Author: Staff Reports

One suspect was arrested and another remains on the run in connection with an alleged burglary that took place on Old Axson Road on July 2, 2025. Mark Anthony Sanchez, 25, of Douglas, was arrested and remains in jail while his alleged accomplice, Mitchell Shaun Taft, 44, is at large and wanted by deputies. The incident report states that around 7:30 p.m. on July 2, 2025, a deputy received a call about a possible burglary at an Old Axson Road address. The home at the address has been vacant for a while and it had been burglarized multiple times. The…

On July 5, 2025, a Coffee County deputy arrested an Eastman man on illegal drug charges during a traffic stop on Bowens Mill Road and the Willacoochee Highway. The incident report states that the deputy stopped a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado at around 6 a.m. on July 5 because a cooler rack obscured the license plate. During the stop, the deputy learned that the driver, identified as Joseph Clenton Payne, 48, of Eastman, had a suspended license. The report says that the officer told Payne that his vehicle would be towed and asked him if there was anything of value inside…

Once again, the way Coffee County voted in the Public Service Commission election differed from the way the state went. Locally, former state representative and Atlanta city council member Keisha Sean Waites won Tuesday’s runoff for the PSC District 3 Democratic primary 30-14 over energy advocate Peter Hubbard. Out of 24,522 registered voters in Coffee County, only 44 cast a ballot. Statewide, Hubbard won 66,084 to 47,501 (58.2 percent to 41.8 percent). Hubbard won most of the northern counties, along with the Savannah and Brunswick areas, while Waites won most of the central and southern counties. In last month’s primary,…

An officer who responded to a potential domestic issue took a Douglas woman into custody when he found that she had three active warrants. The incident report states that on July 2, 2025, just before 8:30 p.m., an officer responded to a domestic incident. When the officer arrived, Patricia Williams, 39, of Douglas, asked her if she had a valid driver’s license and if she had any warrants for her arrest. The report says that her husband told her she had warrants but she “knew she didn’t.” The officer ran her information, according to the report, and found that Williams…

On July 7, 2025, a Douglas police officer arrested a subject, later identified as Brian Keith Fuller, 47, of Douglas, on several alleged violations after the officer stopped him for allegedly unlawfully walking in the street. The incident took place at South Fales Avenue and Bryan Street Circle. The incident report states that around 12:30 a.m. on July 7, the officer saw Fuller walking in the roadway. He got out with Fuller and ran his information. The officer discovered that Fuller had a warrant for his arrest, according to the report. He verified the warrant and took Fuller into custody.…

On July 1, 2025, an officer from the Douglas Police Department investigated a robbery by sudden snatching call on North Pearl Avenue. The incident report states that the officer went to the location and spoke to the victim who said that a female, later identified as Shyann Nicole Lundy, 42, of Douglas, snatched $100 out of his shirt pocket as he attempted to give her $5. The victim said that as she ran way, she dropped the money several times and picked it up. She ran in the direction of First Congregational Church on West Alunza Street. The victim followed…

Emma Russ, an ambassador with Coffee High School’s Public Service and Education Academy, has been selected to serve in the prestigious United States Senate Page Program. Only 30 students are chosen across the nation to assist the 100 U.S. Senators each session. Emma’s dedication to public service and leadership reflects the highest ideals of our academy and school community. Her participation in this historic program places her at the heart of the nation’s legislative process, offering her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness government in action while representing Coffee High School with pride and distinction. Emma’s selection to this program is…

A sex offender who was registered in Jeff Davis County was arrested in Coffee County after she allegedly moved over here and didn’t change her address. According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, on June 24, 2025, a deputy responded to a criminal trespass call at 9129 Old Axson Road. The deputy spoke with the complainant on the scene and was told that Linda Faye Steedley-Crews, 44, was trespassing at the location. Steedley-Crews is a registered sex offender in Jeff Davis County, the report says. The report says that Steedley-Crews told the responding officer that she had…

This year, the July 4 fireworks started a little early at a house on Lagens Way. According to a press release from the sheriff’s office, on July 4, 2025, deputies responded to a report of an assault at a residence on Lagens Way. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the complainant who alleged that she was physically assaulted during a confrontation at the location. Following the investigation and corroboration from eyewitnesses, 50-year-old Bonnie Marie Duque was identified as the primary aggressor in the incident. Deputies located Duque a short time later and placed her under arrest without incident. As a…

A domestic call at a residence on Highway 32 West landed a Coffee County man in jail after deputies found him allegedly hiding in a nearby field. According to a press release from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, on the evening of July 8, 2025, deputies responded to the residence in reference to an alleged domestic dispute. When they arrived, they spoke with the female victim, who displayed visible injuries consistent with battery, the release says. As the investigation continued, officers found the suspect, identified as Juan Garcia Jimenez, 23, in a field near the residence. The release states that…