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Effingham County Sheriff's Office reports June 20
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June 4

Disorderly Conduct

A man was seen screaming and making suicidal threats on the roof of his house. He claimed that he was upset with his family getting involved in his business, but his brothers noted that he had previously taken illegal substances. He was arrested a short time later. The reporting officer was Robert Elliott Petitt.

Domestic Dispute

A man advised that he and his wife had gotten into a fight over the wife’s vehicle. The wife proceeded to make the fight physical by biting him which forced him to have to hold her down on the ground. It was noted that he had a mark on his arm and that he was covered in mud. The wife countered this by saying the man grabbed her and that she never bit him. She did admit to being under the influence of alcohol. Both parties were separated for the time being. The reporting officer was John Etzle.

Traffic Complaint/Violation

A woman was spotted driving down the road in a vehicle that had a suspended registration. She was swiftly arrested, and her husband was contacted to collect her vehicle. The reporting officer was David Cribbs.

Battery-Family Violence (First Offense) Misdemeanor; Cruelty to Children in the Third Degree or Subsequent Degree

A woman stated that she got into an argument with her step-mother over two pets. During the fight, the step-mother punched and scratched the woman in front of the woman’s child. The woman then went to the hospital since she was 15 weeks pregnant. The step-mother could not be contacted at the time. The reporting officer was John Etzle.

June 5

Fleeing or Attempting to Elude; Failure to Yield Right of Way to Emergency Vehicle; Failure to Obey Stop Sign

Two men were seen driving erratically along the roadway on dirt bikes. At first, they would not stop for police and only continued to increase their speed. One of the men eventually pulled into the driveway of a residence and said that he did not stop because he did not want his bike to be to be towed. He was swiftly arrested, and his bike was towed by a local wrecker service. The second was also towed upon its discovery, but the second man could not be located. The reporting officer was Isaac Taylor.

Domestic Dispute

A woman stated that her drunk husband locked her out of their residence. The two had previously been involved in an altercation, but it had not been physical. The husband could not be located, and the woman thought it best to leave the house for the night. The reporting officer was John Etzle.

June 6

Theft by Taking-Felony

A woman stated that she sold her camper to a man who agreed not to move it until it was fully paid off. After a certain amount of time, the man stopped making payments and moved the camper. Eventually, he disappeared with the camper while still owing over $9,000. The man could not be located at the time. The reporting officer was Matthew Holbrook.

June 7

Theft by Taking-Felony

A woman stated that her son stole her vehicle and her jacket. She noted that she had been unable to contact him and that he was known to be addicted to methamphetamine. The son could not be located. The reporting officer was Loren Richard Scholes.

Agency Assist; Found Property

A man was spotted committing many traffic violations while driving down the road. A background check also revealed that he did not have a driver’s license. A search of his vehicle yielded a wallet that had been reported. The man explained that the vehicle belongs to his mother and that she has a habit of picking up items of value on the side of the road. The wallet was returned to its owner,

and the man was released from the scene with a licensed driver. The reporting officer was Christopher Cary.

Fraudulent Telephone Solicitation; Theft by Deception- Misdemeanor

A man advised that he received a phone call which stated that he was eligible for a $14,000 grant. The man proceeded to send the caller over $1,000 in gift cards in order to receive the money. He also gave the caller his bank account. He soon realized that he had been scammed when he did not receive the money. He was unsure of who the scammer was. The reporting officer was James Daniel McKie.

Possession of Marijuana Less than One Ounce

A woman was seen driving down the road at night with her bright headlights on. It was noted that her vehicle smelled strongly of marijuana, and she admitted to smoking some earlier in the day. She failed a field sobriety test, and a small amount of marijuana was later found in her vehicle. She was swiftly arrested, and her vehicle was released to a licensed driver. The reporting officer was Jason Fondren.

June 8

Disorderly Conduct

A woman stated that her brother-in-law had become disorderly with her after she asked him to leave her house. He had previously been arguing with the woman’s sister over an unknown matter. The brother-in-law could not be located at the time. The reporting officer was Karyn Witherington.

Found Property

A man stated that he found a cell phone on the side of the road while moving. He believed that it was connected to a murder case based on a story that he saw on the news. The phone was confiscated for investigative purposes. The reporting officer was Terry Gideon.

Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance; Drugs not in Original Container- Misdemeanor; Failure to Maintain Lane

A woman was spotted failing to maintain lane while driving down the road. She stated that she had just gotten out of the hospital after having a stroke which is why she could not maintain her lane. She admitted to being on medication and produced five unknown pills. She later revealed that the pills were an illegal substance and was placed under arrest. Her vehicle was towed by a local wrecker service. The reporting officer was Isaac Taylor.

Arson-Third Degree

A man advised that a homeless person was suspiciously walking away from a fire. The homeless person admitted that he started the fire to keep warm, but he left when it got out of control. He was placed under arrest a short time later. The fire ended up damaging over 60 yards of wood line before it was put out. The reporting officer was Cody Chapman.

June 9

Domestic Dispute

A woman advised that her mother and her aunt had attacked her over her son’s birthday party. The attack involved choking and punching, and it left the woman with a bloody nose, swelling and bruising. Her friend confirmed this story. Her family members, however, claimed that the woman was the primary aggressor and that they only attacked her in self-defense. All parties were advised to avoid contact for the time being. The reporting officer was Max Barber.

Terroristic Threats and/or Acts; Disorderly Conduct

A man stated that his mother locked him out of his house after the two got into an argument. He punched the house several times before leaving which caused him to injure his hand. He was very irate with police when telling his story, and he was ultimately arrested. The mother later said that her son had threatened to kill her and himself before she locked him out of the house. The reporting officer was Walt Lawson.

Battery

A woman stated that her sister had chased away some men who were working in the woman’s yard before attacking the woman. The woman noted that her sister used to date one of the men who was working in the yard and that she assaults her all the time. It was noted that the woman smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages. The mother confirmed this series of events and was advised to assist in solving the issues between her daughters. The reporting officer was John Etzle.