Author: Staff Reports

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…

A 17-year-old allegedly wearing a mask and wielding a gun went to the Atkinson County Homecoming dance Saturday night, which was being held off campus at The Venue, a private multi-purpose center in Pearson. The suspect has been apprehended, according to a Facebook post by the Pearson Police Department. According to the post, a Pearson police officer and an Atkinson County sheriff’s deputy were posted near The Venue when a juvenile approached them and reported that someone was inside The Venue with a gun. He was also wearing a mask, the juvenile said. The officers went to the location; one…

A Douglas police officer and former Nicholls police chief/Coffee County deputy have been arrested on misdemeanor charges following an alleged domestic dispute that took place Friday afternoon. E911 received a call of a domestic dispute later in the afternoon Friday and dispatched deputies to the scene. When they arrived, they found that Shelley Luna, a Douglas police officer, and Jamie Merritt, former chief of police in Nicholls and a former Coffee County sheriff’s deputy, had allegedly been involved in a domestic dispute. The two had been involved in a romantic relationship together. As a result of the investigation, both were…

A Dollar General manager has been arrested and charged with three counts of theft by taking after he allegedly stole nearly $14,000 from the store in three different transactions. Dollar General launched an investigation into store manager Quentin Dontrell Washington earlier this summer after he was suspected of stealing money from the store. Washington managed the store on the east side of Douglas, the one located in the old Fred’s building. During the investigation, authorities discovered that Washington had allegedly taken $13,924.81 over three different transactions: $5,203; $4,990.53; and $3,731.28. Washington was arrested on August 26, 2024, by officers from…

The South Georgia State College Hawks soccer team fought the Gordon State College Highlanders to a 2-2 draw on the SGSC campus Sunday afternoon. The Hawks scored a goal early in the first half then added a second goal in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. The Highlanders scored their second goal in the second half to tie the game at two. Neither team was able to break the tie as time expired. The Hawks’ Riley Fisher scored the Hawks’ first goal on a cross over the top that fell perfectly in front of the goal. Fisher’s high…

Elizabeth Plaza, 31, of Nicholls, was arrested last month on illegal drug and weapons charges after she allegedly led officers on a chase through Douglas. During the chase, Plaza allegedly attempted to discard illegal drugs. Around 1:30 p.m. on August 9, 2024, detectives from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office got into a chase involving a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado that belonged to Enrique Lopez, 47, of Douglas, but driven by Plaza. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, detectives saw the Colorado, in which Lopez was a passenger, turn into Be Safe Climate Storage on Southwest Bowens Mill Road and…