Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, September 28, 2022 — Page 7
I^FOR THE RECORD
Two arrested on Pilgrim Way
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
A1 P. Bryant was arrested
after an anonymous caller
notified the Burke County
Sheriff’s Department there
were people on the 500 block
of Pilgrim Way threatening to
shoot others.
Bryant was observed by an
officer sitting on a porch with a
black book bag from which he
removed a firearm and handed
it to a juvenile.
After additional deputies
were called to the scene, Bry
ant was detained and officers
found six .38 caliber special
handgun rounds inside the
book bag.
Later, the juvenile was de
tained and found to be in pos
session of a firearm loaded with
six .38 caliber special handgun
rounds. The juvenile claimed
he received the gun from his
grandmother.
The juvenile was charged
with possession of a firearm
by a minor and possession of
marijuana. Bryant was charged
with possession of a firearm
by a minor and unlawful street
gang activity.
BURKE EMA REPORT
The Burke County Emergency Management Agency re
sponded to 103 patients’ calls during the week ending Oct. 2.
Of those, 71 resulted in transports, including 45 to Augusta
hospitals and three to other out-of-county hospitals. Thirty
three of the transports were determined to be emergencies
and 38 were non-emergent.
The agency also answered 19 fire calls during the week.
They included four brush/grass fires, one false alarm, one
gas leak, one outside equipment fire,one outside trash, waste
or dumpster fire, two woods fires, four rescues, one public
service call and four unspecified calls.
Two men fight with Burke County deputies
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Marquell Jackson and Ricky
Hughes gave the Burke County
Sheriff’s Department a hard
time about being arrested.
A BCSO deputy pulled over
a vehicle driven by Jackson
Saturday, September 24 after
he noticed Jackson was not
wearing his seatbelt. After
stopping behind a home on
Savannah Avenue, Jackson and
Hughes immediately exited the
vehicle. A check through the
National Crime Information
Center (NCIC) informed of
ficers that Jackson’s driver’s
license was suspended and his
vehicle’s tags were not valid. It
also indicated that Jackson and
Hughes were both convicted
felons. A search of the vehicle
resulted in an open liquor bottle
and a Smith and Wesson 9 mm
pistol. Both men denied any
knowledge of the weapon.
At the Burke County De
tention Center, neither of the
men would cooperate with
jail staff. Hughes refused to
enter a holding cell and stated
he would have to be forced.
Jackson refused to enter a cell
unless an officer allowed him
to retrieve a phone number
from his cell phone. Jail staff
had to request assistance from
road patrol units.
“You all are going to have
to make me get up and then
we are going to be fighting,”
Jackson stated when additional
deputies arrived.
Hughes’ speech was belliger
ent, making racial comments
and physical threats toward
the jail staff, according to the
incident report. He refused
to enter the holding cell and
told officers they would have
to charge him because he was
not going to comply. He then
stood up, and with clenching
fists, assumed an aggressive
stance. While a deputy grabbed
Hughes and attempted to escort
him to the ground, Hughes
pushed the officer, causing
him to fall to the floor. Another
deputy intervened and deliv
ered two hard hand strikes to
Hughes’ mid-section. Hughes
kicked his legs in an attempt to
free himself as both deputies
escorted him to a holding cell.
Once Hughes was confined,
Marquell elected to enter inside
the holding cell without further
incident. Marquell was cited
with expired registration, no
insurance and no seatbelt. He
was charged with possession
of a firearm by a convicted
felon. Hughes was charged
with possession of a firearm
by a convicted felon and felony
obstruction.
BURKE COUNTY JAIL BOOKINGS
SEPT. 26-OCT. 2
Alphonse Fredrick
Birdine, 28
Wallace St.,
Waynesboro
BCSO, Sept. 26
Conditional transfer
Kentrel Akeem
Stone, 19
Kelly Lane, Stapleton
WPD, Sept. 28
Theft by receiving
stolen firearm - felony
Bobby Antoine
Thomas, 18
Freedom Way,
Waynesboro
BCSO, Sept. 28
Affray
Carla Lynn
Stokes, 49
Farmers Bridge Rd.,
Keysvi/le
BCSO, Sept. 29
Bench warrant -
felony
Leroy
Bunyon, 40
Hereford Farm Rd.,
Midvi/le
MidviHe PD, Sept. 29
Simple battery
Khari Lamar
Wright, 33
Burton St.,
Waynesboro
WPD, Oct. 1
Parole violation (Bur
glary - 2nd degree,
entering auto
Julius Anthony
Imperati, 35
Ga. Hwy 23 S.,
Waynesboro
BCSO, Sept. 28
Simple battery; cruelty
to children in the 1st
degree
Nathan Scott
Sikes, 21
McGill St.,
Waynesboro
BCSO, Sept. 28
Simple battery - fam
ily violence; criminal
trespass - family
violence
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Lydasha Erica
Sims,
Foreman Way,
Hephzibah
BCSO, Oct. 1
Speeding in excess
of maximum limits
81/65 mph; DUI -
less safe - alcohol
Arius Duane
Keyes, 33
Magnolia Acres,
Waynesboro
WPD, Oct. 2
Simple battery -
family violence;
cruelty to children
in the 3rd degree -
family violence
Wilbert
Martin, 55
Fairington Dr.,
Hephzibah
BCSO, Sept. 29
Trafficking in
cocaine, illegal
drugs, marijuana or
methamphetamine;
windshield/window/
wiper requirements
Al Pacino
Bryant, 17
Davis Rd.,
Waynesboro
BCSO, Sept. 28
Possession of pistol
or re vo/ver by person
under 18; unlawful
street gang activity
DISCLAIMER NOTICE: ALL ARE PRESUMED
INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A
COURT OF LAW
AGENCIES
BCSO: Burke County Sheriff’s Office;
WPD: Waynesboro Police Department;
GSP: Georgia State Patrol;
MPD: Midville Police Department;
SPD: Sardis Police Department;
JCS0: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office;
DOC: Department of Corrections
DNR: Departmentof Natural Resources
Spending
Continued from front
chase of $7,411 worth of holi
day turkeys and hams are
questionable in that Williams
used money meant for law en
forcement needs as a giveaway.
The report also delves into
a credit card account Williams
opened for his office through
First National Bank of Waynes
boro. The balance of that ac
count was paid for each month
using the grant fund accounts.
According to the report, the
$41,091 in credit card charges
included $22,020 in travel
and accommodation expenses
and $13,410 in restaurant and
food. Some of those restaurants
included meals costing over
$100 in steak and seafood
restaurants.
Adding to the troubling na
ture of the credit card expenses
is the fact that Williams claims
his office did not keep and
could not provide any receipts
for the charges.
The report says that Kay
Proctor, of Lanier, Deal &
Proctor, and Michael Wiseman,
Finance Director for Burke
County, met with Williams to
review the credit card charges.
Williams provided explana
tions of the individual charges
that are listed in the report.
Williams admitted that some
of the travel expenses were re
lated to his work as an instruc
tor for the Leaders Helping
Leaders Network (LHLN) or
other speaking engagements
for which he was paid. At times
during the interview, Williams
could not recall which events
he may have been compen
sated for.
In explaining his use of
county funds to pay for travel
and meals during his speak
ing engagements, Williams
told Proctor and Wiseman he
viewed that “as appropriate
due to the fact that wherever he
goes, he is always representing
the Burke County Sheriff’s Of
fice,” the report stated.
It is this belief, however, that
could put Williams in legal
jeopardy. Georgia code pro
hibits a sheriff from receiving
additional compensation for
his official duties outside of his
stated salary. If Williams was
attending these events as the
Sheriff of Burke County and
being compensated, then he
may have violated Georgia law.
The report concludes by
recommending the commis
sioners seek legal counsel as
to whether Williams broke
any laws.
The complete audit report
can be found on The True
Citizen website. WWW.Thet-
mecitizen.com
Statement concerning
the auditor’s review of
spending by Sheriff Al-
fonzo Williams: “The
Burke County Board of
Commissioners has re
ceived a report from the
County auditor concern
ing spending issues by
the Burke County Sheriff.
The auditor advised the
Board of Commissioners
to seek legal advice on
any action needed based
upon the Sheriff’s expen
diture of public monies.
The Board of Commis
sioners has turned this
matter over to the appro
priate authorities.”
Impersonation
Continued from front
LLI
X
Things got heated during the May 9 council meeting as
Mayor Linda Wilkes, left, and Councilwoman Kathy Couch,
right, argued about the hiring of a code enforcement officer
without the panel’s knowledge.
about O’Brien approaching
people on Saturdays and Sun
days. O’Brien pointed out
during the public meeting that
he worked on the weekends
so that he could make contact
with people who work during
the week.
“My job here is strictly to
make the city better,” he said
last May “I live in the city also.
I want the city to look good for
us. I want it to be something to
be proud of.”
Wilkes said Tuesday the city
will be consulting with its attor
ney as to how to proceed with
O’Brien’s employment.
The BCSO said O’Brien in
stalled the blue flashing lights
on the city-owned vehicle;
however, he is not a state cer
tified law enforcement officer.
If anyone has been stopped
by O’Brien, they are asked to
contact the BCSO Criminal
Division at 706-554-6633.
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