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PAGE 6A- THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JANUARY 9. 2020
Crime
Two arrested for home invasion on Jot-Em-Down Road
Two men were arrested last
week following a home inva
sion on Jot-Em-Down Road.
Marcus Alexander Fred
erick, 27, of Nicholson, and
Matthew David Ray, 25, of
Commerce, were charged with
one count each of aggravated
assault and first degree home
invasion after they allegedly
entered a man’s home and beat
him up.
Deputy William Townsend
was dispatched to the scene
where he spoke with the prop
erty owner who told him that
two guys had come on his
property and beat up a man
who was living in a small
dwelling on his property.
Townsend then spoke with
the victim who told him that he
and his brother had been asleep
when three men came into the
house through the unlocked
front door. He said there were
two white males and one black
male. He identified the white
men as Frederick and Ray, but
said he did not know who the
third man was. He also said
he and Ray had been “good
friends” for 20 years.
Frederick and Ray allegedly
began punching him repeatedly
in the head and face and shuck
him on his lower leg with a
framing hammer. He said the
black male did not hit him but
stood back and recorded the in
cident on his cell phone.
The victim’s brother told
Townsend that before the at
tack he was lying in bed and
his brother had been asleep in
the chair next to him.
He also said he had no idea
why the men beat his brother
up and added that his brother
had been “strung out” for a
few days and was just “acting
crazy.” The victim had a knot
above his left eye and another
knot behind his right ear. He
also had a laceration on his shin
that was still bleeding.
An ambulance was called to
check on the victim and treated
him but he refused transport to
a hospital.
After obtaining warrants on
the two men, Townsend and
another officer went to Nich
olson to meet with Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office depu
ties. They then went to the last
known location for Ray, but
didn’t find the men there.
They then went to the last
known address for Frederick.
They knocked and announced
“sheriff’s office” then saw peo
ple inside the home running
around, but no one would come
to the door.
They checked the door and
found it open. Townsend asked
the people inside if they knew
where Frederick was and they
said they did not know.
A few seconds later, one of
the Jackson County deputies
caught Frederick as he ran out
the back door.
They found the black male
hiding in a bedroom closet
with his cell phone in his hand.
At first he denied knowing any
thing about the home invasion
but then admitted that there
was a video of it on his phone
but wouldn’t provide any more
details. The phone was seized
as evidence.
Frederick was then arrested
and taken to jail.
Jackson County deputies
later located Ray at a location
in Commerce, along with the
silver Jeep that he had been
driving when the invasion oc
curred. The 22-inch framing
hammer reportedly used in the
attack was also found lying in
plain sight inside the Jeep.
Townsend went and picked
up Ray and had the Jeep towed
to Madison County Sheriff’s
Office’s impound lot.
In a second incident, an Ha
man was arrested last week
on family violence and theft
charges stemming from two
separate incidents.
Christopher James Evans,
33, was charged with aggra
vated battery, battery, felony
second degree burglary, cruelty
to children in the third degree,
false imprisonment, simple
battery-family violence, felo
ny theft by taking and theft by
taking.
In an incident on Dec. 29,
Deputy Austin Shubert and two
other officers were dispatched
to a Young Harris Road resi
dence regarding a family vio
lence incident.
The victim, who was sitting
in the car with her four chil
dren, told officers her husband
(Evans) had left on foot prior to
their arrival by walking off into
the woods.
She told officers that she and
Evans began arguing the night
before and that it had continued
into that morning.
She said that she hid the car
keys from Evans and he stated
he would hurt her “really bad”
if she didn’t give him the keys.
She said he grabbed her by the
neck and threw her against the
wall in front of her 5-year old
son, who began hitting Evans
in an effort to get him to stop.
The victim said she told all the
children to go outside “so they
wouldn’t see her get hit any
more.” After this, she said Ev
ans hit her on the face. Pictures
were taken of her injuries, ac
cording to the report. She also
said Evans kept her from leav
ing by blocking the door and
threatening to ‘bash her head
in” if she left.
The victim allowed an offi
cer to speak to her 5-year old
and the boy reportedly showed
and told the officer how Evans
grabbed his mother by the neck
and how he told him to stop hit
ting her. He said Evans pushed
him.
The victim said Evans was
likely headed to the home of
one of his relatives.
On Dec. 24, Evans’ employ
er reported that he was miss
ing five or six rolls of copper
plumbing tubing from his bam.
He said the last time he saw
the copper was about three
months prior and said that he
suspected his employees, in
cluding Evans, took the items
because of their knowledge of
where he stores the tubing.
And in a third incident, a
drunken Hull woman was ar
rested last week after allegedly
trying to flag down motorists to
give her a ride. Kathy Desandra
Wilson, 60, was charged with
one count of pedestrian under
the influence.
Deputy Josh Smith was
dispatched to Piedmont Road
where Wilson was reported to
be wearing army fatigues and
flagging down passing motor
ists, telling them she was drunk
and needed a ride. He and Sgt.
Greg Bryson arrested the wom
an, who Smith noted he was
familiar with from a previous
public drunkenness arrest in
the same area.
Other arrests in the county
last week included:
•Monica Arellano-Espinosa,
38, Colbert, driving without a
valid license and failure to obey
a stop sign.
•Kathy Ann Coley, 48, Hart
well, probation violation.
•Laura Anne Deadwyler, 34,
Elberton, failure to appear.
•Elijah Noel Wessinger, 17,
Hull, criminal trespass fam
ily violence and simple bat
tery-family violence.
•Ebb Meadows, 79, Hull, ha
bitual violator.
•Jennifer Nicole Guinn, 30,
Danielsville, drug-related ob
jects, following too closely and
possession of heroin.
•Sherry Lynn Latimore, 55,
Crawford, probation violation.
•Kyle Jonathan Meeler, 31,
Jefferson, classes of licens
es violation, defective or no
headlights, DUl/drugs, failure
to maintain lane, fleeing or
attempting to elude a police
officer, improper tag display,
improper/erratic lane change,
possession of methamphet-
amine, reckless driving and
speeding.
•Joseph Michael Roberts,
35, Danielsville, simple battery
family violence.
•Maria C. Sebastian-Diego,
25, Danielsville, aggravated
assault.
•Benedicto Tomas Silvester,
31, Danielsville, simple bat
tery-family violence.
•Danielle Michelle Tread
well, 21, Danielsville, DUl/al-
cohol, failure to maintain lane,
marijuana possession less than
an ounce and tag light illumina
tion required.
•Robert Eric Allen, 51,
Dunedin, Fla., DlJI/alcohol
and open container.
•Linda Suzette Bales, 58,
Hull, hold for Banks County.
•Rhonda Kay Brooks, 40,
Commerce, driving while li
cense suspended or revoked,
failure to maintain lane, mari
juana possession less than one
ounce and possession and use
of drug-related objects.
•Trenton Davis Brown, 25,
Colbert, failure to appear.
•Wesley Paul Hill, 36, Ath
ens, simple battery-family vi
olence.
•Omar Maya-Rodrigaez, 45,
Hull, driving without a valid li
cense and failure to yield when
hiring left.
•Tyrus Jawon Norman, 23,
Athens, driving while license
suspended or revoked and flee
ing or attempting to elude a po
lice officer.
•Juan Carlos Ruiz-Recendiz,
23, Hull, driving without a valid
license and failure to obey traf
fic control device.
•Jaquavious Dashawn Wil
liams, 18, adult restraint law
seat violation, driving without
a valid license, failure to obey a
stop sign, marijuana possession
less than one ounce and too fast
for conditions.
•John Edward Greene, 53,
Comer, battery-family violence.
Opinions
Legislative session to get rolling
The Georgia House of Represen
tatives will convene for the second
year of the 155th Legislative Ses
sion of the Georgia General Assem
bly Jan. 13. After adjourning the
2019 session, my colleagues and I
spent much of our time working in
House study committees to explore
legislative solutions to various is
sues ahead of the 2020 session.
State Budget
As always, balancing the state's
$27.5 billion budget will be our top
legislative priority and is required by
our state constitution. While Geor
gia's economy remains strong, most
House
News
alanpowell23
@hotmail.
com
By Alan Powell
state agencies and departments have
made, or are making, budget cuts im
plemented by Governor Brian Kemp
in August 2019 due to reduced reve
nue collections.
In 2018, Georgia taxpayers saw a
decrease in income tax rates, which
went from 6 percent to 5.75 percent,
and also a number of tax credits and
exemptions to corporate interests like
the television and film industry to
entice them to do business in Geor
gia. Beginning this year, we lowered
sales tax on motor vehicles from 7
percent to 6.6 percent. These, and the
multi-billion-dollar destruction from
Hurricane Michael, have created
these revenue shortfalls.
In response to these needs, Speaker
David Ralston created the House Spe
cial Committee on Economic Growth
to hear input on new industries that
would generate revenue so our state
budget can grow alongside our state’s
spending needs without raising taxes.
Gambling —
The Citizens Vote
During the 2020 legislative ses
sion, we will explore opportunities
to expand our state’s gambling indus
try. Through the work of the House
Special Committee on Economic
Growth, my colleagues and I have
learned about the potential benefits
and downfalls of bringing new gam
bling opportunities, such as horse
racing, sports betting and destination
casino resorts, to Georgia. Expanding
this industry could create thousands
of jobs across the state and generate a
sizable amount of taxable revenue to
assist more Georgians with the rising
costs of healthcare and to support our
state’s HOPE scholarship program.
Legislation would be needed to set
forth guidelines to regulate this poten
tial industry, as well as an accompa
nying constitutional amendment. If
legislation is passed during the up
coming session to expand the indus-
See Powell, page 10A
Lastinger continued from 5A
rounding us.
January starts the count
down to one of the Senior Cen
ters most successful annual
fundraisers. Tire annual green
house sale will be held this
spring. Seniors and staff alike
are already planning what will
be planted for the sale. Over
the next few months, seeds
will be planted, flowers will
take root and we will be hard
at work to ensure some great
options for your spring gar
den. This fundraiser is largely
successful because members
of the community donate
their time, seeds and soil. We
cannot express our gratitude
enough. If you have seeds or
soil you would like to donate,
please bring them to the Senior
Center any time starting on
Jan. 8 through the beginning
of February. If you have any
questions about our plant sale
or what items we might could
use, please give us a call. Be
sure to keep an eye out for up
coming announcements about
when our sale will be this com
ing Spring.
We have several fun activ
ities planned on this month’s
calendar and would hate
for you to miss out. For our
monthly outing we will be
dining out for lunch on Jan. 17
at the Carriage House in Ath
ens. We will also take a trip on
Jan. 24 to play Bingo with our
friends at the Oconee Senior
Center. We have several guest
speakers lined up this month
and a visit on the Jan. 21 from
our gospel singing group. On
Jan. 31, join us for a painting
class where we will create
some beautiful canvas art to
hang on your wall. Our paint
ing class is $5 for members
and $10 for non-members.
January is a time of new
beginnings and fresh starts
and we have something to of
fer everyone for those New
Year's resolutions you may
have committed to. For those
health conscious resolutions,
come be a gym member and
check out our gym, which is
open Mondays through Fri
days 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
We even serve a healthy lunch
daily at 11:30 a.m. and the cost
is only $2.
If you made the decision to
be more active and make new
friends, there is a spot for you
also at our center where there
is always something to do and
friendly faces to talk to.
This year we will begin of
fering the option to join a trav
el club. For those interested in
being part of our travel club
we will host a question and
answer session meeting at the
center next month. Be sure to
watch for more information of
times and dates for this infor
mational meeting and come
travel with us.
Good things are happening
here! Don't be left out! Call
us anytime at 706-795-6250,
or come by Mondays through
Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. for more informa
tion. You can also check out
our Facebook page at https://
www.facebook.com/Madison-
CountySeniors/ to learn more
about our services, activities
and how to get involved. We
have several volunteer op
portunities and would love to
hear from anyone, regardless
of age.
Jennifer Lastinger is the
Madison County Senior Cen
ter Activity Director.
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