Author: Staff Reports

A two-car collision on Andrew Tanner Rd. Saturday cost one person his life and sent three others to the hospital with severe injuries. Officials stated that a black Dodge pickup truck, driven by Rufus Littleton, hydroplaned on the county road just south of Nicholls, and a Nissan Xterra collided into it from the rear. Littleton died as a result of the accident and a passenger in the truck, identified as Crystal Payne, was airlifted to a Macon hospital. The occupants of the Xterra were also hospitalized, with the driver suffering a collapsed lung and broken right leg. Authorities said the…

A 55-year-old Douglas man currently on parole for drug distribution is most likely headed back to prison after authorities discovered a significant amount of cocaine in his vehicle. Officials with the Douglas – Coffee Drug Unit reported that K-9 officers initiated a traffic stop Friday on Sears St. in Douglas on a vehicle occupied by Johnny Dewayne Martin. During the course of the traffic stop, they said, officers discovered ½ ounce of crack cocaine within the vehicle, Martin was subsequently arrested and jailed for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Martin has a lengthy prison record dating back…

Two local residents were the proud recipients this week of free Yeti coolers, courtesy of Burger King restaurants in Douglas and Hazlehurst. Ellie Morrison and Michael Whitley claimed their prizes after each person was picked randomly from a recent drawing. Ellie Morrison Michael Whitley

Officials with the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) reported Thursday that the mother of a four-year-old was arrested recently after she took her child with her to conduct a drug transaction in a public parking lot. Authorities say Isabella Taft was one of three indivduals jailed Monday, June 29, after officers intercepted a cocaine delivery in the K-Mart parking lot in Douglas. Detectives stated Taft had the child with her during the drug deal and they subsequently contacted the Department of Family and Children Services. The child was later turned over to a family member who had responded to the scene.…

Clauden Pubien, the last remaining co-defendant charged in connection with the 2013 murder of Daquavious Reed, pled guilty to a lighter charge Wednesday in Coffee County Superior Court and walked away with probation. Pubien pled guilty to robbery by force and, as a result, the district attorney’s office opted to not prosecute the murder charge against him. In an e-mail sent to Douglas Now Wednesday night, Assistant District Attorney Ian Sansot stated,”(Pubien’s) two co-defendants were the primary conspirators and have already been convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The reason for this difference in sentence is…

Investigators with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office believe they have caught two thieves in the act and are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying them. Officials say the two men are persons of interest in a theft that occurred recently at a residence in Coffee County. The men were captured on a video surveillance camera, and the sheriff’s office has released footage of the incident on the department’s Facebook page. If you recognize the individuals or have any information that would assist investigators in identifying and locating these persons, please call the sheriff’s office at (912) 384-4227, the Tip Line…

Douglas native and current Valdosta attorney Amy Holbrook was recently selected as a board member for the General Practice and Trial Law Section of the State Bar Association of Georgia. The General Practice and Trial Law Section proclaims itself as “Georgia’s Largest Law Firm.” It is one of the largest sections of the State Bar of Georgia, bringing together practitioners from all across the state. Amy will represent District 2 on the Board for the 2015-2016 term. Amy attended Valdosta State University, where she received her undergraduate degree in Political Science. During her time at Valdosta State University, she served…

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office today released a public notification regarding the recent release of a convicted sex offender who will be residing in the Coffee County area. Billy DeWayne Benefield was released from Johnson State Prison this week after serving almost 14 years of a 30-year sentence on two counts of aggravated child molestation, according to records obtained through the Georgia Department of Corrections. Benefield, 49, is described as a white male, approximately 5’8″, 142 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. Sheriff’s officials have registered his current address at a residence on Michael Peterson Road in West Green.…

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning this afternoon of yet another ongoing phone scam currently targeting area residents. Officials stated the calls are being received from the number (202) 738-1394. The caller claims to be from the federal government and states that the person has to pay a certain amount of money or go to jail for 45 days. Authorities say the number has been determined to be a cell phone number from the Washington, DC area. According to the sheriff’s office, the federal government does not collect money or handle business in this manner. They urge residents…

A 24-year-old father is facing multiple charges after his 11-week-old daughter suffered life threatening injuries in what police believe was an intentional act of brutality. Douglas police reported Friday that, on June 20, authorities responded to Coffee Regional Medical Center in reference to a possible case of child abuse. Officers were advised the infant female had sustained multiple life threatening injuries that included trauma to her head. Due to the severity of the child’s condition, the infant was transported to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville Fla., where an examination determined her injuries were non-accidental in nature. The child suffered two…