Author: Staff Reports

Two Coffee County deputies responded to the scene of an alleged car theft and arrested the suspect on auto theft and possession of methamphetamine charges. According to an incident report from the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to Lot 62 at 2594 Highway 32 East on July 20, 2024, in reference to a stolen vehicle. When officers arrived, they spoke with the victim who said that Lavonte Hicks, 31, of Douglas, had taken her vehicle without permission. The victim said that Hicks had been at her house “looking around outside.” She was in the home and when she came back outside, her vehicle…

Two individuals have qualified for the election to fill the vacant Ward 2 city commission seat. The seat remains open after former commissioner Kentaiwon Durham pleaded guilty in federal court in June to wire transfer fraud in connection with a fraudulent PPP loan application he filed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durham received $19,075 as a result. Qualifying for the Ward 2 seat opened Monday morning. Thus far, Tonji Simpson and Mickeayla Clark have qualified for the seat. Simpson is a newcomer to local politics while Clark has for the seat once before. In 2019, she faced off against Durham and…

A 26-year-old Douglas woman was arrested on illegal drug charges after she was found behind Fletcher Oil asleep in her vehicle with the vehicle still in drive and suspected illegal drugs in her lap. During the investigation, she also allegedly fought two police officers, resulting in even more charges. According to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department, Cassidy Summerlin, 26, of Douglas, was found just after 8 a.m. on July 15, 2024, sleeping in her car behind the business. Two officers arrived — one male, one female — and attempted to put the vehicle in park and secure…

There seems to have been more hit and run accidents in Douglas over the last few weeks. On July 12, 2024, another such accident was reported, this time in the McDonald’s drive-thru. Around 3 p.m. on July 12, a Douglas police officer responded to McDonald’s where he met with the victim, who reported that a black SUV had struck and damaged her car. After the accident, the victim stated that the vehicle left. The officer reviewed video footage from the drive-thru and saw a black 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe strike the victim’s vehicle then leave, according to a DPD incident report.…

Not everything that is intended to remain private actually stays private — especially when jealousy gets involved. According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, on July 14, 2024, deputies responded to a call involving the alleged posting of nude photos to SnapChat. The complainant, an ex of the suspect, who was identified as Delbert McIntire, 29, of Douglas, stated that McIntire had posted private photos she sent him, including nude photos, to SnapChat. She produced a photo that had been posted as evidence. Deputies visited McIntire, who, the report says, admitted to posting photos after they had broken…

A drunken brawl. A missing car. An open bar tab and forgotten debit card. A multi-agency investigation. This is quite a story. According to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department, officers responded to the VFW in response to a fight just after 11 p.m. on July 12, 2024. When the first officer arrived, he made contact with the victim who said there had been a fight. While the report doesn’t mention everyone involved in the fight; it does identify one of the alleged participants — Dustin McClellan, 37, of Douglas. The report simply states that “an altercation started…

Just after 2:30 a.m. on July 5, 2024, deputies investigated a one-vehicle accident that resulted in several minor injuries and one arrest after the occupants, including the driver, allegedly attempted to leave the scene. According to an incident report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a call on Remington Drive regarding a vehicle crash. When the first officer arrived, the report says he saw a wrecked vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, and two occupants of the vehicle attempt to flee into the woods. One of the occupants, a 16-year-old juvenile, was apprehended. However, the other individual, 18-year-old Jaylon…

A special city election will be held to fill the vacancy of the Ward 2 commissioner seat. The special election will be held on November 5, 2024. The seat was vacated when, on June 2, 2024, then-commissioner Kentaiwon Durham pleaded guilty to one count of wire transfer fraud in federal court in Brunswick. The guilty plea came as a result of a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application Durham filed on March 19, 2021.  Qualifying for the special election shall be held at the Coffee County Elections Office located at 321 S Pearl Avenue in Douglas beginning at 8:30…

Col. Sidney R. “Sid” Miles, former state public safety commissioner with connections to Douglas, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 73. Col. Miles was a dedicated public servant and beloved family man passed away on July 14, 2024, at the Hospice of the Golden Isles in Brunswick, after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was reared in Reidsville, graduating from the Reidsville High School in 1969. After graduation, he attended then-South Georgia College in Douglas, and Reinhardt University, where he received a degree in Criminal Justice. In 1969, he joined the Georgia State Patrol, and…

An alleged domestic dispute that occurred on July 7, 2024, resulted in a double stabbing — one victim was allegedly stabbed with a broken broom stick while the other was wounded with a knife. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, Jerry Manning, 55, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly stabbed his girlfriend with a broken broom stick handle. She responded, the report says, by stabbing him with a knife. She was not charged in the incident. The report says that Manning and the victim had gotten into an argument. They were dating but…