Author: Staff Reports

A federal judge has sided with Dr. Mahendra Amin and ruled that NBCUniversal made “verifiably false” statements regarding the care he provided to women at the Irwin County Detention Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Ocilla, according to a Fox News report. In September of 2020, a report from a whistleblower surfaced alleging that Dr. Amin performed unnecessary hysterectomies on women who were detained at the detention center. There were other allegations made regarding inadequate COVID-19 protocols and care; however, the hysterectomies are what propelled the story into the national discourse. Several major news outlets picked up…

Shahee Jump, 47, remains in the Coffee County Jail on a variety of charges, including kidnapping, burglary, fleeing, false imprisonment, and a host of others after a domestic dispute on Bethel Road that took place late in the afternoon of July 6, 2024. Officers responded to a call at 1189 Bethel Road Lot 317 in reference to a domestic dispute, according to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. The initial call stated that Jump allegedly forced his way inside the home and abducted his wife. Officers located Jump’s vehicle, a white Chevrolet Avalanche, and gave chase. At one…

At Monday’s regular city commission meeting, commissioners approved the purchase of pad mount transformers, a 10-year contract with Axon to provide technology (including body cameras) for the police department, and they recognized the 10U girls state champion softball team, among other items of business. The commission approved the 10-year contract with Axon to provide body cameras, in-car cameras, tasers, and the accompanying software at a cost of $239,397 per year. Bart McCullough of the Douglas PoliceDepartment introduced the item to commissioners. “Axon is top of the line. This year contract will lock us in for 10 years and the cost…

Jackson Banks, a former Trojan who played his freshman year of football at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, has signed with Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.Banks, a defensive lineman listed at 6’1”, 280 lbs., played in 10 games with Mississippi Gulf Coast, totaling 15 tackles and half a sack. He had planned to transfer to Georgia Military College in Milledgeville for his sophomore campaign. But then the Monarchs came calling. They had been watching Banks during his freshman season. After the season ended, they let him know they were interested. Banks signed with Old Dominion on June 1 and…

Skip scanning at self-checkout kiosks is a popular way to attempt to commit fraud. It doesn’t, however, always work out. This is one of those cases. On June 22, 2024, an officer with the Douglas Police Department answered a call at Walmart Supercenter regarding a suspected shoplifting. The officer spoke with an employee who said that they had caught a female skip scanning items. The female, identified as Melinda Bush, 56, of Douglas, was still at the register, the report states. The amount of merchandise she had allegedly skip scanned was $32.36. Bush was arrested and taken to the Coffee…

A Waycross man now calls Coffee County home – specifically, the Coffee County Jail – after he was caught allegedly breaking into Ruby Tuesday and Jersey Mike’s in the early morning hours of June 17, 2024. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, an officer responded to a call at Ruby Tuesday on the afternoon of June 17. The manager stated that she had noticed damage to the back door of the restaurant. She looked at camera footage and saw a man approach the building around 2:45 a.m. He pushed the camera away then entered the restaurant, the…

A 53-year-old Douglas man remains in the Coffee County Jail after detectives served a search warrant at his house and found suspected crack cocaine inside the residence. According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, on June 27, 2024, detectives with the drug unit served a search warrant at Crown Villa Apartments on East Walker Street. Detectives had information that drugs were being sold out of Apartment B at the complex. When officers arrived, they found Allyn Franklin, 53, inside the apartment. A search of the home revealed a bag of suspected crack cocaine. According to the report,…

On June 18, 2024, two individuals — a male and a female — were caught allegedly stealing tires and rims from M and R Truck Accessories on South Peterson Avenue. After being discovered, they left and allegedly dragged an employee down the road, causing injuries that required medical treatment then caused an accident and left the scene. The two suspects, Megan Lukes, 42, and Richard Shannon Jewell, 51, were arrested and jailed a short distance away. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, the incident happened around 8:30 a.m. on June 18. Employees of M and R noticed…

For the second time in three years, the same group of girls from the Douglas-Coffee County Parks and Recreation Department won a GRPA state softball championship. The 10U girls rolled through the districttournament without dropping a game then continued with another undefeated performance at state. In district, the 10U girls scored 55 runs and allowed just 12 in four games. They defeated Wayne County for the district title. In four more games at the state tournament, they scored 62 while allowing 12. Andeight of those 12 runs came in the championship game which saw the Douglas girls defeat Lyons 10-8.…

Georgia has declared war on squatted trucks. Starting today – July 1, 2024 – squatted trucks are illegal. According to a statement posted on the Douglas Police Department’s web site, it’s against the law to drive trucks with the front end raised significantly higher than the rear. The DPD says the new law’s goal is to improve highway safety “by ensuring better visibility and control.” The statement says it is unlawful to alter the suspension system of any motor vehicle which may be operated on a highway in such a manner that the frame height is elevated or lowered more…