David Hester

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Name:
Hester, David Russell

Date of Booking:
07/11/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Disorderly Conduct

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, at approximately 1151 hours, I was dispatched to 28 S Wall St (Mellow Mushroom) in reference to a report of a white male with a beard, no shirt, and black shorts, who was seen cursing near the corner beside the restaurant.

Approximately 30 minutes earlier, while driving down Main St, I had observed and identified the male as Mr. David Hester, whom I had spoken with the previous day. The previous day, Mr. Hester did not appear to be in a stable mental state and told Ofc. Wright that if he were arrested, “it would take an army to bring him into custody.” Given his identification and prior statement, multiple units were dispatched to the scene. I was the first to arrive and spoke with a witness, who reported seeing Mr. Hester near the Mellow Mushroom patio yelling profanities—specifically, repeatedly shouting “fu*k”—at a family dining outside. Witness also relayed that the original caller had overheard Mr. Hester say, “Anybody can get it” and “I’ll fu*k anyone up.” Shortly thereafter, Ofc. Vannoy, Ofc. Lowell, and I observed the shirtless male, wearing his shorts inside out, attempting to cross the railroad tracks into a crowd gathered for a downtown event providing school supplies for underprivileged children.

In response, the three officers stopped Mr. Hester before he could enter the crowd. I called out “David,” prompting him to turn around, at which point Ofc. Vannoy attempted to take hold of his right hand and place it behind his back. Mr. Hester immediately began resisting, jerking his hand away and trying to pull free. Ofc. Vannoy maintained his grip on Mr. Hester’s wrist while the other officers assisted in bringing him to the ground. Mr. Hester, initially lying on his left side, refused to extend his hands to officers.

Ofc. Wright arrived to assist, and together, we were able to secure Mr. Hester’s right hand in a cuff. After a brief struggle, his left hand was freed from underneath his body, and he was handcuffed behind his back, double locked and checked for fit. During the encounter, Mr. Hester repeatedly tried to break free and was seen swinging his head side to side on the concrete sidewalk, resulting in abrasions to his head. He was searched incident to arrest and found to have no weapons or contraband and was escorted to the rear of Ofc. Wright’s marked patrol vehicle.

EMS was called to the scene to evaluate Mr. Hester. He received a bandage for his head abrasions and underwent several assessments before being cleared for transport. Mr. Hester was then transported to 104 Zena Dr (BCSO) and released to the deputies without further incident. Warrants were obtained for Disorderly Conduct and four counts of Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer. All of Mr. Hester’s property collected at the scene that was not accepted at the jail was placed into Cartersville Personal Property.

[End of Narrative]

All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.

Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Case History:

7/28/26

BOND SET FOR DAVID RUSSELL HESTER

What this means: A bond was set for David Russell Hester in Bartow County Superior Court in the amount of $6,250 through Bond James Bond. Hester is accused of Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers and Disorderly Conduct. By posting this bond amount, Hester could be released from jail while his case moves forward. The bond document was signed and sealed by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. The court date is listed as “To Be Mailed,” meaning Hester was to be notified by mail of his next court appearance.