Author: Staff Reports

Thirsty Thursday turned into Fisticuffs Friday for a couple of Douglas men last week. According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, two men, Matthew Bowen, 24, and Cameron Barton, 19, ended up on a fistfight at 2003 West Forest Drive near midnight on Thursday, April 4, 2024. The altercation landed both in jail but they quickly bonded out. The report states that the complainant contacted 911 after Bowen went to the Forest Drive home “to get his belongings.” The home belonged to the complainant, the report says. The complainant, his girlfriend, along with several others, was there.…

Earlier this week, South Georgia State College announced that the college has suspended its swimming program. The news came as a shock to many friends and supporters of SGSC. CM Jenkins, the team’s first swim coach who worked tirelessly to build the program into one of the best junior college swim teams in the country, released the following statement Thursday morning regarding the college’s decision. Below is his statement: “I am deeply disappointed on hearing the news of our swim program being shut down at SGSC. I read several posts or comments about this earlier this week along with a…

Story courtesy of WALB WALB has reported that four people connected to the Fitzgerald Housing Authority were arrested after a grand jury indictment related to video footage not being released to local police. One of the individuals, Fitzgerald Housing Authority attorney Toni Sawyer, is also the attorney for the Douglas Housing Authority. On Tuesday, April 9, Sawyer, Dr. Howard Lamond Hall, Brenda Lunsford, and Tracy McKie were all arrested and charged with obstruction following an April 1 grand jury indictment in connection to incidents at the Fitzgerald Housing Authority, according to the WALB report. In 2023, the housing authority received…

The CCA Patriots split Friday’s games during their stint in Cocoa Beach, Florida, winning game one against the Fleming County Panthers 3-2 then dropping game two to the East Carter Raiders 3-1. Thursday, they had defeated East Carter 6-4. CCA scored runs in the second, fifth, and sixth innings. Then they kept a Panthers’ rally at bay in the bottom of the sixth when Fleming County plated two runs. The Patriots got on the board first when Hunter Hayes scored Tyson Crosby on a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Same Ables singled to score Thomas Gentry to give CCA a…

The Coffee Trojans outscored the Bradwell Institute Tigers 30-1 in a double header Friday afternoon at Charles Wilson Field in Douglas to complete the series sweep. The Trojans won game one 13-0 then came back and won game two 17-1 after scoring 15 runs in the first inning. Tuesday, Coffee defeated Bradwell Institute 15-0. The game was essentially over in the first inning when the Trojans scored six runs, four of which came courtesy of home runs. Ben Fussell led off the game for Coffee with a solo home run, his first high school homer. Michael Strickland walked then Cannon…

The Coffee County School System has announced that the Coffee County School Nutrition Progam is the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s School District of the Month for March. The school system made the announcement Friday morning. According to the GSNA’s release, the Coffee County program had events scheduled throughout March. Most notably, the program formed a partnership with Tractor Supply to support their garden initiatives at Eastside Elementary School. Additionally, the program served General Tso’s chicken with chow mein noodles, Asian-inspired rice, sweet carrots, chicken egg roll and more. The Coffee County School Nutrition Program also created a Wall of Fame…

The CCA Patriots’ trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida has been a productive one so far. Thursday, the Patriots defeated the East Carter Raiders 6-4 and the Dixie Greyhounds 9-5. CCA scored all six of its runs in the first two innings against East Carter, plating three in each frame. It was enough to hold off the Raiders, who had scored two in the first then added a run in the sixth and seventh. Blake Bryant led the way offensively for CCA, going 2-3 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored. He also had the Patriots’ only extra base hit of…

If you’re going to allegedly flee a vehicle after you crash it, remember to grab your wallet. A 33-year-old Douglas man, Jordan Ray Porter, was arrested and briefly jailed after he allegedly crashed a vehicle on Rebecca Waldron Road then left the scene, leaving his wallet behind in the wrecked car. Officers responded to the scene, found the wallet, and then went to Porter’s home, where he was arrested. The incident report from the sheriff’s office states that an individual noticed an overturned vehicle in the area of 2707 Rebecca S. Waldron Road on March 30, 2024, around 3:15 a.m.…

Jennifer Lea Smith, 38, of Douglas, has had quite a week. On March 25, 2024, she was arrested on multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine and simple battery against a police officer, but was released. Several days later, she was arrested again on an unrelated charge and remains jailed. The March 25 incident took place at a mobile home park on Highway 32 West. Officers received a call in reference to someone entering a home at the park. The complainant had left for work but his wife was at home when the alleged intruder, identified as Smith, came into the…

A busted tail light and a rolling stop landed two men in jail last week. And they’re still there. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, detectives noticed a brown Jeep Cherokee with a busted tail roll through the red light on the Willacoochee Highway before making a right hand turn on to Bowens Mill Road. Detectives stopped the vehicle, which had two people inside. The driver was identified as Spencer Rogers, 28, of Sparks. The passenger was identified as Andrew Ballard, 32, who is listed as homeless. Rogers was on probation; as such,…