Drowning Victim Was a Dawson County Man
News September 8, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Authorities have identified the man who drowned at War Hill Park Tuesday as David Howser, 55, of 711 River Valley Road in Dawsonville.
David Manke, a friend of the victim, told Forsyth County Deputy C.A. Miller that Howser was attempting to swim back to shore when he went under water and never resurfaced. Manke said he swam out to Howser, pulled him back to shore and attempted CPR before calling 9-1-1.
Dawson County EMS was first to arrive on the scene. Paramedics attempted CPR for approximately 30 minutes but were unable to revive the man.
The body was transported to the Forsyth County Coroner.
Dawsonville Man Charged With Stalking, False Imprisonment, Sexual Battery
Business March 6, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga– Sheriff Jeff Johnson reports that Dawson County authorities arrested Nicolas Anthony Tobias, 26, of Dawsonville Thursday on warrants stemming from an incident January 9 in which he is charged with one count of stalking.
In an email, Johnson said, “Warrants detail that Tobias waited on the side of the roadway with his car lights turned off until the victim, Kayla Tobias came down the road. As the victim stopped at the stop sign, Tobias is accused of pulling his truck onto the roadway, not allowing her to pass. This was reported to have occurred for the purpose of harassing and intimidating her. The accusation also resulted in Tobias being charged with 1 count of false imprisonment. Warrants detail that Tobias did violate the personal liberty of Kayla Tobias by confining her in her vehicle with nowhere to go, and he did so without legal authority. This action also resulted in Tobias being charged with one count of simple assault whereby the victim was placed in fear of receiving immediate or violent injury.”
Johnson said, “Tobias was also arrested in connection with an incident reported to have occurred on Jan. 13 in which he is accused of entering a car belonging to Kayla Tobias with the intent to commit a theft and taking a cellular phone without the owner’s permission. Tobias is also charged with one count of sexual battery by making unwanted physical contact with the victim in violation of this statute.”
County, Sheriff Spar Over Budget Request
News September 20, 2017
Chairman Billy Thurmond
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson and the Board of Commissioners butted heads over the sheriff’s budget request during a called meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson says he cannot provide the services required of his office on the $7.3 million budget commissioners have proposed. He requested $8.1 million. But commissioners say Johnson’s predecessor, Billy Carlisle who retired last year, provided those same services on a budget of only $6.8 million. They say the half million dollar increase they have proposed plus a significant pay raise for all county employees, including the sheriff’s office and another $300,000 for capital expenditures, is all the taxpayers can afford.
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
Commissioners will consider the arguments made by Johnson and his attorney, Joey Homans, until Thursday when the final budget is set to be adopted.
In initiating the discussion, Chairman Billy Thurmond said, “It is our goal to help you meet your needs. By no means do we want to run your department. We have no idea how to run your department. That takes money and we’re looking for every means and every way to generate the revenue.”
Commissioner Chris Gaines echoed that sentiment, saying, “I want the very best Sheriff’s Office this county can afford.”
Commissioner Chris Gaines
It is worth noting that the sheriff’s budgeting process is unlike any in state government. Commissioners control the budget, but sheriffs are constitutional officers, elected by the citizens. Their budgets cannot be cut unless the sheriff agrees. If push comes to shove, the sheriff can take his appeal through the court system.
Johnson may have been setting the stage for that when he said, “If you look at our budget, just the line items, take away the salaries and benefits, our budget was reduced. Our overall budget was reduced. That’s where we’re at. We come into this process short on staff, short on uniforms, short on equipment and short on a long laundry list of items.”
Both sides would like to avoid litigation because taxpayers would be forced to pay the legal fees of both the commission and the sheriff’s office, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Commissioner Sharon Fausett
Commissioner Sharon Fausett opened the door to future opportunities for the sheriff’s office to achieve some increases, saying, “This budget isn’t written in stone but we have to start somewhere.” She indicated that she might be open to future adjustments in the budget if revenue rose above expectations and the need was warranted.
“But I don’t want to get below the 15 percent contingency fund,” she said. “I don’t want to raise property taxes and I don’t want to borrow money. I want us to be fiscally responsible.”
Commissioners questioned why the sheriff chose to make purchases outside the county’s purchasing department where discounts and other efficiencies are available. They say that is a duplication of services that costs taxpayers more money.
Johnson explained that for big ticket purchases, in excess of $100,000, he does use the purchasing department but added, “I’m accountable to the voters of Dawson County for how I spend my money and why I choose certain contractors. But often times, the lowest bid will get you just that, the lowest quality. He cited two examples of contractors the county selected in the past that he felt failed to do live up to their contract.
Commissioners have argued in the past that the Sheriff’s Offices in Lumpkin and White counties serve a larger population but have a smaller budget than what is being proposed for Dawson, a county with a population of about 23,000.
For example, the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office budget is $6.6 million and its population is 29,966 while the budget for White County Sheriff Neal Walden is only $5.4 million for a population of 28,000.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Bolz Takes Post as City Manager
News November 30, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Management, supervision and leadership fit Bob Bolz, Dawsonville’s new city manager like a glove.
Wednesday was Bolz’s third day on the job and he took time to talk to Fetch Your News about his new position.
“What has impressed me most so far is the quality of people I work with,” he said. “From the city staff to the elected officials, everyone wants to do the best job they can for the citizens. I’m old school where we were taught if you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late. I’m a firm believer in customer service and our employees are too.”
Bolz, 59, spent more than 30 years with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He oversaw operations at Amicalola Park and Lodge, one of the state’s largest parks, for 18 years. In 2004, he was promoted to a regional management position where supervised operation of some 30 state parks.
“I retired in 2009, but I was bored and I had done all the Honey-dos we could afford,” Bolz said. So, he was ready to get back to work when Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle recruited him to serve as training director for the sheriff’s office.
Serving the sheriff’s office was one thing, but the chance to serve an entire city is another. “Serving people has always been my passion, so when the position of city manager opened up, that excited me,” he said. “I was ready to get back to where my heart is.”
Bolz said there are some major projects on the drawing board in 2017 that will require his attention, including the Main Street revitalization project and the new park being constructed behind city hall.
By year’s end, however, he said he wants to meet with city council members to listen to what their plans are and to share with them his plans.
His predecessor, David Headley, had begun hosting a series of town hall meetings and that is something he wants to continue.
“I’m a firm believer in listening to your customers,” he said. “The closer government can get to the people, the better things will be. I think that is what happened in this last (presidential) election. People got tired of government not listening to them.”
Bolz earned a bachelor’s degree in recreational administration from North Georgia College & State University. He lives in Dawsonville and is married to Robinson Elementary para-pro Xarissa Bolz. The couple has three sons: Robert Bolz, Josh Bolz and Cody McGinnis.
Shooting at LongHorn Steakhouse Accidental
News October 25, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County investigators believe the shooting in the parking lot of LongHorn Steakhouse restaurant on Ga. 400 Monday afternoon was an accident.
In an email, Dawson County Sheriff-elect Major Jeff Johnson said, “The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a 911 call reporting an accidental gunshot wound. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers encountered the victim, 21-year-old Michael Gilbert of Dawsonville.”
Johnson said Gilbert and his mother, Diana Cleghorn, were parked in the LongHorn parking lot, when (according to the victim) he attempted to unload a weapon, an older model Walther .32 semi-automatic pistol, when he accidentally fired the weapon several times. Two of the expended rounds struck the victim in his left thigh area. Other rounds lodged in the vehicle’s door.
“Initial inquiries by Dawson County Investigators indicate that the weapon discharge was consistent with the evidence and victim/witness statements,” Johnson said. .”Although no current charges are filed at this time, the case is still under investigation.”
Gilbert was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
Authorities Investigate Shooting at LongHorn
News October 25, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A shooting outside LongHorn Steaks on Ga. 400 in Dawson County Monday afternoon is under investigation by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.
EMS Director Lanier Swafford said emergency workers were dispatched to the Longhorns restaurant parking lot at approximately 3:50 p.m. The unnamed male victim was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center where the extent of his injuries is not known.
Fetchyournews.com will have more details as they become available.
Tisdale Motions Hearing Enters Second Day
News October 5, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — The pretrial motions hearing in the case of Georgia vs. Nydia Tisdale on charges of criminal trespass and obstruction of an officer will continue for a second day Wednesday in Dawson County Superior Court starting at noon.
Tisdale, who describes herself as a citizen journalist, was arrested in Aug. 2014 when she refused to stop filming a political rally involving many of the state’s top Republican leaders at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm in Dawson County. She is charged with fighting with the arresting officer, Captain Tony Wooten, formerly with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.
In Tuesday testimony, Tisdale said the rally was open to the public and that she obtained permission from Kathy Burt, who along with her husband Johnny Burt owns Burt’s Farm, to film the proceedings.
Cathy Burt testified that Tisdale misled her. “She told me she was there to film for the governor,” Burt said. “She misrepresented herself.” Burt also said when the event organizer, attorney Clint Bearden, told her that the governor had some concerns about her filming the event, “We asked her to quit.”
Bearden said, Tisdale was first approached by the late Mack Burgess, a Republican Party official, and asked to stop filming and she refused. Next, he said, he and Wooten asked her to stop filming but she refused again.
“She told me to talk to Mrs. Burt and I told her I had just come from Mrs. Burt and she doesn’t want you here,” Bearden said. When she refused again, Wooten attempted to escort her from the facility. “That’s when all hell broke loose,” Bearden testified. “She began flailing her arms and legs and still had the camera in her hand.”
Tisdale claims she did not know that Wooten was a law enforcement officer. With her video camera still recording, you can hear Tisdale screaming, “Who are you sir. Please identify yourself.”
Next, Tisdale said, “In a very hostile and aggressive voice,” (Wooten) told me you’re leaving now. He grabbed my hand and lifted me from my chair and pushed me out of the rally.”
Asked by her attorney Bruce Harvey if she was fighting, kicking or elbowing Wooten, she said no. “I wasn’t resisting. I was trying to free myself.”
She said Wooten then led her to the barn area and to leaned her over one of the checkout counters and identified himself. The camera, still recording, shows Wooten telling her, “You resisted me in my lawful duties and now you’re going to jail.”
Dawson County Holds Prayer Service for Public Safety Personnel
News July 11, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County residents showed their support for law enforcement officers and other first responders during a prayer service held in front of the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Sunday.
The service followed the shooting deaths of five police officers and the wounding of 7 others in Dallas last week and the shooting of two civilians in Baton Rouge and St. Paul, Minnesota.
“There was maybe 300-400 people there and they were very sympathetic not just to our officers. but what seems to be going on in throughout the country,” said Sheriff Billy Carlisle.”I believe they recognize that there is a spiritual battle going on this country. It’s not just an us vs. them thing.”
Carlisle said his deputies are, “watching their backs more now. I don’t want to say they’re antsy but they are kind of antsy.They have to stay mentally alert all the time now when they go on call or are on patrol.”
Carlisle added that he has not given any special instructions to his officers since the Black Lives Matter protests started.
“We really didn’t need to. We’re constantly talking to them about the way to deal with people properly and professionally,” he said.
Carlisle said the Black Lives Matter group is “going about it in the wrong way. We need to have a serious discussion on both sides I don’t think Black Lives Matter intended for it to turn out the way it has.”
Deputy Eric Johnson who led the prayer service, said, “We’re doing this for the community to show support for the sheriff’s office and to unite the community to come together. We’re lucky in Dawson County that we don’t face some of the same things other larger agencies face, and we’re thankful for that. But it’s got to start somewhere, and if there has ever been a time that we need to look to God for his guidance, it’s now.”
Final Candidate Forum Scheduled Tuesday
News, Politics July 9, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — The Dawson County Tea Party and Foothills Republican Women will host the final candidate forum Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Fire Station No. 2 next to Tractor Supply on Hwy. 53 in Dawsonville. This will be the last forum before the Election Day which is scheduled for July 26.
Guests are invited to prepare questions to ask the candidates and submit them as they enter.
The candidates for sheriff are Captain Tony Wooten, an 18-year veteran of the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and Major Jeff Johnson, a 23-year law enforcement veteran.
Wooten has commanded all but one department in the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and currently supervises the community policing program and school resource officers while serving as the Public Information Officer.
Johnson is currently the head of the Dawson County detention center and has experience in patrols, courts, investigation, specialized assignments internal affairs and community programs.
Wooten won the four-candidate May primary with 1,527 votes while Johnson finished second with 1,157.
The other runoff race is between Andi Hinson Juliette and Nicole Stewart to decide who will become the county’s next tax commissioner.
Juliette is a former analyst for a Department of Defense contractor and the FBI and has managed budgets in excess of $50 million. She is a graduate of Dawson County High School and North Georgia College and State University.
Stewart is a former banker with experience in the loan department. She is also an honors graduate of Dawson County High School and North Georgia College and State University who is currently working on her Masters degree at Brenau University in Gainesville. Active in many community affairs, she was named Dawson County’s Outstanding Citizen in 2015.
Jeff Perry, Candidate Dawson County Sheriff
News, Politics April 23, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Jeff Perry believes his education, experience, training and leadership skills make him the best candidate for Dawson County Sheriff.
Perry has 30 years of law enforcement experience, most of which have been as a parole officer. He currently serves as a Chief Parole Officer where he manages a large district office covering seven counties.
“I am the only candidate with a college degree,” Perry said. “I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia Southern University and I am working on my Master’s Degree at the University of North Georgia.”
Perry has served on many state and federal law enforcement task forces, including, the 1996 State Olympic Law Enforcement Team and as a supervisor with the Secret Service for the 2004 G-8 Summit of world leaders.
“As sheriff, my number one priority will be to keep our citizens safe,” he said. To accomplish that, Perry said he would partner with local, state and federal public safety agencies to augment staff and resources. He also would work closely with communities, citizens, businesses and families.
Manpower has been an issue for the sheriff’s office. A recent study by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association revealed that 39 new positions are needed to adequately protect Dawson County citizens.
Perry said he would work with county commissioners to request funding for additional positions. But, he added, that being able to retain good offiers is just as important.
“The sheriff’s office has lost 86 employees in the last five years,” he said. “It cost $8,000 to send an officer through basic law enforcement training. That is roughly $688,000 the county has lost and that does not take into account the experience we’ve lost and the length of time it takes to train an officer to be able to patrol alone.”
Perry says he will address the retention issue by creating a work-friendly environment that promotes from within and by partnering with UNG and Columbus State University to provide opportunities for employees to earn scholarships to pursue their Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s Degree.
Perry said he would exercise fiscal responsibility by implementing what he called results based budgeting. “If we’re funding a program and it’s not producing the desired results we’re going to eliminate that program and redirect funding to a service that is providing positive results. We’ill make sure we request what we need and not what we want.”
The next sheriff will have to deal with a population boom and a crime rate that often accompanies growth.
“We can do that by emracing the latest technology, community policing, implementing a sheriff’s auxiliary force, staffing additional precincts and adding additional positions over the first four years of my term,” Perry said.
Perry has been married to his wife Lisa, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Dawson County schools, for 27 years. They have two grown children and attend Liberty Baptist Church where he is Vice Chairmam of the Deacon’s Board.
Tony Wooten, Candidate Dawson Co. Sheriff
News, Politics April 21, 2016
To provide voters the information they need to make an informed choice in the May 24 General Primary election, Fetch Your News will work hard to present a profile of each candidate running for public office. All candidates will be contacted and offered an opportunity to respond to questions.
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — After 18 years working in the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, commanding all but one division and rising to the rank of captain, Tony Wooten believes he is the right person to lead the office in 2017.
“I’ve done everything in the sheriff’s office that I can do,” Wooten said. “I know I’m ready for the next level.”
Wooten, 37, currently serves as public information officer and supervises the community policing program and school resource officers. He has demonstrated a dedication to the community he grew up in which is why his campaign message is “Dedicated to Dawson.”
“I kicked off the Shop With a Cop program at the local Walmart several years ago and initiated the C.H.A.M.P.S. program that focuses on teaching children to make positive choices and creating a drug-free curriculum,” Wooten said. The program was later adopted by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.
Wooten is a proponent of community policing and says he will foster greater cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, Police Department and surrounding law enforcement operations.
He is also eager to work on improving morale within the sheriff’s office and retention of good officers.
“One problem is that officers are being viewed in a negative light and many want to get out of law enforcement,” Wooten said. “We have to work hard to show them that they are appreciated.”
While surrounding jurisdictions like Hall and Forsyth have larger budgets and can pay officers more money, Wooten says, “It’s not always the money that’s important. We need to show them our appreciation and convince them that they live in a great community that has great schools and a great lifestyle.”
He is well aware of the growth that is headed to Dawson County and the problems that will follow.
“With the growth of retail along Ga. 400 will come an increase in retail crime which is why I will create a retail crime unit there. I want people to be able to shop safely whether they are from Dawson County or not.”
Wooten and his wife Jennifer have been married for 10 years.They have three children, Owen, 7, Luke, 5 and Brooks 3. He is an elder and outreach director at New Life Church.
Jeff Johnson, Candidate for Dawson Co. Sheriff
News, Politics April 15, 2016
To provide voters the information they need to make an informed choice in the May 24 General Primary election, Fetch Your News will work hard to present a profile of each candidate running for public office. All candidates will be contacted and offered an opportunity to respond to questions.
DAWSONVILE, Ga. — Jeff Johnson says if voters do a thorough job of researching each candidate’s credentials and will vote for experience, he will be elected Dawson County Sheriff next month.
While all four candidates have a tremendous amount of experience, Johnson says he has the most extensive experience in all facets of law enforcement.
“I’m not disparaging any candidate, but one of my opponents spent most of his career as a school resource officer, another on patrol and another in the detention prison system. I have the most expansive background of any candidate,” he said.
“I have supervised and commanded in detention, patrol, investigations, specialized assignments, government housing, internal affairs, courts, training, and administration,” he said
Johnson also served as a law enforcement instructor, teaching at the local, regional and state levels and he has over 3,000 hours of specialized law enforcement training.
Looking at today’s Sheriff’s Office, Johnson says its people are its strength. “We have many fine quality people working in the Sheriff’s Office. Our problem is retention. Our best officers are going to higher paying law enforcement jobs or into the private sector. To keep the good ones, we may need to look at increasing their pay.”
Johnson understands that it’s tax payers who foot the bill for pay increases.
But, he says, it is possible that salary increases could be funded by restructuring and reorganizing the sheriff’s office.
If not, he said he would have a frank discussion with citizens to determine the level of law enforcement they want. “If we need to increase the budget to provide that level of service then we need to look at that. But the community has to have a say in it.”
If he is elected, Johnson said his number one priority will be to increase public safety. “I’m a community driven type person,” he said. “We can increase public safety through good old community policing. I will rebuild our relationship with with the community.”
Johnson recognizes that Dawson County is in for a major growth spurt and that means more problems for law enforcement.
“Increased retail is certainly headed this way soon,” he said. “I’m also hearing the buzz about building more low-income housing in the county to support the retail base. That means we will likely see an increase in theft and other crimes as well as traffic issues We will need to work in partnership with the business community. But we’ll be ready.”
Dawson Sheriff’s Office Finds Missing Juvenile
News January 13, 2016
The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce Raymando Alexander Lopez has been located. Thank you for your assistance!
Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Searches for Teen Runaway
News January 10, 2016
FYN has been notified that Hannah Tinsley was found safe and sound. Thank you to all who assisted in the search.
The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office has issued a BOL/ Be on the Lookout for a teen reported missing on January 10th 2016.
On Sunday, January 10th, Hannah Tinsley was reported as a runaway juvenile to the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office at 706-344-3636. Thank you for your assistance! Please share and remember the more people who see the better the chances of finding this girl safely.