About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 2022)
Anglin named as girls basketball head coach, sports, ib DCHS students put on production of ‘9 to 5 the musical.’ INSIDE, 4A DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I MAY 4, 2022 Dawson News ► com dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00 Family files lawsuit in teen's 2020 death Attorneys allege deputies ignored Sanford’s intoxication, risk of harm, medical needs By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com Thirteen months after the sher iff’s office and county received a letter about a forthcoming multi- million-dollar wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys filed against several law enforcement officials on behalf of the family of an 18-year-old man found dead at the Dawson County Detention Center in 2020. Attorneys Sean Park and Andrew Richman filed the law suit on April 22 on behalf of plaintiffs and parents Jerry Sanford and Stephanie McClure. Their son, Jonathan Sanford, was found deceased at the county jail the morning of June 2, 2020 fol lowing his arrest on a narcotics and DUI charge. This lawsuit follows an investi gation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation which deemed Sanford’s death accidental and an independent investigation by the plaintiffs’ attorneys. The plaintiffs are asking for damages related to Sanford’s pain and suffering as well as special damages for medi cal, funeral and other expenses like attorney’s fees. Neither their attorneys or the one for DCSO Sheriff Jeff Johnson, Joey Homans, have provided comment to DCN as of publication. Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson is named as a defendant, along with two jail supervisors and six other deputies.The litiga tion, filed in Gainesville’s U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, follows an independent investigation by the family’s attorneys. It alleges Sanford’s wrongful death on the basis of the defen dants violating the teen’s civil rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and state and federal law. Specifically, the law suit accuses the defendants of negligence, having or providing insufficient training to recognize and respond to medical emergen cies and failing to enforce poli cies leading up to the teen’s 2020 death. Deputies are alleged to have ignored various signs of Sanford’s intoxication, including but not limited to slurred speech, swaying on his feet and profuse sweating. The deputy conducting Sanford’s traffic stop supposedly left blank answers on a required pre-booking form about whether the teen was suicidal or had those tendencies, if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if he had any known medical condi tions. The two other deputies involved in either questioning or transporting Sanford to jail alleg edly didn’t supplement answers for those blank questions or raise concerns. Deputies likewise failed to conduct any pre-booking medical screening or provide care, but the teen was submitted to both a pat-down and strip search. Likewise, the lawsuit alleged that supervisors were not alerted when Sanford pressed his head against the glass of his cell door twice around 8:15 p.m. and 10 or so minutes later, a violation of the DCSO policy to report when See Sanford 13A Fresh fruits, veggies for sale Photos by Erica Jones Dawson County News Local vendors sell their wares during the 2022 opening day of the Amicalola Regional Farmers Market on April 30. Amicalola Regional Farmers Market kicks off 2022 season By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com On the morning of Saturday April 30, the Amicalola Regional Farmers Market officially opened for the first day of its 2022 season. The city’s farmers mar ket pavilion was complete ly filled with local vendors selling fresh eggs, meat, baked goods, crafts, vege table plants and more. Vendors and customers joked and laughed with one another as they enjoyed the fun atmo sphere and the beautiful weather. The Amicalola Regional Farmers Market operates out of the City of Dawsonville Farmers Market Pavilion at 86 Allen Street and is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until the ven dors are sold out. For more information about the Amicalola Regional Farmers Market, go to https ://www.dawson- ville-ga.gov/community/ page/amicalola-regional- farmers-market or follow the market on Facebook at @ amicalolafarmersmarket. 3 students to compete in national bake-off By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com This June, three Dawson County High School students will represent Dawson County at a national FCCLA baking and pastry competition in San Diego. Baking trio Bernadine Baptiste, Megan Dixon and Anna Lee blew away the compe tition at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) region baking and pastry competition at the beginning of the year, scoring 86.6 out of a possible 100 points to advance to the state competition in March. Now, the trio has gone on to continue their success at the state competition, mak ing Dawson County one of just two districts in the state of Georgia that will go on to compete at the national level in June. At the end of June, Baptiste and Dixon will travel to San Diego to participate in the FCCLA baking and pastry competition on the national level. Due to scheduling con flicts, Lee is unable to join her teammates at See FCCLA 12A Next economic development director named By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce has selected Kevin Herrit to serve as Director of Economic Development, according to a press release from the business organization’s president and CEO, Mandy Power. Herrit’s first day is set for Monday, May 2. His appointment follows the chamber’s several-month search to fill the position, during which the Georgia-based firm The Chason Group was tapped to help lead the executive search process. “The economic development search committee has been very strategic in mak ing a selection in this process,” Power said. “As a group, we were looking for a profes sional who understands a rural area while at the same time has the knowledge and skill sets to move our area forward in terms of new jobs and retaining existing busi nesses. Kevin brings those experiences to See Herrit 13A 9 0 9 9 4 ® Events I Cl pi P Classifieds XX XljXvLv Dear Abby Deaths Volume8,Number 17 j 1 ©2021, Dawson County News ° Dawsonville, Georgia Opinion Sports 2B 6B 4B 2A 7B 7A 1B 3A Students help ducks through wildlife conservation project. 5A Humane Society holds annual yard sale event.
