Covington Suspect Arrested for 15 Charges

Newton County Judicial Center

Covington, Ga. - A suspect that police had been searching for has been arrested as of last week.

The suspect has been accused of opening fire on a coworker in the parking lot of a manufacturing plant. According to reports, the two men were involved in an oral argument when the suspect pulled out a firearm and began to shoot at the other man. Fortunately, no one was injured. This past week, he was pulled over for driving without a license plate. When the officer ran his name, the suspect was then arrested on the warrants for the following charges in connection with the incident.

• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• First Degree Criminal Damage to Property in Georgia
• Reckless Conduct in Georgia
• Criminal Trespass in Georgia

As well as other felonies and misdemeanors. As a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney, I will focus today's post on the law of criminal damage to property.

Criminal Damage to Property in Georgia

Georgia Law divides the offense of criminal damage to property into two degrees. Georgia Law defines the offense of First Degree Criminal Damage to Property in Georgia as:

A person commits the offense of criminal damage to property in the first degree when he knowingly and without authority interfere with any property in a manner as to endanger human life; or knowingly and without authority and by force or violence interfere with the operation of public communication, public transportation, sewerage, drainage, water supply, gas, power, or other public utility service or with any constituent power thereof. O.C.G.A. §16-7-22.

A criminal damage to property in the first-degree conviction in Georgia is classified as a felony, and the punishment will be a prison term between one and ten years. 

Georgia Law defines the offense of Second Degree Criminal Damage to Property in Georgia as:

A person commits the offense of criminal damage to property in the second degree when they intentionally damage any property of another person without their consent, and the damage, therefore, exceeds $500.00; or recklessly or intentionally, by means of fire or explosive, damages property of another person. O.C.G.A. §16-7-23.

A criminal damage to property in the second-degree conviction in Georgia is also classified as a felony, and the punishment will be a prison term between one and five years.

Practice Note

The suspect in the story above is facing a long list of charges. If you have been arrested, contact our offices now.