Two men from Fayetteville and Griffin were arrested March 7 and one of them was shot after being held at gunpoint by the homeowner after they stole metal from his property in south Fayette County.
Fayette County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Brent said on March 7 at approximately 12:04 a.m. deputies responded to a residence on Hillsbridge Road located in south Fayette County in reference to a prowler being discovered on the property by the homeowner. Rowan said the homeowner told the Fayette County 911 dispatcher that he confronted the prowler on his property looking through an out-building with a flashlight.
The homeowner told the 911 dispatcher after confronting the prowler that he fled from the residence in a Dodge Ram pick-up truck. When deputies arrived at the residence on Hillsbridge Road the suspect had already left the scene and they were unsuccessful in locating the prowler, Rowan said.
On the same date at approximately 2:27 a.m. Fayette deputies responded to a theft in progress call at a property located on John Street in south Fayette County near Ga. Highway 92 South where one of the suspects had been shot by the property owner during the commission of the theft, said Rowan.
Rowan said the property owner in this case told the Fayette County 911 dispatcher that he confronted two suspects in a Dodge Ram pick-up truck on his property stealing metal and was holding them at gunpoint with a shotgun. Several minutes later the property owner told the 911 dispatcher that he shot one of the suspects in the face and body using a birdshot load which was discharged from his shotgun, Rowan said, adding that the second suspect fled the scene upon hearing the gunshots.
Rowan said as Fayette Deputies responded to the property on John Street they confronted the fleeing uninjured suspect near the property and took him into custody. The injured suspect was subsequently located at the incident location on John Street. The injured suspect was later transported by Fayette County EMS to Grady Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputies have obtained a criminal arrest warrant for Timothy Curran Williams, 55, of Griffin. Williams was the man shot by the homeowner, said Rowan. Also arrested was Mark Cofino, 20, of Fayetteville, Rowan said. Both men were charged with theft by taking for the incident on John Street, Rowan said. Cofino was additionally charged with Prowling for the incident that occurred on Hillsbridge Road, said Rowan.
Rowan also noted that deputies asked that a warrant for aggravated assault be taken against the homeowner for the shooting that occurred outside the residence. That warrant was denied by the Magistrate Judge. Rowan said the matter will be referred to the Fayette County District Attorney’s office.
