A law officer never knows what to expect when he makes a case or stops a vehicle.
On May 2, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Investigator Ben Nix with the Miller County Sheriff's Department observed a green Oldsmobile Cutlass traveling south on Highway 91 in Miller County.
The officer saw that the driver of the vehicle made several traffic violations.
Investigator Nix attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver did not stop when the officer turned on the blue lights and siren.
The officer chased the vehicle to Burr Road in Miller County. The suspect travelled down Burr Road where the driver of the Oldsmobile pulled into a yard and dove around the rear of the residence. The officer continued the chase around the rear of the residence. The driver of the Oldsmobile slammed on his brakes and tried to exit the auto leaving the car in neutral. The officer saw that the suspect was attempting to leave his vehicle and run, but when the suspect slammed on brakes and threw the driver's door open, the officer was unable to stop, and struck the driver's side of the auto with his truck.
The suspect started to run with the officer on foot behind him. The officer gave chase, but saw the suspect was holding something in front of him. The officer thought that he saw a weapon, and yelled for the suspect to stop running.
Investigator Nix was chasing the suspect when he turned around and saw that the runner had a weapon in his hand. The officer then pulled out his handgun and fired at the suspect, missing him.
The suspect then turned around and dove over a five foot barbed wire fence. The suspect dropped his weapon when he went over the fence. The officer dove over the fence, but his 40 cal. Glock pistol fell out of his holster when he jumped the fence.
The officer landed on top of the suspect and held him on the ground. The suspect tried to pull himself across the ground to where his handgun was laying.
The officer and the suspect were both cut by the barbed wire and bleeding. The officer stated that it was hard to hold the suspect, so he used justifiable force to keep the suspect from getting his 45 cal. pistol.
The suspect put his hands down in font of himself. When he pulled his hands back out, the officer saw that there was a clear plastic bag containing what was believed to be powered cocaine in the suspects right hand.
The suspect continued to fight withe officer and tried to reach the officers weapon that was laying on the ground next to them.
The officer pulled out his backup weapon, and the suspect grabbed the end of the pistol and tried to take it away from the officer. The officer bolstered his backup weapon and continued to struggle with the suspect. The suspect grabbed at the officer's holster, but was unable to find the backup weapon.
While the officer was on top of the suspect, the officer was able to call the 911 operator requesting backup. 911 operator, Ruth Merritt, gave other officers the location of the incident.
Investigator Nix found his handcuffs and was able to cuff on arm of the suspect. K-9 Deputy B.J. Josey arrived on the scene first and helped Investigator Nix cuff the other arm of the suspect.
Sheriff Buddy Glass, Chief Scott Worsley and Investigator Rick Morgan helped take the suspect into custody.
When the suspect was searched, there was a clear bag containing a white power that tested positive for cocaine found on the suspect's person. When the vehicle was searched, other paraphernalia, scales, more drugs and bullets were found. A police scanner was also found.
The suspect was taken to the Miller County Jail where he was searched in detail. Jailor Charlie Boyd and Jail Administrator Lavon Cook found a quantity of money on the suspect's person.
Investigator Nix and Sgt Dale Glover have applied for warrants and filed seizure on several items that were confiscated.
Damien Alexander, 27, of Damascus, was arrested and charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, probation violation, attempting to remove weapon from officer, obstruction of an officer, possession of a firearm or knife while trying to commit crimes, possession of a firearm by convicted felon and first offender probation, failure to maintain lane, windshield violation reckless driving, driving while license suspended, improper tag, possession of cocaine w/ intent to distribute, possession of drug equipment. Other charges may be pending.

Thursday, May 4, at 2:00 p.m. at the Miller County High School Gym, many of the MCHS students heard the story of a young man that could have been anyone.
Sheriff H.E. “Buddy” Glass and Deputy Shane Rathel brought Chris Sandy into the gym dressed in prison clothes and shackled with leg irons. The arm shackles were removed so that the prisoner could use the microphone to tell his story.
Sheriff Glass introduced the speaker as what seemed to be a good young man who had made several bad choices. He told the crowd of MCHS students just two days before the prom what had happened to this young man.
On April 11, 2000, at approximately 7:45 p.m., a vehicle driven by Chris Sandy traveling west on a county road outside of Atlanta, crashed into an oncoming car making a left turn into a residential driveway. It was estimated that Chris Sandy’s vehicle was traveling at a speed of 77 miles per hour in a 35 m.p.h. speed zone.
Chris Sandy’s vehicle crashed into the oncoming car, literally cutting it into two pieces of wreckage.
There were two passengers in the oncoming vehicle. Both passengers were killed in the crash.
Chris Sandy was charged and later convicted on two counts of vehicular homicide by DUI and is now serving a 13 year sentence in a Georgia state prison.
Sheriff Glass told the young people that this prison inmate is here today to share his story with you.
“My name is Chris Sandy. I am a Georgia state prisoner. My Georgia Department of Correction number is 1083688. The only reason I am here today is my hope that what happened to me will not happen to any of you.”
He told the students that six years ago, he was 22 years old. He was trying to have fun and enjoy life.
Sandy told the students that on April 11, 2000, he made a choice that would change his life forever. He and a friend had a few drinks, and they got a call to go over to another friend’s house to a party. Sandy said that they got into his vehicle and took off. He told how he was speeding up to 80 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. speed zone. He said he saw this vehicle with the left signals on to turn, but he and his friend were in a hurry to get to the party and have some more fun.
The accident happened so fast he didn’t know what hit him or he hit. He said that he heard someone tell of a fatality, so he knew someone was dead. He didn’t know where his friend was.
An officer asked him if he had been drinking. He immediately said, “No!”
“I didn’t want to go to jail for a D.U.I. My car was ruined, and I was all broken up. I wasn’t going to tell him I was drinking,” Sandy said.
Later, when he woke up at the hospital, Sandy stated that he could hardly move. He said he was hurting so bad that he threw up all over himself. The stench of alcohol was so strong, he started to try to clean it up. He didn’t want his parents to come in and find out he had been drinking, and he certainly didn’t want the police to come in and see him like that. He found out that he had hit another vehicle and killed two innocent people, someone’s grandparents.
He stated that after five days he got out of the hospital and read the story of the accident in the newspaper.
“After I got out of the hospital, I was so surprised that I wasn’t arrested then and there--. After the investigation was completed two months later, Sandy was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide by D.U.I. and arrested. He stated that his blood alcohol was .14.
He told that he went to find out how bad the trouble was he was in. He found that each count could carry up to a 15 year prison sentence. He told how he accepted a plea bargain to serve 13 years in prison and 15 years parole.
The young man, getting much older in state prison, told of some of his prison experiences.
He begged the students to think before they made some of the same mistakes.
Sandy told how he lost his friends, his girl friend, almost killed his parents and sister and missed a lifetime of freedom.
He told the students all the fun in the world was not worth one day in prison or even more, the life of some innocent people.
Sandy stated that he could get out of prison just long enough to go to schools and tell his story in hopes of keeping someone else from winding up like he did.
After a most impressive story, Sandy opened the floor for questions.
The first question was what happened to his friend that was a passenger in the vehicle with him?
He said that his friend had sense enough to put on his seat belt as Sandy was driving 80 m.p.h. His friend walked out of the hospital that same night. The seat belt saved his life.
He was asked if he ever talked to the family of those who were killed.
Sandy stated that he asked their forgiveness and told them that he didn’t mean to kill their people. He stated he wrote to them without ever hearing from them, telling them how sorry he was. He said that after several years they saw what he is trying to do, and he was told they approved of his talks. Sandy told the crowd that he would never put himself on these people, but would do whatever they asked for their forgiveness.
A short display of the wreck was shown, and the students seemed to have been impressed.

The annual Miller County Fishing Rodeo was held Saturday, May 6, at Haywood Pond. There were approximately 75 people attending, with 43 children enjoying the day. God granted a beautiful day, filled with plenty of sunshine, a light breeze, children’s laughter, and fish, fish, and more fish.
The avid fisher boys and girls caught plenty of fish consisting of catfish, bream, and bass. There was a tie this year for the biggest fish caught, and the honorees were Kaley Norman, age four, and Bailey McFay, age nine.
There were four age groups which consisted of - up to age five: Krislyn Felch, Danielle Sheffield, Lila Harrell, Brooke Zimmerman, Shawn Michael Felch, Kaley Norman, Owen McFay, Canton Conner, Mitchell Conner, Cole Shiver, Madison Roland, Austin Phillips, Ronnie Colgan, Michaela Colgan, Josh Roland, and Jospeh Oliver; ages six to nine - William Brooks, Matthew Brooks, Layton Harrell, Jonathon Zimmerman, Lawton Bevis, Summer McDaniel, Danny Field, Tyner Cobb, Annie Bridges, Bailey McFay, Logan Harrell, and Todd Cook; ages 10 to 12 - Nicholas Zimmerman, Jacob Thomason, Robert Eldridge, Billy Grimsley, Jacob Stinson, Daniel Allen, Trevontii Barber, Carson Ray, Kizmet Perry, and Jamaree Hopson; ages 13 to 16 - Blake Temples, Sam Stinson, Jeremy Reardon, Phillip Cook, and Jospeh Stolze.
The overall age group winners for catching the most fish were as follows:
Ages 0 to 5, Cole Shiver, first place; Ronnie Colgan and Kaley Norman, second place; and Krislyn Keley, third place.
Ages six to nine winners were Danny Field, first place; Summer McDaniel, second place; and Bailey McFay and Jonathon Zimmerman, third place.
Those placing in ages 10 to 12 were Daniel Allen, first place; Jacob Stinson, second place; and Jamaree Hopson, third place.
Ages 13 to 16 winners were Blake Temples, first place; Sam Stinson, second place; and Joseph Stolze, third place.
Bo and Kim Haywood would like to thank all the parents for bringing their children out to enjoy this event which they hope will continue for many years. Thanks go to all the people who volunteered their services to help ensure that things ran smoothly and a special thanks to Randy Haywood, Marvin and Lenore Kelley, and Robert and Bobby Winkleman, you’re the best!!
Plans are being made to have another fishing rodeo next year about the same time.

The 18th annual Baccalaureate Service for local graduates was held Sunday, May 7, 2006, at the Colquitt Free Will Baptist Church. The Miller County Ministerial Association was the sponsoring organization. Many of the seniors of Miller County High School and Southwest Georgia Academy participated in the service, which began at 6:00 p.m. as the participating seniors marched into the sanctuary to “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Jarrett Cook opened the ceremony with prayer. The Rev. Kent Barwick, pastor of Colquitt Free Will Baptist Church, welcomed the packed house of parents, relatives and friends of the Class of 2006 who had come to honor these very special seniors.
Rev. Barwick, on behalf of the ministerial association, told the seniors to first give thanks to God who has made this all possible. Also without the help of parents, family and friends who have helped make this journey possible, there would be no graduation. Very little is accomplished without help. The Class of 2006 has been very blessed with help from many different sources. He asked everyone to pray God’s richest blessings on each of the seniors.
Ben Chambers gave the invocation, followed by congregational singing.
Matt Calhoun gave a scripture reading, followed by special music by the girls quartet, consisting of Tomi Lynn Duncan, Leah Hall, Karlie Freeman and Jessica Shirley.
Rev. Kent Barwick introduced the speaker for the Baccalaureate Service, the Rev. Robert Johns, pastor of Flat Creek Baptist Church.
The Rev. Johns delivered a powerful talk, especially to the seniors, that their choices would affect everything they do in life and in the after life. He gave a very powerful and positive message on what can be expected if we make the right choices and stated that whatever they are, if it is in God’s will and purpose, it will be a good choice.
Mr. Cleve Roland, counselor at Miller County High School, gave the benediction, and the large crowd was dismissed. Everyone enjoyed congratulating those seniors who participated in the service and mixing with the large crowd that attended.
A number of photos of the seniors who participated and guests have been placed on our website. You may go to www.millercountyliberal.com click on photos and then baccalaureate service.
Miller County High School graduation will be held at Pirate Stadium on May 19. Southwest Georgia Academy graduation will be held at SGA in Damascus on May 25.

One of Miller County's true, certified pioneers died at his home in Colquitt, May 3, after a lengthy illness.
Alvin Newton was one of Colquitt's most successful business men/farmer/entrepreneur ever inducted into the University of Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame as the "Father of Center-Pivot Irrigation in Georgia.
He installed the first center-pivot system in 1967, and he developed a program showing area farmers the advantages of irrigation vs. non-irrigated crops. In 1969, he installed 12 systems, and doubled the number each year for several years after that. Georgia now has over 11,000 center-pivot systems.
He was not only a brilliant businessman, he was an innovative farmer. He developed the first four-row cultivator in south Georgia, helping fellow farmers cultivate crops more efficiently. His successful approach to irrigation led John Deere to design and market the irrigation engine in Georgia. He was owner of Newton-Hamrick, later known as Sunbelt Equipment Company in Colquitt.
Alvin Newton did not only help develop, market and sell farm equipment, he put his knowledge and expertise to work on his farms. In 1970, he put together Georgia's largest vegetable production by growing southern peas and butterbeans for processing.
In the mid-1970s, Newton began planting sweet corn and built southwest Georgia's first Hydro cooler on his Green Circle Farms property. This, another first allowed sweet corn to be shipped throughout North America and Canada and opened up the vegetable industry in Georgia.
In 1990, Frank McGill stated, "Thanks to this pioneer of extraordinary foresight, vegetables in Georgia passed cotton and peanuts in farm-gate receipts."
Newton was also one of the founding directors and stockholders of the Peoples Community Bank, now PeopleSouth Bank with banks in three states.
This quiet, gentle man had friends all over the United States and Canada. He was trusted in his knowledge of anything that he was affiliated with.
As the Rev. W.H. Phillips, a cousin, friend, and business associate, stated at the funeral service, "He was the smartest and most extraordinary man I have ever known. He didn't care who got the credit for doing a job that he wanted to do, just as long as it got done."
Alvin Newton was one of the highest respected men in this part of Georgia. He leaves a legacy in farming, business and being a good citizen that will be hard to top.
As one friend stated, " He was a good businessman and if he could outdo you in a trade, he would. On the other hand, if he told you something, you could go to the bank with it."

Week of May 7, 2006