The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current, January 13, 2022, Image 1

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The Georgia post., January 13, 2022, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextW UNITED Ewe stand* pj ( OD*FAMILY*COUNTR^ Gun struggle with deputy leads to death of local man BY KRISTI WATKINS The Georgia Post A Roberta man was shot and killed during a struggle for a Crawford County Deputy’s gun following a high-speed chase in Crawford County. According to the GBI, Denrick Demond Stallings, 47, of Roberta, was spotted speeding just after 12:15 p.m. by Crawford County Sheriff deputies. Deputies said Stallings didn’t stop for a traffic violation and led them on a chase that lasted sev eral miles and ended when Stallings crashed his car just outside Roberta city limits off Georgia Hwy 341. GBI stated Stallings ran from the vehicle while deputies pursued a chase and fired their Taser at him, dropping Stallings to the ground. As deputies were trying to place him in custody, the GBI stated Stallings began to struggle with one of the deputies over a gun when the depu ty fired his gun striking Stallings. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the deputy has yet to be released but most everyone in town supposedly knows the name. The Post will abide by the request to not release the name at this time. The GBI was asked by the Craw ford County Sheriffs Office for an independent investigation into the deadly deputy-involved shooting. Once completed, the case will be handed over to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review. This is normal procedure in the case of officer involved shootings. Stallings was arrested in 2007 after a search warrant was obtained for the home of Stallings and his wife, Tunisia Lashawanda Stall ings where they were both arrested with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. According to The Georgia Post, October 4, 2007, Crawford Coun ty investigators found a cache of guns and a substantial quantity of suspected crack cocaine. Approxi mately 26 suspected crack cocaine “rocks” and a suspected crack cocaine “cookie” were discovered during the search. Deputies recov ered an assault rifle and two other rifles, a sawed off shotgun and three other shotguns and two handguns. A bullet-resistant vest similar to those worn by law enforcement officers was also discovered during the investigation. According to the article, vehicles, motorcycle, ATV and cash were also seized. Stallings was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and probation violation stemming from an earlier conviction in Crawford County for cocaine possession. Stallings was also arrested twice in 2018 one for DUI - alcohol and the other for possession of marijua na; possess with intent to or sell/de liver/distribute/display or provide a minor with any drug related object; crossing state/county guard lines with weapons, intoxicant, drugs without consent. He was also re cently arrested in Richmond County (Augusta), Georgia for unknown charges in October 2021. An open records request for other information has yet to receive a response. Various agencies including Monroe, Peach and the Georgia State Patrol were asked to help secure the perimeter following the incident. Dev. Auth. approves loan to Dickey Farms for expansion BY KATELYN JENNINGS The Georgia Post Development Authority Board mem bers discussed banking at last week’s meeting, and mentioned they are un able to close their account at Georgia Community Bank in Roberta due to all members not signing the appropriate form. One member that was recently appointed, Todd Jones, has resigned and a new member will need to be appointed before this account can be closed. This vacancy will run in the pa per to find a candidate for the position. The Board received two bids to install an electrical panel inside the unit next to Care Connect, in the old Dollar Gen eral building. The first bid was around $9,000, however, the Board could not remember who submitted the bid and did not have access to the information. The second bid was $7,251.42 from Smith Electric. This bid is for new service to be ran to the building and in stall the electric panel. Board members awarded the bid to Smith Electric. A request to borrow money from the Revolving Loan Fund was submitted by Dickey Farms. All paperwork has been submitted, but had to be sent back due to a few numbers missing on the forms. They are looking to expand their retail area roughly 3000 square feet. $150,000 has been requested from the REF account, and the terms would require a 50% match on a 15- year revolving loan. There has not been an interest rate or payment schedule selected yet; this will be decided by Middle Georgia Region Commission once updated paperwork is sent over. Once completed, the total project will cost around $500,000. The loan for Dickey Farms was approved. Ray Wilkerson, a potential buyer, was on the agenda to appear and discuss land the Development Authority is sell ing. This land would be used to build a grocery store in Roberta. It was also mentioned he is interested in the space next to Care Connect for a laundromat. However, Wilkerson was not in atten dance so this item will be moved to the next meeting. The Board then went into a closed executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters. Mayor; city council sworn in Judge David Mincey III, left swore in Jay Andrews for another term as Roberta Mayor, and Sherrie Thomp son, center, for a second term and newcomer, Josh Patterson, far right at the first meeting of Roberta City Council for the new year. Mayor Andrews stated he looked forward to the next four years to move the city forward. Council, he said, had worked hard the previous four years to get the city where it is finan cially today. New district map sent back for adjustments BY KATELYN JENNINGS The Georgia Post Crawford County Commissioners took a vote, and reappointed John Thomas as Chairman at last week’s meeting. Justin Spillers was also reappointed as Vice Chairman for 2022. The resolution for adopting the Joint Comprehensive Plan with the City of Roberta was presented to the Board. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs approved the plan, so the next step is to adopt the plan. Commissioners voted and approved the plan, and this will be in place for the next five years. The Board reviewed their funds that were placed in a Georgia Fund One account in 2021. $500,000 was put into the account, and so far it has only accrued $80 in interest. However, it has cost the county $97 to manage the account along with paying a CPA monthly to manage the interest charges and post them on their accounts. It was men tioned that typically the GA Fund One account has a higher return. County Manager, Fabian Hollis, recommended pulling the funds out of this account and placing it back into the General Fund ac count. Joel Sherlock, the county attorney, advised there is no legal issue with transferring the funds. Commissioners voted and approved to transfer the entire sum of money back into the General Fund ac count. Commissioners and Hollis dis cussed the LMIG (Local Mainte nance Improvement Grant) funds and paving recommendations for 2022. Fabian Hollis stated it is his goal to pave one million dollars worth of roads for 2022-2023 paving cycle. TSPLOST passed and those funds will be used to pave more roads. Smith Chapel Road and part of Union Church Road will be paved beginning in March 2022. Rumph Road has been selected for milling in 2022, and 5-6 more roads need to be selected. Once the roads are selected, they will then narrow down the list to which ones need to be prioritized. Hollis and the Roads Department rode around the county and stated their recom mendations are Zenith Mill Road, Collins Road, Whitaker Road, and the remaining part of Union Church Road. The Board will revisit this at the next meeting to select roads. Redistricting was discussed and the Board met at Middle Georgia Regional Commission to adjust the map to comply with DO J Rules and get the deviation numbers down. Map two was selected and several lines were adjusted to have popu lation numbers in line with State and Federal requirements. Craw ford’s current population is 12,130, according to the 2020 census. The ideal size is 2,426 per district. The reapportion office reviewed map 2 and stated they were in compli ance with population numbers but district 1 and 2 could be better. They also created a cleaner map than map 2 the Commissioners put together. Commissioner Jackie Mc- Cowen made a motion to approve the map the reapportion office created, this motion was approved by the Board. Commissioner Dale Jump stated he would like the map to be adjusted for his district. A new motion was made and approved by the Board to send the map back to the reapportion office for the adjust ments. This new map will be voted on by Board once the changes are made, as well as being advertised in the paper to make the public aware of the new districts. Charges still on books against judge BY VICTORIA SIMMONS The Georgia Post There have been no updates recently from the Judicial Qualifi cations Commission Investigative Panel concerning charges against Judge Cary Hays III which result ed from a hearing for an inmate on December 18, 2020. The hearing took place in a conference room at a building that houses the Crawford County Sher iffs Office and Crawford Count Jail. At the end of the hearing, the inmate in question, Brian Keith Davis, was unhappy with the Judge’s decision regarding bond ($8,500 which the judge said should have been $10,500 but he gave him a break, and began cursing at the judge. He continues to curse as he was led out of the conference room by an officer. Judge Hays verbally engaged the inmate and the inmate cursed the judge again and continued to spout off. The judge grabbed him, pushed him up against a wall in the hallway; he rele4ased him but continued to verbally confront the inmate. The Georgia Bureau of Investiga tion opened an investigation into the incident in February of 2021. According to the JQC website, the criminal investigation is still open and ongoing. The first set of charges were dismissed but a second set filed in June of 2021. The JQC director was made aware of the incident after Investi gator Lance Alford was contacted by the GBI. Alford investigated for two weeks, speaking with wit nesses, gathering statements and talking with the Judge. The Judge admitted, grabbing and pushing the inmate into a wall and admit ted the inmate had not physically threated him or attempted to escape. Video evidence was also obtained. Violations of the code of Judicial Conduct which were cited are: 1. Judges shall respect and com ply with the law. Judge Hays failed to respect and comply with the law when he physically assaulted an inmate. Those actions violated Georgia law OCGA i6-5-23(a)(i) (Simple Battery). 2. Judges shall act all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. Judge Hays, the charge states failed to act in a matter that promotes public confidence in the int3egrity of the judiciary. 3. Rule 2.8 (B) of the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct states judges shall be patient, dignified and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and others with whom they deal with in their official capacity, and shall require similar conduct of all persons subject to their direction and control. Judge Hays failed to act in a patient, dignified and courteous manner toward a litigant. The conclusion is that “violations of the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct support discipline when they amount to willful misconduct in office or conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the judicial office into disrespect.” Therefore, the direc tor seeks disciplinary action for the above-stated violations of the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct. Judge Hays was required to file a formal answer to the charges but an answer could not be found on the JCQ website. According to the GBI records, DA Jonathan Adams reviewed the case and did not intent to seek prosecution against Judge Hays. DA Anita Howard recused her office from the case. The charges come down to ethical in nature and the Judge could be fined or hit with an ethics charge.