STAFF REPORT :::
Spalding County Commissioner Don Hawbaker has been indicted by a grand jury on eight felony charges.
The charges relate to a Feb. 4 incident at his Satilla Court residence.
The grand jury today true billed one count of aggravated assault under the Georgia Family Violence Act, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and five counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
“The Grand Jury process, like many other proceedings, had been delayed statewide due to Covid-19 by order of Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton. Once the holds were lifted and the Grand Jury process could start, our local court system began holding proceedings immediately. That is why there was a delay in this indictment and others,” said Sheriff Darrell Dix. “I served Commissioner Hawbaker with a copy of the indictment and additional counts this morning since he is still in custody in my jail, and he will be booked and processed on those new charges.”
Dix said he intends to move forward with a request that Governor Brian Kemp remove Hawbaker from office.
“Now that the indictment has occurred, a copy will be sent to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp by both I and Mrs. Elizabeth Presley who represents the Griffin Judicial Circuit in this case. We will both be requesting that the process for removing Commissioner Hawbaker from public office be initiated in accordance with state law. I will also be forwarding a copy to Investigators with the Georgia Bar to notify them of Hawbaker’s indictment.”
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