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Ginger Drive man with mental health issues killed
in exchange of gunfire with Pickens deputies
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
A 56-year-old Ginger Drive man
died of gunshot wounds Monday
after he shot at deputies who had
come to his residence for a welfare
check. Officers encountered Norman
Edward Dawson wearing a body
armor vest and carrying a rifle.
Sheriff Donnie Craig emphasized
that his officers returned fire only
after Dawson shot first. Craig said
this appears like a case of “suicide
by cop.”
He commended his officers for
doing all they could to de-escalate
the situation.
According to the preliminary in
vestigation, it appeared that Dawson
suffered from mental issues, possi
bly post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).
The sheriff discussed the situation
with Dawson’s wife who was out of
town at the time of the incident.
Craig said the wife told him her hus
band had 30 years with fire and para
medic services in the metro-area and
dealt with PTSD and mental health
issues caused by it, and had been
dealing with it for a while.
Craig said Dawson’s wife ex
pressed concern for the officers in
volved and urged anyone suffering
suicidal thoughts or having mental
issues to seek help.
The sheriff said, “This man
served his community and spent his
life helping people and suffering
with PTSD and mental issues that
lead up to this incident.”
The sheriff took particular issue
See Shooting on 9A
An officer uses a metal detector to sweep the yard where a man who
fired at deputies was shot and killed Monday at the Ginger Drive home.
Trial opens for
man accused of
attempted
kidnapping,
molestation
of children
in Jasper Park
Photo/Pickens Sheriff’s Office
Dallas Kenneth Bailey’s book-in
photo from 2022. Bailey has been
charged with trying to kidnap and
molest two juveniles leading to a
dangerous chase through Jasper
with law enforcement last year. A
much older photo of Bailey from
2005 is on the Florida sex offender
website.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
The trial for a man who at
tempted to kidnap and molest two
juveniles last year at Jasper City
Park began Monday, July 17, with
proceedings expected to continue at
least through Friday.
According to the grand jury in
dictment and warrants, on August
14, 2022 Dallas Kenneth Bailey, 63,
attempted to lure two separate vic
tims under 14 into his vehicle “for
the purpose of child molestation and
indecent acts.” The man allegedly
offered the female victims drugs and
$100. The arrest warrant states that
Bailey had a teddy bear, Matchbox
car, and KY Jelly in his car and is a
registered sex offender from Florida.
It is unclear at this point how law
enforcement was alerted, but a dan
gerous and destructive chase ensued
in Jasper as the man attempted to
elude officers in his car. Property
and vehicles, including those of of
ficers, were damaged.
The attempted kidnapping inci
dent occurred around 10 p.m. at the
Jasper park, which is also known as
“The Duck Pond.” The pursuit was
directly after.
According to warrants, the vic
tims were friends, and were in “fear
See Trial on 9A
Pies in the face for a great
cause at Thrift Store
BEHOLD — Chief Deputy Jeff Hall wipes off the pie, as son Gunner admires his work Saturday at the
Community Thrift Store’s annual pie in the face fundraiser.
By Max Caylor
Progress Contributor
Three Pickens County leaders
humbled themselves last Saturday
taking pies in their faces as a fea
ture in the Thrift Store’s Christmas
In July event. Chief Deputy Hall
summed the contestants feelings
stating, “it is for the kids.”
Hall, Jasper Mayor Steve
Lawrence and Pickens Commis
sion Chair Kris Stancil took
whipped cream pies in their faces
to help support “Shop With A
Hero.”
Mayor Lawrence took top hon
ors when Hall and Stancil gave
their collections to Lawrence. The
three public servants raised $2,400
together with Stancil being the top
earner.
Deputy Hall’s son Gunner, smil
ing all along, got to hit his dad with
the pie. However, the dad was a bit
successful in slinging whipped
cream on his thrower.
Ajoyous Jasper council member
Kirk Raffield did a one-handed im
pactful pitch to Mayor Lawrence,
covering his face with whipped
cream and crust. The good hearted
mayor smiled through the whipped
cream.
Commission Chair Stancil was
so popular he experienced three
pies. Wife Allison gently pressed
the first pie in husband Kris’s face.
Kirk Raffield, unscripted, slipped
on stage and popped Stancil with
the second dose of whipped cream
and graham cracker crust. His final
pie was an act of kindness allowing
Merry Grey Caylor to participate in
the fun.
See Pie in Face on 9A
GRIN AND BEAR IT - Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence has a smile
peeking out following council member Kirk Raffield’s well aimed pie.
Lawrence was acknowledged the champion of the year after Hall and
Stancil donated their funds to his total.
Allison Stancil enjoying the chance to deliver a pie in the face to
husband Kris. The commission chair proved a good sport getting two
bonus pies to support the Shop with a Hero program.
Campus security takes priority at school board meeting
Rocking
downtown
Downtown
Jasper Live
continues to
bring crowds
to Main Street
Page 8B
Historians
ask if anyone
here knows
about Yukon
area cemetery
Page 2A
Law & Order
Man slumped
over steering
wheel at gas
station taken
to hospital
Page 5A
Obituaries
For the first time in
many months, maybe
years, no obituaries
were submitted to the
Progress.
By Larry Cavender
Progress Contributor
Within just a couple of weeks,
Pickens County students will be re
turning to the classroom, and the
local Board of Education is busily
preparing for the upcoming 2023-24
academic year.
At the most recent regular meet
ing of the Board of Education on
Thursday, July 13th, in his usual de
tailed account of maintenance and
operations, Chief Operations Officer
Chris Wallace touched on a subject
of great importance to local citizens
- the safety and security of the stu
dents.
Wallace reported that the con
struction project dealing with updat
ing the reception and office area of
Pickens High School is a "significant
project" that is 95% complete. The
project includes upgrading the layout
of the front office with multiple se
curity modifications. Those upgrades
include buzz-in access to the school
and office area; a newly revamped,
contained lobby; a protected recep
tionist area, command center and
conference room. Also, a Flock cam
era is to be installed on Dragon
Drive. Security upgrades are also on
tap at Jasper Middle School with ad
ditional cameras and access card
readers at two locations.
Summer maintenance projects are
progressing well, including HVAC
returns and diffuser cleaning, re
placement of ceiling tiles, sidewalk
and entrance pressure washing,
among other projects.
There were a number of recogni
tions at the board meeting, including
nurse Melissa Faucett, who last
month was named the Georgia
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See School Board on 9A
