Author: Staff Reports

The ongoing search for missing Douglas man Jose Mendez Diaz continued Tuesday, leaving law enforcement officials with no further answers or leads in the case. The Region 8 Georgia Search and Rescue Team, along with investigators and officers from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the Coffee County Fire Department and an officer with a cadaver dog staged in the Oak Park community Tuesday to perform a more extensive search of the areas surrounding the last known location of Diaz. Sheriff’s officials stated despite numerous rumors that circulated throughout the day, Diaz was not located. Investigators will continue to work leads…

Investigators with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol amped up their efforts this week in the search for missing Douglas man Jose Mendez Diaz, who disappeared from the Oak Park area last Sunday after visiting friends. Law enforcement went door-to-door in the neighborhood and conducted both ground and aerial searches of the area. Diaz was last seen around 11 p.m. on March 22 at a residence at 756 Spring Oak St., Lot 14. He reportedly left the location and stated he was going home. Diaz is described as a Hispanic male, 5’02”, 120 lbs., with black…

A Douglas man will spend the remainder of his life behind bars after being convicted of murder by a Coffee County jury late Wednesday afternoon. Claron Carter was sentenced to life without parole for the 2013 murder of Daquavious Reed. Reed was found dead inside a residence on East Ward St. on July 11, 2013, the victim of two gunshot wounds. Carter is one of three individuals charged with the crime. The other defendants, Claudin Pubien and Carter’s brother, D’Andre Carter, are still awaiting trial.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 52-year-old man they say has been missing since leaving his home to visit friends last Sunday. Officials state Jose Mendez Diaz reportedly left his residence at 139 Spanish Oak Street on March 22 around 8 p.m. and went to a friends house at 756 Spring Oak St. Lot 14. According to friends at that location, Diaz, as well other friends, was drinking and watched a soccer game until approximately 11 p.m. Diaz reportedly left the location and stated he was going home. He has not been seen since. Diaz is described…

Telfair County law enforcement is asking the public to be on the lookout for a man they say is responsible for a burglary in Savannah. Spencer Kaleb Giddens, who officials say has ties to the McRae area, is described as a 24-year-old white male, approximately 5’05” tall, and 145 pounds. He is wanted on charges of burglary and forgery in regards to an incident that occurred at Wells Towing and Recovery, Inc. in Savannah. Along with car stereos and tools, a checkbook was stolen from the business and authorities know that at least one of those checks was cashed at…

A Douglas Police officer was jailed this week after authorities say she made several purchases with a victim’s credit card without his knowledge. Officer Britten Coleman was charged with financial transaction card fraud in relation to the incident. Following a complaint which initiated in the city, the Douglas Police Department turned the case over to Coffee County Sheriff’s Investigators. Coleman has since bonded out of jail and has resigned from the police department.

The good news is Douglas is not listed as one of the state’s ten most dangerous cities to live in a study published this week. The bad news is we’re the 15th. National research firm ValuePenguin published its findings this week, naming Georgia’s safest and most not-so-safe cities. Describing the methodology used in forming its report, ValuePenguin stated, “We sourced our data from 2013 FBI crime statistics by city, which provides the most recent data available. The raw data report included violent crimes (murder/manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) and property crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson)…

For the second time in just over a month, city officials are reporting a wastewater spill from the Douglas water treatment facility. This latest accident occurred Tuesday, March 17 and, according to officials, an estimated 6,750 gallons of wastewater was spilled into an unnamed tributary leading to the Seventeen Mile River. “This is not considered a major spill and no testing is required,” officials said. ” However, due to the water reaching a creek, we must report it to the local media. The root cause was a complete power failure at one of our 18 lift stations.” City wastewater facility…