Author: Staff Reports

An otherwise quiet Sunday night saw its tranquility spoiled around 10:30 p.m. when an armed robbery occurred at the Marathon store on West Ward Street between Harvey’s and Coffee Regional Medical Center. Authorities were on the scene quickly. They didn’t release any information or a statement regarding the incident — except that an armed robbery took place and the suspect got away. Douglas police officers were inside the store investigating the scene while deputies and DPD officers waited outside for a description of the subject. DouglasNow will provide more information as details are…

A Douglas man is behind bars on a rather impressive list of charges following a traffic stop. On Monday, November 27, 2023, a Coffee County detective received word that Walter Jaden Bryan, 27, had been arrested for a traffic violation, along with Jeremy Hersey, 30, and Bradley Barton, 30. According to a report on the stop, officers allegedly found guns, unlawful suppressors, and a methamphetamine pipe. Officers searched Bryan’s home and found suspected methamphetamine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone on the property. Additionally, officers found over 50 guns, according to the report. Bryan had previously been arrested on…

Officers are on the scene of a serious traffic accident on Highway 135 (Willacoochee Highway). The two vehicles, a mid-sized dark-colored Nissan SUV and a white Ford pickup, collided head-on between Pa Bill’s Barbecue and Optima Chemical. Authorities have not released a statement regarding the accident; however, the driver of the SUV did not survive the accident. The driver of the Ford pickup was injured but his injuries were not life-threatening. The roadway is closed in the vicinity of the accident. If you are headed either into or out of Douglas on Highway 135 you will…

Tonight, 32 teams across the state square off for the GHSA football semifinals. Among those 32 teams are 13 from South Georgia whose state championship hopes remain alive. But one area team has already brought home a state title. Thursday night, the Valwood Valiants defeated John Milledge Academy 42-21 at Five Star Stadium in Macon in the GIAA state finals. The game was historic on several fronts. First of all, it was Valwood’s seventh state championship, their first since 2017, and most notably, it ended the longest active consecutive winning streak in the nation. …

A little after 4 p.m. on Thursday, firefighters from the Coffee County Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Straight and Narrow Way Road, which is just off Highway 221 North adjacent to Hidden Lakes. The home, a rental property, was vacant but people were moving in Friday. Units responded quickly — the fire was just a few hundred yards from county fire department headquarters — and had the blaze quickly under control. While they were able to keep it from spreading, they weren’t able to save the house; the home was a total loss. …

The staff at Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic would like to wish you and yours a merry Christmas and a happy new year! The holidays can be a hectic and stressful time of the year. Don’t let illness keep you from enjoying the time with family and friends. Stop by and see us if you’re having any issues with your upper respiratory system or sleeping comfortably. We can get you back on your feet in no time!

Brant Garrett, the former George Washington Carver Freshman Campus teacher who was arrested and charged with two counts of child molestation and two counts of sexual battery in incidents involving students at the freshman campus in early 2022, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to one count of sexual battery on a minor. As a result of the guilty plea, Garrett was fined $2,000 and sentenced to five years of probation. He will have to abide by sex offender conditions while he is on probation, which means he will register as a sex offender during his probation period. …

Officers from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a non-fatal shooting that took place around 5 p.m. Tuesday. The shooting happened on Hickory Lane where Hickory intersects with Burl Mill Road in the eastern portion of Coffee County. After being shot, the victim attempted to drive himself to Coffee Regional Medical Center in a Toyota 4Runner. However, the victim began having trouble breathing and stopped at Budget Car Sales, where an ambulance picked him up and transported him to CRMC. Just after 6 p.m, an Air-Evac helicopter landed at the hospital to transport him to…

On November, 19, 2023, a Douglas police officer stopped a man on a bicycle after he allegedly ran the stop light at West Walker Street and North Peterson Avenue. The stop led to an arrest on illegal drug charges. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, the incident happened about 8:30 p.m. that day. The officer was patrolling in the area when she noticed the man on the bike, identified as Nathaniel Stange, 24, allegedly run the red light. The officer turned around and attempted to stop Stange. The report says that Stange looked back at…

A Douglas police officer working a detail at Pilgrim’s Pride arrested a woman on drug possession charges after he allegedly saw her with suspected illegal drugs in the back of a car in the parking lot. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, around 9 p.m. on November 13, the officer was walking through the parking lot at Pilgrim’s Pride while employees were going on break. He saw a male and female in the back seat of a car and detected the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. As he walked by the car, he…