A 27-year-old Fitzgerald man was arrested and charged with enticing a child when he was caught allegedly trying to meet up with a 15-year-old juvenile in order to have sex with her, according to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. The report states that on July 27, 2024, a deputy responded to a mobile home park in Nicholls in reference to a suspicious person. When the deputy arrived, he noticed a man matching the description of the suspect get into a vehicle and attempt to leave. The report says the deputy blocked the suspect’s vehicle so he couldn’t…
Author: Staff Reports
The Coffee County School System is stepping into the wild blue “Yondr” of cellphone restraint at Coffee Middle School and the George Washington Carver Freshman Campus by requiring students at both schools to secure cellphones and smart watches in sealed Yondr pouches during the school day. The board approved the measure at the June meeting. Yondr pouches are small pouches that are designed to safely and securely contain mobile devices. They are sealed magnetically and students will not be able to open the pouches during the school day. They will keep their pouches with them in backpacks, purses, etc., during…
The stage is set for the race for the vacant Ward 2 city commission seat. Qualifying took place last week and closed at noon Friday. A total of four candidates threw their hats into the ring for the seat.The first two candidates to qualify were Tonji Simpson and Mickeayla Clark. Simpson is a relative political newcomer while Clark has run for the Ward 2 seat once before. She challenged former Ward 2 commissioner Kentaiwon Durham in 2019.Late in the week two other candidates qualified: Brenda Henderson Moore and Aveary Daniels. They waited until Friday morning to enter the election.Friday, July…
Bacon County authorities have arrested Rocky Dewayne Oglesby, 32, of Alma, in connection with the murder of Breauna Bello, 22, of Alma. Bello was shot and killed Saturday, July 27, 2024, just before 6 a.m. as she and her boyfriend were riding down Copper Lake Road. According to a press release from the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office, Bello’s boyfriend placed the 911 call and said that they were riding on Copper Lake Road and someone shot at their vehicle. A bullet struck Bello and she was found deceased when authorities and EMS arrived. Bacon County Sheriff Andy Batten requested that…
The spike in hit and run accidents in Douglas hasn’t ended yet, according to a report from the Douglas Police Department. On July 18, 2024, another such crash was reported at North Madison Avenue and McNeil Drive. Involved were a 2019 Ford Fusion driven by Cara Lott and a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Suzie Bertagnolli. The report states that around 6:15 p.m., Lott was driving the Fusion north on North Madison Avenue when she was struck on the right side of her vehicle by the Malibu as she was moving into the left turning lane. Lott complained of injuries…
An electronic argument between two females allegedly led to a fight that landed three people in custody. Two of the three were released quickly but one of the suspects, the lone male involved in the altercation, remains in jail. According to a report from the Douglas Police Department, officers responded to Treetop Apartments in reference to a fight shortly after 4 p.m. When they arrived, they found a chaotic scene. There were several witnesses who, along with surveillance video, helped sort out what happened. The report says that two females, Jasmine Harmon, 32, and Mercedes High, 24, had been arguing…
A suspected drunk driver led law enforcement officers on a dangerous and destructive chase Tuesday night that thankfully ended with no injuries but one wrecked patrol car. Tuesday, July 23, 2024, deputies received a call of a possible drunk driver in Baymeadows. An officer located the driver on Woodrow Stone Road and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, Cody Dylan Sewell, 33, refused to stop and attempted to flee. He turned left on to Highway 158 and traveled west to St. Illa Church Road, where he turned right and meandered his way to Sink Hole Road. From there,…
The 2024 presidential election isn’t the only race on the ballot with a few story lines. The Ward 2 Douglas city commission election has its own drama. Friday afternoon – July 26, 2024 – the Coffee County Board of Elections will hold a public meeting and hearing regarding a challenge filed by former Ward 2 commissioner Kentaiwon Durham contesting the qualification of Mickeayla Clark as a candidate for the seat. Thursday, the elections office sent out a public hearing notice announcing the meeting but it did not say on what grounds Durham was contesting Clark’s candidacy. The meeting will be…
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…