SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A motorist was seriously injured Saturday afternoon after an alleged road rage incident resulted in a stabbing. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, the incident occurred on Highway 19-41 in the vicinity of School Road. “There was a road rage incident where one driver forced the other driver into the […]
Sheriff: Road rage incident leads to stabbing
Man shot in alleged attempted armed robbery
STAFF REPORTS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an alleged attempted armed robbery that occurred Thursday night leaving one victim with multiple gunshot wounds. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, deputies at 10:13 p.m. responded to an attempted armed robbery and person shot call at the Triangle Amoco Station at 3241 Jackson […]
Details of student’s alleged threats against school, students emerge

Publisher’s note – At this time, The GRIP will not disclose the identity of minors involved in this incident. SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Additional information is available in the arrest of 17-year-old Brennan Turbeyville, the Griffin teenager who was on Jan. 7, arrested and charged with terroristic threats following what the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office […]
Teen arrested for alleged threat to take over school, shoot students

STAFF REPORTS ::: A Griffin teenager has been arrested in connection to alleged threats made on the Internet involving taking over Spalding High School and shooting students. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, Brennan Turbyville, age 17, of 665 Maple Drive, was arrested Jan. 7, and is being held in the Spalding County Jail […]
SCSO denies requesting GBI leak investigation
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Following the Dec. 7 publication of an article citing the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office’s request for a GBI investigation regarding a confidential source that provided information to this newspaper, The GRIP learned the SCSO is denying having made that request. After speaking with GBI Region 2 Special Agent in Charge Fred […]
SCSO narcotics operation raises questions: Part III
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: 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 […]
GPD executes series of search warrants associated with Reece’s Open Freight Crate; one arrested for theft by receiving
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department on Wednesday executed a series of search warrants in connection to an alleged property theft case involving Reece’s Open Freight Crate located 330 E. Solomon Street. The initial search warrant in the case was conducted at the business, where three individuals were taken into custody. Two additional […]
Open Box Freight owner faces multiple narcotics charges

STAFF REPORTS ::: Matthew Brian Lane, age 36, of 2784 Beeks Road, Williamson, the owner of Open Box Freight located at 1420 Meriwether St., has been arrested by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on numerous felony charges. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, agents of the SCSO Special Operations Unit on Friday, Dec. 18, […]
Sheriff’s Office operation results in closure of Open Box Freight
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on Monday conducted an operation resulting in the closure of a local business, Open Box Freight. The GRIP contacted Sheriff Wendell Beam for information, but he declined to comment, stating only that he will issue a press release later this week. The GRIP asked Beam to […]
Sheriff’s Office seeking public’s assistance in locating woman

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 […]
GBI declined Sheriff’s request to investigate, identify The GRIP’s confidential source
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 […]
Sheriff’s Office arrests mother, daughter for meth trafficking

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 […]
Sheriff Wendell Beam issues press release in response to The GRIP article
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, […]
Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit investigation raises questions
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 […]
GPD Operation Wheelin’ and Dealin’ targets street level drug dealers
STAFF REPORT ::: Personnel of the Griffin Police Department Special Investigations Unit with assistance from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit and the Fayette County Tactical Narcotics Team on Oct. 28 concluded Operation Wheelin’ and Dealin,’ a sale case operation targeting street level drug dealers throughout the city of Griffin and Spalding County. […]