Name:
Shepherd, Joshua Douglas
Date of Booking:
09/10/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
Possession of a Firearm or Knife During Commission or Attempt to Commit certain Felonies
Aggravated Assault
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 Sunday, September 10th, 2023 at 1856 hours I was dispatched to the Circle K gas station at 5646 Highway 20, Cartersville, GA 30121 in reference to an assault that had just occurred.
Upon arrival I was flagged down by a witness from this incident, [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] stated the suspects from this assault were two white males wearing khaki shorts, and hats, and they went to the Red Roof motel at 28 Highway 20 Spur.
I arrived at the Red Roof, and observed these males outside the building. These males were identified as Joshua Shepherd, and Ricky Muller. Joshua and Ricky both stated a man in a black truck honked at a lady at the Circle K, and they found it disrespectful, and in an attempt to stand up for this lady they confronted this man, and got in his face, but never became physical or threatened him.
I then met with the victim, [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated he politely honked at the vehicle in front of him to attempt to get them to move up, but they did not and he was forced to go around.
[VICTIM #1] stated when he went around he was holding the gas pump, and two men he did not know approached him, and accused him of being disrespectful and honking at a female. [VICTIM #1] stated he remained calm, and told the men to leave him alone.
[VICTIM #1] stated the male in the gray shirt (Ricky) attempted to punch him with an uppercut style punch, and struck his forearm causing him to scratch his truck with the gas pump, and followed through with the punch making contact with [VICTIM #1]’s chin/lip area.
[VICTIM #1] stated the man in the black shirt (Joshua) then approached him, and opened a black folding knife, and told him he would cut him.
I did observe the scratch on [VICTIM #1]’s truck.
I then met with [WITNESS #1] again. [WITNESS #1] stated she witnessed this incident. [WITNESS #1] stated after [VICTIM #1] honked at the vehicle and moved the two men approached him aggressively, and began chest-bumping, and cussing at [VICTIM #1]. [WITNESS #1] stated she attempted to separate the men from [VICTIM #1], but they would not listen.
[WITNESS #1] stated Ricky then swung at [VICTIM #1], and struck him in the arm and face. [WITNESS #1] stated Joshua then brandished a black knife, and then Joshua and Ricky both got back in their vehicle and left, [WITNESS #1] stated [VICTIM #1] remained very calm, and did not retaliate in this incident.
I asked Joshua and Ricky if they had any weapons, and Joshua stated he had a knife. Joshua produced a black Ozark Trail folding knife. Joshua stated he never pulled out his knife though.
Joshua was placed under arrest in handcuffs to the rear, and placed in the rear of my patrol vehicle. Joshua then made the spontaneous utterance “if I never pulled my knife on him would I even be going to jail?” and “I’m sorry man, it was just my reaction to the situation”.
I reviewed the video footage from Circle K, and observed Ricky and Joshua approach [VICTIM #1], get in his face, and chest bump him. The camera angle was too far away to make out further details.
Joshua and Ricky were placed under arrest, placed in the rear of patrol vehicles, and transported to the Bartow County Jail where they were turned over to jail staff without further incident.
Warrants have been secured for Ricky for simple battery, and criminal trespass damage to property, and for Joshua for aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of certian crimes.
[End of Narrative]