Morgan County Sheriff’s Office

• On Sept. 10 a disorderly conduct complaint was filed at a Greensboro Road convenience store after an employee reported that a customer had become belligerent to both employees and customers at the store. According to reports, a woman said that a customer entered the store and purchased a six pack of beer and attempted to speak with an employee while the employee was engaged in a phone conversation. The employee turned to continue the phone conversation, reports state, and the customer, a 29-year-old white male, allegedly attempted to return the beer and ask for his money back. Another employee told the customer to leave and he allegedly cursed at both her and other customers in the store. The man left in a white pick-up truck with a wolf painted on the back window. He was located at a residence on Whispering Lakes Trail and was instructed that he was banned from the store or the store’s property. The man denied having any type of confrontation at the store and said that nothing had happened.
• On Sept. 11 a theft by taking complaint was filed at a Newborn Road, Rutledge, location after a woman reported that her ex-boyfriend had entered her residence and removed a computer, monitor and printer that belonged to her. The woman said the man had texted her several times to report that he had the items. The man retained keys to the residence after he left the relationship in August, reports state.
• On Sept. 12 simple assault complaint was filed at a Perryman Street, Buckhead, location after a 19-year-old woman reported that a man had swung at her and then told her he was going to kill her. The woman’s mother reported that the man had not swung at her daughter but had raised his fist as if to do so.
• On Sept. 12 a theft by taking complaint was filed at a Greensboro Road location after a woman reported that someone had stolen her green 2005 Nissan Sentra. The woman said the last time she saw her car was at approximately 8:30 p.m. when she observed the tail lights going west on Greensboro Road. The woman later called the sheriff’s office and reported that the car had, in fact, been repossessed.
• On Sept. 13 a criminal damage to property complaint was filed at a Dixie Highway, Rutledge, location after a man reported that someone had cut a fence on his property and damaged and opened a barn door. The man said nothing appeared to be missing, however.
• On Sept. 13 an argument complaint was filed at a Newborn Road, Rutledge, location after a man alleged that his wife chased him while he was driving a blue Ford Ranger pick-up truck while she was driving a Toyota Four Runner. According to reports, the man said he left the couple’s Watkinsville residence to avoid further fighting and left in the truck that is titled to his wife. The man said he also took $700 from his wife’s banking account. The man said near Newborn Road the wife allegedly hit the back of the truck and the man said he then pulled into a man’s yard on Newborn Road and requested that the man call law enforcement. The wife said she had attempted to collect the truck and had requested that a friend go with her to an Estes Road residence where she believed her husband was staying. The woman said the husband allegedly attempted to run the friend off the road and when she got behind the husband he slammed on brakes and then placed the truck in reverse and rammed the woman before pulling into the witness’ yard on Newborn Road. The witness said he “saw them hit each other a time or two and then they pulled into his yard.
• On Sept. 15 a criminal trespass complaint was filed at a Guinn Road, Buckhead, location after a woman reported that her ex-boyfriend continues to come to her house and enter, even though he is not invited and does not have a key. The woman said on Sept. 14 he came to her house and knocked on the door but she did not go to the door or acknowledge that she was home. The woman said the man then sent her text message requesting that she come to the door. The woman said she then went to the door and the man held a condom up to the window of the door. The woman said she then went and laid down. Deputies contacted the man and told him to stay away from the residence.

Madison Police Department

• On Sept. 13 terroristic threats warrants were issued for Phillip Balmes, 56, Buckhead. According to reports, Balmes allegedly responded to a recorded phone message from a probation office that notifies probationers of appointments. Balmes allegedly called the probation office back and reportedly threatened to kill the people at the probation office or any law enforcement officer that attempted to go to his residence. Reports state that a check showed that Balmes had no active warrants against him. According to Morgan County Sheriff's Office reports, Morgan County deputies served the warrant on Balmes on Saturday at noon. Reports state that Balmes attempted to slam the front door of his Heidi Trail residence as deputies attempted to serve the warrant. Reports also state that Balmes resisted the deputies attempt at arrest and during the arrest had to be placed in leg shackles.
• On Sept. 14 an auto theft complaint was filed at a Sulgrave Drive location after a man reported that someone had taken his 1990 Toyota Camry from the parking lot of the apartment complex. According to reports, an officer ran the tag number of the vehicle and dispatch reported that the vehicle had been recovered in Richmond County, Ga. Reports state that a Georgia State trooper reported that he had attempted to stop the vehicle and the occupant had abandoned the vehicle and ran into the woods.
• On Sept. 16 a damage to property complaint was filed at a Micha Way location after a woman reported that someone had spray-painted black lines down the side of her 2001 Lincoln Town Car. The woman reported that her daughter was recently having trouble with two unknown girls and she believes the girls might have spray painted the lines.
• On Sept. 16 a recovered vehicle report was filed at the vacant Fuel Mart parking lot. According to reports, officers responded to a complaint of a 2003 Freightliner struck in the road. Reports state that when the officer arrived he could not locate a driver but did observe pry marks on the driver’s side door as well as a damaged steering column. The officer contacted the truck’s owner who told the officer that the truck had been stolen from a maintenance facility that night.
• On Sept. 14 Otho Moses Williams, 49, Madison, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass after he allegedly was observed in the Budget Inn parking lot after he had signed a criminal trespass notification to not enter the property on June 19, 2012. An officer was searching for Williams, reports state, to serve arrest warrants for shoplifting and criminal trespass.
• On Sept. 12 a harassing communications complaint was filed at a Micha Way location after a woman reported that her daughter was being harassed by another woman, allegedly regarding the daughter’s relationship with a man. Reports state that a woman banned from Morgan County had instructed the suspect to harass the daughter. The day after the report was filed, reports state, the daughter and the suspect allegedly engaged in a fight on a school bus.
• On Sept. 15 an enticing a child complaint was filed at a First Street location after a man reported that his 15-year-old daughter reported that while she was walking home a black male in a purple pick-up truck, possibly in his 50s, pulled along side her and asked her if she needed a ride. The teen also said the man asked her if she wanted to make $400 or $500. The teen said she left the roadway and cut through some yards to distance herself from the man.
• On Sept. 10 warrants for larceny were issued for Byron C. Henderson, 34, Covington. According to reports, Henderson is charged with allegedly selling four cartons of cigarettes for $80 that were valued at $146.46 while he was employed at an Eatonton Road convenience store. According to reports, store employees reported that a customer entered the store and requested the special $20 per carton deal. When the customer was told no such deal existed the customer reportedly told employees that Henderson had consummated a similar transaction earlier.
• On Sept. 11 a larceny complaint was filed at a East Jefferson Street location after a woman reported that someone had taken $100 from a location in her bedroom. The woman said she had allowed five men to stay at her residence for the night and when she checked on the money noticed it was gone. Three men were at the residence when officers arrived but two men had fled after the woman announced she was calling police.
• On Sept. 6 Phillip Lynn Gaither, 50, Madison, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. According to reports, Gaither allegedly approached a man at the motel from behind as the man was attempting to unlock his door and placed him in a head lock. The man told police that he wrestled with Gaither and held him on the second floor railing until he stopped attempting to fight. Officers contacted Gaither and reported that he was “extremely” intoxicated. The officer also noted that Gaither had also allegedly struck someone in the head with a shovel earlier in the day while working at a local dairy.

Printed in the September 20, 2012 edition