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, and Douglas Police Department executed a search warrant at 409 S. Letitia Ave. on Feb. 8. The individual being investigated during the incident, Antavious Trayon McTear, ws located in a bedroom and taken into custody without incident. A search of the residence resulted in the discovery of an undisclosed quantity of cocaine, marijuana, digital scales, and packaging materials. McTear was arrested and…

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Douglas Regional Office was requested to assist the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office with the recovery of human remains around 6 p.m. Friday. Authorities state a civilian reported finding the remains near a residence on Charlie Harper Road in Willacoochee. The remains have not been identified and a cause of death is presently undetermined. The remains will be sent to the GBI’s crime lab for examination. Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to call the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 422-3611 or the GBI Douglas office at (912) 389-4103.

The Douglas and Alma Police Departments are seeking the public’s help in locating a wanted fugitive, Lamar Mitchell Maurice. On Dec. 7, 2016, Maurice allegedly drove through a gated fence at Hall’s Construction in Alma, stole a utility trailer, and then used the stolen trailer in Douglas to steal several Kubota Zero-Turn mowers. Arrests warrants have been secured against Maurice for theft by taking and criminal damage to property in the 2nd degree. APD and the Douglas Police Department have recovered some of the contents of the stolen trailer, but have not located the trailer. Anyone with…

The Clinch County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and local first responders are conducting an additional search of the area where Jacobe “Jake” Dewitt Conner, 30, was reported missing. On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, Conner was working in the area of Score Bridge Rd. and Plumb Bush Road near Fargo. Conner’s co-workers reported his disappearance from their job site around 4 p.m. Conner is described as a white male, approximately 6 feet tall, and weighing approximately 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a “Conner Timber” dark gray shirt and uniform…

A man accused of aggravated stalking for violating a family protective order is in custody following a four-hour search after the suspect fled from authorities. Just before noon Monday, Feb. 6, Coffee County deputies responded to a residence on Country Meadows Road in reference to a violation of a court protective order. Authorities observed the suspect, 21-year-old Ariel Martinez of Millwood, on the front porch of the victim’s residence when they arrived. Martinez subsequently fled on foot into a wooded area, and a search for the suspect was initiated with assistance from the Ware State Prison K-9 unit. Martinez was…

A 46-year-old fugitive wanted for aggravated battery in Florida was captured by Coffee County deputies early Saturday in what began as a report of a missing person. Sheriff’s officials stated deputies received a report that an individual identified as Lorenzo Rodriquez Rivers was missing from home, but was later located at a service station in Willacoochee. Coffee Co. deputies collaborated with Atkinson Co. authorities, who were able to locate Rivers and transport him to meet a Coffee deputy at the county line in an effort to return him to his home. While transporting Rivers to his residence, deputies conducted…