Author: Staff Reports

A teacher at Coffee County Head Start has been arrested and charged with cruelty to children in the first degree after she allegedly hit a child in the face and on the shoulder, according to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department. The report states that on September 9, 2024, a Head Start administrator reported that Tanisha Riles, 44, of Nicholls, who was a Head Start teacher, had been caught on camera striking a child in the face and on the shoulder. In addition to the video evidence, multiple witnesses had seen the incident and provided testimony regarding what…

On September 2, 2024, a trip from Pearson to Douglas turned violent and landed a Pearson man in jail, according to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department. According to the report, three individuals were traveling from Pearson to Douglas – a male and two females. The male was identified as Billy Charles, Jr., 40, of Pearson. One of the females was Charles’s girlfriend and the other was his sister. Charles was sitting in the back seat while one of the females was sitting in the front passenger seat. At some point during the trip, Charles became agitated, according…

Sometimes the nature of an incident changes dramatically once officers arrive on the scene and uncover the details. According to an incident report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, that’s exactly what happened around 8:30 p.m. on August 27, 2024. Officers arrived on the scene and spoke with the complainant, who said that she wanted a couple living in a camper on their land to move. Things just got crazier from there. The complainant stated that one of the residents of the camper, a 14-year-old juvenile, had disrespected her. As a result, she wanted the family gone. The story, however,…

A 55-year-old Douglas man remains in the Coffee County Jail after he was allegedly found walking down the Rocky Top Road with his pants down and his privates exposed. According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, on September 2, 2024, 911 received a call that an individual was walking on Rocky Top Road with his pants down. When deputies arrived, they found the subject, David Bryan Bennett, 55, just as the complainant had described him. The complainant stated that Bennett had been in her yard, also with his pants down, and with his privates in plain view.…

Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Airport Circle projects, honored the legacy of the World War II flight training school. Hosted by the World War II Flight Training Museum, the Douglas Air Base Preservation & Development Committee, and the City of Douglas, the ceremony was held on September 9, 2024, at the historic 63rd Army Air Force Contract Pilot School (Primary), also recognized as the World War II Air Base. The focus of the ceremony was to pay tribute to the cadets from the World War II era who received their preliminary flight training in Douglas, with a special homage to…

A 17-year-old Atkinson County student has been arrested and charged following an incident that took place during the Atkinson County Homecoming dance Saturday night. The charges include wearing a mask in public and terroristic threats/acts. Despite early reports that the suspect had a gun, officials have not been able to determine that a gun was present. According to a statement issued by the Pearson Police Department, a juvenile approached a Pearson police officer and an Atkinson County deputy who were near The Venue, which is where the dance was being held. The dance was not hosted by the Atkinson County…

An investigation into possible child cruelty that began on August 19, 2024, has resulted in the arrest of a 19-year-old Douglas woman. According to a press release from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the department received an alert from the Coffee County Department of Family and Children Services regarding a potential case of child cruelty. A thorough yet brief investigation was initiated, revealing alarming findings that a 3-week-old infant had sustained multiple injuries, including over 20 fractured bones. As a result of the investigation, Maria Nunez, 19, a resident of Coffee County, was arrested and charged with cruelty to children…

On Thursday, September 5, 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit arrested and charged Dillon Minchew, age 18, of Coffee County, GA, with one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children in Coffee County, Georgia. The GBI CEACC Unit began an investigation into Minchew’s online activity after receiving a Cyber Tipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the possible online possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. This investigation led to a search warrant at Minchew’s home and his subsequent arrest. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the…

The Miami-Dade Police Department officer who handcuffed Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill Sunday morning during a traffic stop a block away from Hard Rock Stadium has been placed on administrative duties while the department conducts an investigation into what happened. Around 11 a.m. Sunday, as Hill was on his way to the stadium to prepare for the Dolphins’ season opener against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, police stopped him for allegedly speeding. During the traffic stop, a “verbal altercation” ensued and Hill found himself facedown on the ground in handcuffs. Other Miami players saw what was happening and came to…

School and law enforcement officials in Jeff Davis County are investigating a school shooting threat allegedly made on Snapchat by a student in the Jeff Davis County School System. According to a statement released by the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office, the student has been removed from the school system and will not be able to participate in any school functions “until further notice.” Charges will be filed once the investigation is complete. The JDSO’s statement, made on its Facebook page, states the following: “The individual responsible for making the post has been identified by investigators and is a student…