Author: Staff Reports

In what certainly comes as no surprise, the Georgia Board of Funeral Service officially suspended the licenses of Chris Johnson, the embattled former funeral director in Douglas who has been charged with over 30 felonies after 18 decomposing bodies were found in the Johnson Funeral and Cremation Services building in October while law enforcement officers were serving an eviction notice. The board suspended Johnson’s licenses at a meeting in December. According to the order of suspension, Johnson’s alleged mishandling of the bodies constitutes “willful malpractice or gross neglect in the practice of embalming, funeral directing, or cremating.” The order also…

It’s going to get cold – very, very cold – at the first of next week. The National Weather Service is warning that there is increasing potential for a low (30 percent) chance of winter weather early next week, mainly for southeast Georgia and the Suwannee Valley. The Coffee County Emergency Management Agency released more information regarding the winter weather Thursday night. The statement said that details on the type of winter precipitation (if any) and timing will become clearer over the weekend. There is a large spread in outcomes amongst the weather forecast models, and given it remains…

Deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office arrested and jailed a 26-year-old on drug charges after stopping him while he was walking down the side of the road around 11 p.m. on January 4, 2025. A report from the sheriff’s office states that a deputy noticed a man, later identified as Austin Blake Lee Musgrove, 26, of Douglas, walking down the side of Bethel Road. There had been several thefts and drug activity in the area, the report states, so the officer stopped Musgrove. He stated he was going to a friend’s house, the report says, but he couldn’t say…

On January 3, 2025, Coffee County deputies arrested Randall Lee Chapman, 36, of Douglas, a convicted sex offender, for failure to register after changing addresses. A report from the sheriff’s office states that on January 3, a detective went to 100 Parkway Road to verify Chapman’s address. An individual at the home stated that Chapman hadn’t been there for a month and he was living with his girlfriend. The detective figured out that the girlfriend’s address was 216 Red Oak Street. The detective and a deputy went to the address and found Chapman there with his girlfriend. When questioned, Chapman…

The Georgia Department of Economic Development team specialized in supporting arts and culture, Georgia Council for the Arts, has announced that Douglas is one of 10 Georgia communities have been selected to host a curated traveling exhibition of works from Georgia’s State Art Collection. The exhibition, “Reimagine: Contemporary Georgia Artists,” is the first of its kind in over a decade and will encourage additional arts and cultural activities that celebrate and increase awareness for the local community and spur tourism. At each of the selected locations, works from that community’s local and regional artists will be exhibited alongside 20 featured…

A 4th Amendment waiver search at a local motel on Christmas night yielded a quantity of suspected illegal drugs. As a result of the search, Walter Gene Outler, 69, of Douglas, who was the subject of the search, and another occupant of the room, Tangela Jackson, 46, also of Douglas, were both arrested and jailed. A report from the Douglas Police Department states that around 10:30 p.m., officers went to a room at a North Peterson Avenue motel. They knocked on the door and announced who they were. They knew that Outler was in the room and that he had…

Friday, a 15-year-old, who was not a student in the Coffee County School System, was arrested at the George Washington Carver Freshman Campus with a handgun. According to the school system, the student was quickly located and arrested without incident. The school system sent a message to all parents on Friday afternoon. The message reads as follows: “Today at the George Washington Carver Freshman Campus, a 15 year old male, who is not a student of the Coffee County School System, was reported to be on campus and in possession of a handgun. Law enforcement and school officials were notified…

Master Staff Sergeant Alfalene “Al” Walker (retired, USAF), 69, of Douglas, passed away on Saturday, January 4, 2025, surrounded by her family. Commander Walker was a past commander of American Legion Post 515 and was current Senior Vice Commander of District 12 of the American Legion Department of Georgia. She also served on the Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Board of Directors and was very active in a number of community organizations. She leaves to cherish her memories one brother, Horace Wilcox, of Homestead, Florida; one sister, Sandra Wilcox, of Goulds, Florida; two aunts, Phyllis Givins, of Douglas, Georgia, and Mary…

A 19-year-old was arrested and jailed on Christmas Day when he was discovered in a North College Avenue home that didn’t belong to him. A report from the Douglas Police Department states that just after 7 p.m. on December 25, 2024, officers responded to a North College Avenue address where a burglary in progress had been reported. Officers found the suspect, Walter Curts McMinis Jr., 19, inside the house. The initial report stated that McMinis was wearing a black mask. Officers found the mask as well as lorecet, naproxen, marijuana, and a glass pipe, the report states. McMinis was arrested…

Citizens Christian Academy Lady Patriots pitcher and third baseman Gracie Giddens has committed to play softball for the Valdosta State University Lady Blazers. Giddens, a junior, was an integral part of the Lady Patriots’ 2024 run to the Class A state championship. Giddens was 6-4 with a 3.10 ERA. She threw a team-high 58.2 innings and struck out 62 while walking 37. She also tallied three saves. Offensively, Giddens hit .519 with seven home runs, six triples, eight doubles, and 51 RBI. In the state championship game against Crisp Academy, Giddens hit a home run to center (her third of…