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STAFF REPORT ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 30-year-old Christine L. Ruschmeier, also known as Christine Green. Ruschmeier is a white female standing 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds. She has blue eyes and blonde hair, but she changes her hair color to red, blue and […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin Board of Commissioners has approved an ordinance prohibiting aggressive panhandling. As specified in the ordinance,“solicitations for immediate donations of cash, food or other things of value in an aggressive manner” is now a criminal offense in Griffin. City officials made clear this ordinance is in response to […]
STAFF REPORT ::: Cpl. Chris Wilson, of the Griffin Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, is being credited with saving the life of a distraught woman. On Dec. 4, Wilson was dispatched to the Ellis Bridge Road in reference to a woman believed to be attempting suicide by jumping off the bridge. Upon arrival, Wilson found […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Officials of the Griffin Police Department say all four Griffin High School students videotaped fighting in a boy’s restroom Monday, Dec. 7, were voluntary participants. According to Lt. Mike Natale, of the Office of the Chief, the four GHS students fought over a false allegation of stolen shoes. He said the […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has confirmed that the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 30 requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) conduct a criminal investigation to identify a confidential source who has provided information to this publication. Following the receipt of information from a confidential source, The GRIP has since Sept. 30 […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department Special Investigations Unit, with the assistance of the Power Squad and Uniform Patrol Division, on Friday, Dec. 11, executed a search warrant resulting in four arrests and the seizure of narcotics. The warrant was executed at 362 N. 19th St. Apartment G in the Pleasant Valley Apartments. […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Three Griffin residents lost their lives Saturday night in a residential structure fire at 220 Day St. According to Griffin Fire-Rescue Chief Tommy Jones, fire units arrived on the scene at approximately 10:05 p.m. and found the home fully-involved with flames showing through the roof. Spalding County Coroner Sonny Foster has […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Upon receipt of information from a confidential source pertaining to a November 2012 operation conducted by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit, The GRIP began compiling information utilizing public records available through Georgia’s Open Records Act. In response to The GRIP’s initial Open Records request seeking information on this […]
STAFF REPORT ::: According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, the Special Operations Unit on Thursday, Dec. 3, arrested two women – a mother and daughter – on charges of trafficking illegal drugs. The two suspects were identified as 55-year-old Sarah Ponce, of 88 Sims Cemetery Road, Franklin, and 36-year-old Carrie A. Ornelas, of 7735 […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: Recently Sheila A. Mathews published an article in the GRIP which indicated members of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office engaged in an illegal narcotics investigation in 2012. This incident is not involved in a current litigation process; therefore I am at liberty to respond to Sheila A. Mathew’s article. In November 2012, […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Following the Nov. 21 resignation of Steve Heaton, who served as chief of the Griffin Police Department since April 2014, Capt. Homer Daniel, as the senior commanding officer, has been named interim chief. Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith said Daniel will hold that position until the hiring process has been completed, […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Life can change forever in an instant. This is a harsh reality that was faced in 2008 by David and Selena Williams when their daughter, Maggie, was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 15. “According to the doctor, she has it all. She has 36 out of the 40 […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Five members of one family were injured in a Sunday afternoon wreck at the intersection of North Expressway and Highway 92. Three of those injured were children, the youngest being only one-week-old. According to Sgt. Matt McFarlan, of the Griffin Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, the wreck occurred when a driver […]
The GRIP received information from a confidential source alleging the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit in 2012 conducted an illegal operation involving the placement of a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker on a vehicle without court ordered authorization. The GRIP conducted an investigation based on that allegation and the following is the first […]
STAFF REPORT ::: Capt. Homer Daniel, as senior commanding officer of the Griffin Police Department, has assumed responsibility of day-to-day operations. Daniel has been named interim chief following the resignation of Steve Heaton, who served as chief from April 2014 through November 2015. According to city officials, Daniel will maintain these responsibilities until such time […]
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