Author: Staff Reports

Bruce Edwards, Attorney at Law, is your local law firm for workplace accidents and a host of other legal services. If you have a legal need, give them a call at (912) 310-2223.

Here’s the good news: The approaching squall line that is expected to bring severe weather to Coffee and surround counties won’t take long to pass through. Here’s the bad news: For the time it’s here, it will bring sustained winds of 35-45 mph with gusts of 60 mph or more. One squall line, the lesser of the two, has already moved over South Georgia. It rolled through in the pre-dawn hours and downed trees and resulted in losses of power for some residents of the area. The second squall line is moving quickly and emergency officials…

This year, 2024, is an election year. In addition to the federal officials on the ballot this year, there are a number of local offices up for grabs. Below you will find the contested offices and their accompanying qualifying fees: County Commission Districts 2, 4, and 5 — $127.17 (Partisan) Board of Education Districts 3 and 5 — $303.19 (Non-Partisan) Clerk of Court — $2,016.11 (Partisan) Coroner — $404.25 (Partisan) Magistrate Court Judge — $2,056.44 (Non-Partisan) Probate Court Judge — $2,016.11 (Non-Partisan) Sheriff — $2,512.52 (Partisan)…

Those traffic stops will get you every time. On December 18, a detective with the Coffee County Drug Unit made a traffic stop because the drive was not wearing his seatbelt. During the stop, the officer noticed an open alcoholic beverage in the vehicle and more alcoholic beverages on the floor, according to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. The officer asked the driver, identified as Anthony Lee, 26, and a passenger, Joshua Hodge, 24, to get out of the vehicle. He placed them in handcuffs and called a K9, which alerted on the vehicle. …

Agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Hazlehurst Police Department, and Georgia State Patrol, made three arrests in the New Year’s Eve murder of LeCeddrick Mitchell of Hazlehurst. According to a release posted on the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page, agents and officers made the arrests Thursday afternoon around 3:15. The three subjects arrested are Brad Smith, 18; Keil Smith, 25; and Kaniya Maxwell, 24. Brad Smith and Keil Smith were charged with aggravated assault and murder while Maxwell was charged with murder and conspiracy…

An officer from the Douglas Police Department arrested two people in Douglas who were wanted out of Alpharetta and North Carolina the day after Christmas. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, an officer on patrol saw Stacie Lynn Zompetti, 70, and Aaron Shah Khan, 48, in Douglas. Both were known to have active warrants and had been arrested numerous times for various thefts. The officer contacted the Alpharetta Police Department and the department in North Carolina. The Alpharetta PD wanted them held on felony shoplifting warrants. North Carolina wasn’t interested in holding them.…

It worked — until it didn’t. Allegedly, of course. On December 18, an individual identified as Tudarries Qua’Shun Eiland, 28, of Douglas, allegedly walked into the Circle K on the south end of town shortly before 9 p.m., picked up a 12-pack of Modelo beer, and brazenly walked out without paying. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, video footage from the store showed Eiland get out of a black Chrysler 300, walk in the story by himself, get the beer, and then leave. The responding officer knew Eiland lived on Shirley Avenue and…

At the request of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI is conducting an investigation into the death of an inmate in the Pierce County Jail. Ethan Taylor, age 21, of Patterson, Georgia, was found dead in an isolation cell on December 30, 2023. Taylor was arrested by the Blackshear Police Department on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Pooler, Georgia, will complete an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death. Funeral arrangements for Taylor remain incomplete at this time. Hart Funeral Home in Blackshear is in charge of the…

On Tuesday, December 19, an officer was called to Shell Bell Road in reference to an alleged domestic dispute. According to the report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was driving 28-year-old David Wade Reliford to work when they started arguing. The report says that the argument was over who was going to drive the vehicle. While still in the vehicle, the victim claimed Reliford struck her with the back of his hand with his fist balled. The report states the responding officer observed swelling above the victim’s eye, a busted lip, broken front…

The Miami Dolphins, who looked like an AFC juggernaut just a few weeks ago, have encountered a few not insignificant struggles heading into the final week of the season. First off, in order to win the AFC, the Dolphins had to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens have looked like world beaters lately and Miami’s task was made all the more difficult by having to play Baltimore on the road. The Ravens were not gracious guests and sent the Dolphins back home carrying the burden of a 56-19 loss. The 56 points Miami gave…