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The Braselton News
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Public Safety
Hall County Sheriff’s Office
Hall Co. deputy shoots and kills man who fired shot at him
Shooting occured in
Northeast Hall Co.
A Hall County Sheriff’s Of
fice (HCSO) deputy shot and
killed a man who fired a shot
at him on Oct. 25, according
to an HCSO press release.
Just before 9:45 p.m„ a 911
caller reported a vehicle was
stopped in the middle of F.
Gilmer Road just off Hwy. 52
in northeastern Hall County.
According to the HCSO,
when a deputy arrived at the
scene to investigate, he found
a man and a woman standing
outside of the vehicle. During
the course of the investigation,
the male subject reportedly
pulled a weapon, firing a shot
at the deputy. The deputy re
portedly returned fire, strik
ing the man and killing him.
The woman ran from the
scene into a wooded area and
was apprehended a short time
later by other deputies who
arrived at the scene, according
to the report. She was trans
ported to a local hospital for
evaluation.
As is protocol with any of
ficer-involved shooting, the
HCSO contacted the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation (GBI)
to take the lead in the investi
gation.
SHERIFFS’
STATEMENT
Hall County Sheriff Gerald
Couch issued a statement on
the shooting:
“For the fourth time this
year, the Hall County Sher
iff's Office has had the need
to call on the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation to conduct a
probe of an officer-involved
shooting in our county. The
latest incident occurred the
night of October 25, 2022,
when one of our deputies
was called to a location on F.
Gilmer Road in the Gillsville
area.
“Our deputy arrived at the
scene just before 10 p.m. and
found a man and a woman
standing outside of a vehi
cle which was blocking the
roadway. As our deputy was
talking with the subjects, it
became apparent to him the
male subject was being de
ceitful. For the deputy's safe
ty, he instructed the man to
turn around so he could pat
him down for weapons. In
stead of complying, the man
suddenly reached behind his
back, pulling out a handgun,
and began firing at the deputy.
One bullet shuck the deputy’s
magazine pouch on his duty
belt, which ultimately kept
the bullet from entering his
body.
“Our deputy exchanged
gunfire with the man, striking
him multiple times. The man
died at the scene.
“Our investigation later de
termined the vehicle occupied
by the couple was stolen. In
addition, the deceased man
had an active warrant for his
arrest.
“I want to remind every
one about the dangers our
deputies face each and every
day as they strive to keep our
community safe. In my 40
years of law enforcement, I
have never seen our deputies
facing any greater dangers
than they do today. Had the
bullet strayed an inch, our
deputy could have been criti
cally injured - or even killed
- Tuesday night.
“None of us goes to work
thinking we will have to take
someone's life. Unfortunate
ly, there are times when we
are called to use deadly force.
The offender in this case
made the decision to open fire
on our deputy and died as a
result of his felonious actions.
“Our deputy has been
placed on administrative leave
with pay as the GBI works to
complete its investigation.
Once state agents finish then-
work, their findings will be
submitted to the Hall County
District Attorney for review.
“As your Sheriff, I ask that
you remember the men and
women of the Hall County
Sheriff's Office as they go to
work for you each day. We
consider it an honor and a
privilege to serve you."
Braselton PD
Two Lawrenceville men arrested for intent to distribute marijuana
Two Lawrenceville men
were arrested by Braselton
police for possession of
marijuana with the intent
to distribute after a recent
traffic stop.
Frank Carver Woods,
20, 1469 Millstream Rd.,
Lawrenceville, and Na-
sir Hassan Warner, 21,
2727 Chamberlain Dr.,
Lawrenceville, were both
booked on marijuana pos
session charges as well as
possession of drug-related
objects.
The arrest occurred after
Woods was stopped for re
portedly driving the wrong
way on a one-way turn
lane. The vehicle reported
ly smelled like marijuana,
which led to a search that
uncovered serval bags of
marijuana, a scale and a
40-caliber handgun. The
gun belonged to Woods, ac
cording to the arrest report.
Woods was also charged
with use of a firearm during
the commission of a crime
and failure to obey a traffic
control device.
OTHER ARRESTS
Other recent arrests re
ported by Braselton police
include:
•Osiel Alvarado Bueno,
46, 1115 Bird Dog Trail,
Pfafftown, North Carolina
— fugitive warrant, driv
ing without a valid driver’s
license and headlight viola
tion. Bueno was reported
ly pulled over for driving
without his headlights or
taillights activated and was
arrested after it was learned
he had a warrant out for his
arrest from the U.S. Mar
shals Service.
•Jackie Dustin Gooch,
51, 2336 Pine Circle Dr.,
Gainesville — bench war
rant magistrate, improper
display of a tag and driv
ing with a suspended or
revoked driver’s license.
Heather Dawn James.
44, 2336 Pine Circle Dr.,
Gainesville — giving false
information and bench war
rant. Gooch was reportedly
pulled over for his tag not
being fully visible and was
taken into custody when it
was learned he had an arrest
warrant out of Hall County.
James, the passenger in the
vehicle, was arrested after
reportedly giving a false
name and for outstanding
warrants. The warrants
were discovered after she
provided police with her
real name after initially
providing a false name, ac
cording to the arrest report.
•Abraham Valencia-Gar-
cia. 49, 1512 Hwy. 54
West. Fayetteville — pos
session of a Schedule I or
II substance, possession of
drug-related objects, driv
ing without a valid driver's
license and taillight viola
tion.
Valencia-Garcia was
pulled over after reported
ly driving without his tail-
lights on and was arrested
after methamphetamine
was found inside his vehi
cle. The drugs were report
edly found during a search
of the vehicle conducted
after an officer saw a glass
pipe on the floorboard.
•Marc Colluro, 48, 5415
Golf View Dr., Braselton
— driving under the influ
ence of alcohol, speeding
and failure to obey a traf
fic-control device. Colluro
was arrested after report
edly failing a field sobriety
test during a traffic stop
for speeding and running
a traffic light. Culluro was
administered the test after
an officer reported that he
smelled like alcohol.
•Victor Scott McDou-
gald, 43, 4654 Quail Pointe
Dr., Flowery Branch —
McDougald reportedly
smelled like alcohol and
was unable to stand while
speaking with police fol
lowing a traffic incident,
leading to his arrest. Mc-
Dougald’s vehicle report
edly had two flat tires and
was blocking the entry and
exit of a church. An officer
reported seeing track marks
on a curb, through grass and
through mulch where Mc-
Dougald’s vehicle stopped.
INCIDENTS
Recent incidents reported
to Braselton police include:
•harassment on Walnut
Wood Dr. where a man
said his sister-in-law was
stalking his fiancee and his
residence. He said his sis
ter-in-law followed his fi
ancee in a vehicle and had
photos of his residence on
an old phone.
•theft on Grapewood St.
where a pallet of Hardie
Board, worth $2,305. was
reportedly stolen from a
home construction site.
•simple battery on Legis
lative Ln. where a teenager
reportedly punched his fa
ther in the face and then ran
away from home.
•traffic stop on 1-85
North where a motorist was
reportedly found with mar
ijuana after being pulled
over for speeding. The ve
hicle was searched after an
officer smelled marijuana
coming from the vehicle,
according to the incident
report.
•mental subject on Keys
Dr. where a man, with
whom Braselton Police
reportedly have had multi
ple encounters, said gang
members were after his
brother. The man admit
ted to having not taken his
medication in a couple of
weeks.
•harassment on Hwy. 53
where a woman said a man
asked her for a massage.
West Jackson incidents
Man overdoses at Guy Maddox Rd. location, refuses treatment
A man who reportedly
overdosed at a Guy Maddox
Rd. residence declined med
ical aid after being revived.
According to an incident
report filed by the Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office,
the man was reportedly
found not breathing after
taking heroin. He was ad
ministered Narcan and later
became alert, but refused
treatment and transport to
the hospital, according to
the incident report.
OTHER INCIDENTS
Other recent incidents re
ported by the JCSO includ
ed:
•information on Prestwick
Dr. where a man said an
Amazon driver dropped off
a package at his home, fol
lowed by a UPS driver who
also dropped off a package,
but picked up the one left by
Amazon. The man said he
was not expecting the Am
azon package and did not
know what it contained.
•suspicious activity on
Legacy Dr. where a woman
said that she saw, via door
bell camera, two people at
tempt to open her front door.
•information on Creek
View Ct. where a man said
his wife went missing after
they’d gotten into an argu
ment about her being intox
icated.
•simple battery on Stone
View Dr. where a man
said he pushed his girl
friend onto a couch after
she slapped him in the face
for calling her daughter a
b .
•agency assist on Hwy.
332 at Boone Rd. to a
two-vehicle accident with
out injuries involving a
Jackson County school bus
carrying three children.
•dispute on Pine Cove Ct.
where a woman said her
boyfriend’s child and boy
friend’s ex-wife grabbed
her and attempted to hit her.
The woman said she feared
for her safety and called
9-1-1 out of concern that
the ex-wife would “beat
my a—.” The woman’s
boyfriend said the incident
stemmed from the wom
an making fun of his spe
cial-needs son but denied
any physical altercation.
•abandoned vehicle on
Duck Rd. at Robert Dr.
where a van with no tag
and the rear window bro
ken out was left. A search
of the VIN revealed the van
was owned by a Gaines
ville man who could not be
reached via phone.
Indictment continued from 1A
pnson.
This indictment was ob
tained by the Attorney Gener
al’s Human Trafficking Pros
ecution Unit.
“Our Human Trafficking
Prosecution Unit is working
each day to stop those who
abuse and exploit Georgia’s
citizens for sex,” Carr said.
“Whether from a supply or
demand perspective, anyone
who engages in this criminal
industry will be found and
held accountable for their ac
tions. All Georgians deserve
to be safe, and we will con
tinue fighting to end human
trafficking in our state.”
Curry is alleged to have
sold the female victim for sex
at various locations in Gwin
nett County between January
through August 2022. The
defendant is further alleged
to have trafficked the victim
through the use of coercion,
including physical violence
and threats of physical vio
lence. He is also alleged to
have taken financial proceeds
from the sale of the victim.
This case was investigated
by the Gwinnett County Sher
iff’s Office Special Investiga
tions Section, with assistance
from the Gwinnett County
Police Department.
The Attorney General’s
Human Trafficking Prosecu
tion Unit presented evidence
to a Gwinnett County Grand
Jury, resulting in Curry’s in
dictment on Oct. 19.
GWINNETT MAN
PLEADS GUILTY TO
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Carr announced on Monday
(Oct. 31) that another Gwin
nett County man. Demonte
Engle, pleaded guilty to one
count of human trafficking
following an undercover in
vestigation conducted by the
Gwinnett County Sheriff’s
Office in 2021.
This is the Human Traffick
ing Prosecution Unit’s first
undercover chat case. The de
fendant solicited a purported
14-year-old female online for
sex but was actually commu
nicating with an undercover
officer. This also marks the
fourth conviction to be ob
tained by the Attorney Gener
al’s Human Trafficking Pros
ecution Unit since July 25.
“By partnering with local
law enforcement, our Human
Trafficking Prosecution Unit
is utilizing every available
resource to apprehend buyers
before they reach potential
victims,” Carr said. “Demonte
Engle took active steps to so
licit a purported 14-year-old
female for sex, and now he is
paying the price for his illegal
actions. This is a novel case
and should send a message to
all those who attempt to ex
ploit our children by engaging
in this criminal industry - you
will be stopped and held ac
countable.”
This case stems from an
investigation and arrest con
ducted by the Gwinnett Coun
ty Sherriff’s Office TRACE
Unit in 2021. Engle, between
the dates of Oct. 19-Nov. 1.
2021, solicited an individual
online for commercial sex,
offering to pay her cash for
sexual activity. The individu
al who Engle was communi
cating with purported to be a
14-year-old female but was
in fact an undercover officer
posing as a child. Engle him
self falsely told the undercov
er officer that he was 17 years
old. On Nov. 1, 2021, after
days of soliciting the purport
ed teen online, Engle offered
to pay $40 to have sexual in
tercourse with the purported
14-year-old and traveled to an
agreed-upon location in Bu
ford to meet for the exchange.
At that time, Engle was arrest
ed by the Gwinnett County
Sheriff’s Office. Engle was
subsequently indicted by the
Attorney General’s Human
Trafficking Prosecution Unit
in January.
This case is the Human
Trafficking Prosecution Unit’s
first to be prosecuted under a
specific portion of the human
trafficking statute which al
lows for prosecution when an
offender solicits commercial
sex from an individual who
the accused believes to be un
der 18 years old, allowing for
the use of undercover officers.
Engle pleaded guilty in
Gwinnett County Superior
Court on Oct. 24. The At
torney General’s Human
Trafficking Prosecution Unit
recommended a sentence of
25 years to serve five years
in prison, while counsel for
Engle argued for a sentence
of probation. A Gwinnett
County Superior Court Judge
accepted the plea and set
Engle’s sentence at 25 years
to serve five years of house
arrest. Engle will also be re
quired to register as a sex of
fender.
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The Braselton News
