In a violent altercation rooted in a dispute over hunting territory, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with the aid of the Georgia State Patrol, has arrested three individuals on charges related to the assault of a senior citizen in Coffee County. According to a news release from the GBI, Rob Smith, Jr., 55, his son Dillon Smith, 18, both from Ambrose, and Carter Holley, 17, from Douglas, stand accused of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and exploitation of an elder person with Holley facing an additional count of terroristic threats.
The arrests took place on Wednesday following a call for assistance from the local sheriff's office on Tuesday, it is the consequence of an assault in Ambrose that reportedly occurred in the 4200 block of Vickers Crossing Road the previous evening where the trio is said to have launched a physical attack on a 71-year-old man, amidst an argument concerning property that is used for hunting where they allegedly punched, kicked, and wielded a walking stick as a weapon against the man, these details provided by the GBI's investigation.
Apprehensions of the accused parties were executed at their respective residences without any reported trouble, and each was subsequently incarcerated at the Coffee County Jail. The GBI has not only prompted anyone with further information to engage with law enforcement by contacting them directly but has also facilitated avenues for anonymous tips via phone, their website, and a specialized mobile app.
This case is not yet closed, as it remains under the purview of the GBI's active investigations; once their inquiry reaches a conclusion, the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office will next scrutinize the compiled case file for review and determine the viability of commencing with prosecution, this process maintains the integrity of the judicial system in ensuring all the facts are accounted for before a decision is made.
