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Written by: E. George
Published November 7, 2023 @ 8:30 PM ET
Warning: The following story contains information regarding domestic violence.
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. – Winder Police officers arrested a 40-year-old man on October 21, 2023, after he allegedly physically assaulted his girlfriend, sliced his stomach with a knife, and set himself on fire. When officers responded to the domestic disturbance at approximately 9:00 PM, they found the suspect, Bobby W. Williamson, standing in the driveway near a pickup truck.
With service weapons drawn, they ordered him to get on his knees and place his hands on his head. He complied, and they handcuffed him.
Due to his injuries, burns on the top of his head and neck and numerous cuts on his stomach, they requested EMS. Medical personnel also assessed the victim, who was inside the pickup truck.
EMS found that they needed to transport Williamson to the hospital for further evaluation by medical and behavioral doctors, where he was later cleared and released into police custody. An officer transported him to the Barrow County Jail, where he faces a myriad of charges.
The officer returned to the scene to interview the victim, who had various visible injuries. She had “bloodshot eyes, red marks on her neck, and a swollen upper lip with blood inside her lip.”
She explained that Williamson, her “boyfriend of two years,” began harassing her at work by repeatedly messaging her, accusing her of “cheating on him on dating apps.” When she arrived home at 7:30 PM, she saw that he was “drunk” and aggressive toward her.
She fled to her bedroom and locked the door to keep him out, but he managed to pick the lock, enter the room, and climb into the bed with her. He continued with accusations of infidelity, and she pushed him, telling him to “get away.”
He “became very aggressive and got on top of her, pinning her to the bed” and stated, “We are not doing this tonight.” She could not move.
She told him to stop because he was hurting her, “but he would not.” She rolled to one side, causing him to fall off the bed, but he grabbed her as he fell, pulling her to the floor with him, where a struggle ensued.
He placed her in a chokehold from behind, “causing her to be unable to breathe,” but he finally loosened his grip. She attempted to contact help, her ex-boyfriend, with her Apple watch, but he ripped it off her wrist and threw it across the room.
She tried yelling commands at her speaker but to no avail. He got her in another chokehold and positioned himself on top of her so that she faced the floor.
She said she “somehow got up and ran for her phone,” but he smacked it out of her hands and into the wall. She eventually retrieved her phone and “began drilling the side button for the SOS contact,” but it did not work.
Suddenly, she remembered that she had the key fob to the pickup truck in her pocket, so she pressed the emergency button, setting the vehicle’s alarm off, angering Williamson. He asked her to turn it off and began choking her.
She said he put “both hands on her face and his fingers in her mouth.” He would not allow her to leave the house.
Williamson’s anger rose, and he began gouging her eyes and pulling her hair. He finally stopped when he noticed blood on her face and hands.
He commanded her to “go to the bathroom and clean up,” but she remained seated on the floor, telling him to leave her alone. He then crouched down on the floor and placed his head in her lap, “and she began petting him.”
She told him she would get cleaned up, and he said he was “going outside to make a noose on a tree.” When he exited the home, she ran to the bathroom, took a photograph of her injured face, sent it to her ex-boyfriend, and deleted it “so Bobby would not see it.”
Williamson “burst into the bathroom” and would not budge until she wiped off the blood. He grabbed “a white silver knife and cut his stomach.”
They went outside and smoked a cigarette. She said he tried sitting on her lap and started extinguishing cigarettes on his chest.
He said, “Oh, there’s lighter fluid,” and went to the garage, but she did not witness him dousing himself. She saw him on fire and ran to him, putting the fire out with a rug.
She recorded footage of him aflame, which was submitted into evidence. He relocated to the porch and smoked another cigarette.
She walked to the truck, locked herself inside, and dialed 911. Due to a sexual battery charge, the on-call Criminal Investigation Division investigator was notified.
Williamson faces charges, including sexual battery, simple battery – family violence, misdemeanor battery – family violence, aggravated assault – family violence, false imprisonment, obstructing or hindering a person making emergency phone calls, and family violence criminal trespass (damage of $500 or less). This case is pending in court.
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 October 20, 2023, at approximately 2108 hours, I, Ofc Melniciuc, was dispatched to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] St. Winder, GA 30680, regarding a domestic dispute. It was advised through dispatch the male subject was on fire and had beaten up a female subject. I traveled to the location above code 3.
Upon my arrival, I began making my up to the residence when the male subject appeared next to a pickup truck. Due to circumstances of a possible domestic dispute, I drew my service weapon and began yelling clear verbal commands. The male subject, later identified as Bobby Williamson, complied, and I started walking behind Bobby while Morris and Sgt Wolfe advised him to get on his knees and place his hands on his head. I then approached Bobby and detained him. I put him in properly fitted handcuffs, double locking to ensure they didn’t tighten further. I then searched to check for any weapons. Nothing was found at the time of the search.
I observed Bobby had burn injuries on the top of his head and neck and multiple cuts on his abdominal area. Due to Bobbie’s injuries a Med unit was called to evaluate him on his injuries. The victim, later identified as [REDACTED BY AGENCY], was inside the pickup truck and was assessed for injuries when the med unit arrived. Due to the injuries to Bobby, the med unit advised he will need to be transported to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] for further evaluation. I rode with Bobby [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to possible charges.
After arriving at the hospital, I was transported back to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] St Winder, GA 30680, to speak to victim [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I then made contact with [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I observed she had bloodshot eyes, red marks on her neck, and a swollen upper lip with blood inside her lip. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] began filing a Witness statement form, which will be attached to this case report. I then asked [REDACTED BY AGENCY] what had occurred. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that while she was at work, Bobby, her boyfriend of two years, began texting and harassing her, saying she was cheating on him on dating apps. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then advised she arrived home around 7:30 pm on October 20, 2023, and observed Bobby drunk and his aggressive towards her. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated she went inside her bedroom and locked the door so Bobby wouldn’t enter.
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] then advised Bobby picked the lock with a little key and enter the bedroom. He then got into bed with [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he began accusing her of cheating and talking to other men [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then advised she pushed Bobby and told him to get away. Bobby became very aggressive and got on top of her, pinning her to the bed, stating, “We are not doing this tonight.” [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said she could not move. She told Bobby to stop because he was hurting her, but he would not. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said she rolled to the side to get Bobby off her, causing him to fall off the bed. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said that while Bobby was falling off the bed, he grabbed her, and a struggle ensued on the ground. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then advised Bobby to catch her in a choke hold from behind, causing her to be unable to breathe. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said he loosened his choke hold after realizing she could not live
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] said she began using her Apple watch to contact her ex for help. She advised Bobby to rip her Apple watch off her wrist and throw it across the room, which was not located. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said she began to yell to the speaker, [REDACTED], to call [REDACTED] but was unsuccessful. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated Bobby proceeded to get her back in a chokehold while he was on top of her and she was facing the floor. She then said she somehow got up and ran for her phone. She stated she got her phone, but Bobby smacked it out of her hands, hitting the wall. She said she eventually got to her phone and began drilling the side button for the SOS contact. It did not work, according to [REDACTED BY AGENCY].
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated she realized the key fob to the truck was in her pocket, and she began pressing the critical fob panic button. She noted the alarm started blaring, which pi*sed Bobby off. Bobby was asking [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to turn it off. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated Bobby began choking her from the front. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said Bobby started putting both hands on her face and his fingers in her mouth. Bobby also was not letting [REDACTED BY AGENCY] leave the house.
During this time, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated Bobby began [REDACTED BY AGENCY] while she was saying no and stated he could [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Bobby then became angry and began gouging her eyes and pulling her hair. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated she thought he wasn’t going to stop. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated Bobby stopped when he noticed the blood on her face and hands. I asked [REDACTED BY AGENCY] if Bobby had punched her in the face, and she said she did not believe he did.
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said Bobby advised her to go to the bathroom and clean up, but she said to leave me alone and sat on the floor. She then said Bobby got down and put his head in her lap, and she began petting him. She then stated she would go to the bathroom and clean up, and Bobby stated he was going outside to make a noose on a tree. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said he left, and she got up as fast as she could, went to the bathroom, took a picture of her face, sent it to her ex, and deleted it so Bobby would not see it. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated Bobby burst into the bathroom and stayed there until she wiped the blood off. She then stated Bobby advised her after she cleaned up [REDACTED BY AGENCY], but she said no. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then advised Bobby to grab a white silver knife and cut his stomach.
Then she advised they went outside and began smoking a cigarette while Bobby was trying to sit on her lap and put cigarettes out on his chest. She stated she told him no. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] noted that Bobby said, “Oh, there’s lighter fluid,” and went to the garage. She then stated she did not see him dump it out on himself. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said she saw Bobby on fire, ran to him with a rug, and put it out. Footage of Bobby on fire will be attached to this case report. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated he went back to the porch area and began smoking a cigarette, which she advised him to stop. After doing so, she walked to the car, locked herself in, and called 911.
The On-call CID Investigator, Det. Manthe was notified due to a sexual battery charge. Det Manthe did not respond to the scene. Lt page was also informed of the situation.
I then advised [REDACTED BY AGENCY] of the domestic violence victim brochure if she needed anyone to talk to. I then relocated to the hospital where Bobby was being held and evaluated for injuries. Bobby also spoke to a behavioral doctor, but it was determined he was medically cleared. After an extended amount of time, Bobby was released from the hospital.
Bobby was placed into custody. I placed Bobby in properly fitted handcuffs, double locking to ensure they didn’t tighten further. I then did a search incident to arrest and check for any weapons, illegal contraband, or means of escape. Nothing was found at the time of the search. I then secured Bobby in the back seat of my marked patrol vehicle. I then read Miranda’s warning to Bobby, and he refused.
Photographs of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] injuries will be attached to this case report. Bobby’s burn injuries will also be attached. Footage of Bobby ablaze will be attached as well.
I drove my marked patrol vehicle, code 1, to Barrow County Jail, where Bobby was turned over to BCDC Staff.
The back seat of my patrol vehicle was searched before and after the transport of Bobby, but nothing was discovered.
My Body camera was activated during the arrest and transport of Bobby.
Warrants were filed against Bobby Williamson. Aggerated Assault Family Violence(2023-3902FW), Battery Family Violence(2023-3903MW), Simple Battery Family Violence(2023-3905MW), Sexual Battery(2023-3906MW), False Imprisonment(2023-3907FW), Criminal Trespass(2023-3904MW). Obstructing or hindering persons making emergency telephone calls(2023-3908MW)
[End of Narrative]