Phillip Williams

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Name:
Williams, Phillip Cornell

Date of Booking:
03/06/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Possession of firearm by convicted felon

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 March 6, 2026, at approximately 0035 hours, FTO Blankenship and I (OFC Chorjel) were dispatched to a domestic disturbance located at the Circle K gas station 2221 Shorter Ave, Rome, GA 30161. The clerk at the store [WITNESS #1] stated to dispatch that a female, later identified as [VICTIM #1] had asked her to call 911 because she was afraid to call in front of her boyfriend, later identified as Phillip Williams. [WITNESS #1] stated that [VICTIM #1] would be in a gray Chevy Cruze headed inbound toward autozone.

While en route to the area, a gray Chevy Cruze flashed the high beams at me at which point I was able to turn my vehicle around and orient behind the Chevy Cruze. I then initiated a traffic stop after turning onto N Elm St. Upon making contact with the driver [VICTIM #1] I asked her to step out of the vehicle so that she may speak to me away from Williams. As I spoke with [VICTIM #1], FTO Blankenship notified me that he could see a pistol magazine on the floor next to Williams’ left foot.

[VICTIM #1] stated that Williams had been drinking “all day” and they had been arguing all day as well. [VICTIM #1] stated that Williams had pointed a gun at her earlier in the day during an argument. [VICTIM #1] goes on to state that she wanted to drop Williams off at his sister’s house to get some space from each other which angered him.

[VICTIM #1] states that after arriving at the gas station, she asked the store clerk to call 911 so that Williams would not think she called. [VICTIM #1] states that she believes that due to Williams state of mind, level of intoxication, and previous altercation, that Williams would have killed her once they got to a secluded place.

While I spoke with [VICTIM #1], Williams requested to exit the vehicle in order to speak with FTO Blankenship. Blankenship spoke briefly with Williams before requesting to pat him for weapons after seeing the magazine on the floor. Williams was then detained with handcuffs to the rear, checked for tightness, and double locked. Williams asked me if [VICTIM #1] had called us to which I replied that it was a third party caller.

Williams stated that he had been drinking a lot of liquor through out the day as he has been struggling with the loss of his daughter just a few days ago. Williams goes on to state that he and [VICTIM #1] had been arguing all day over his belief that [VICTIM #1] wants to be with her ex-boyfriend, [WITNESS #2]. Williams was then read his Miranda warning and advised that at this moment he was still detained and that I would need to ask him more questions. Williams stated that he understood and would continue to speak with me.

While speaking with Williams, FTO Blankenship was given consent by [VICTIM #1] to search the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, a pistol magazine with five 45cal bullets was recovered on the passenger floor next to the center console (commonly where a person would keep their left foot). A black Nike bag was found under the driver’s seat containing a pink camouflage Hi Point 45cal pistol along with 3 loose 45 cal rounds. The black Nike bag also contained a printed Identification Card for Phillip Williams. FTO Blankenship also noted that when he located the bag with the firearm, the bag appeared at an odd angle under the driver seat, almost oriented toward the passenger side.

When asked about the gun, Williams stated that this was not his gun and that he was not in possession of it. Williams stated that [VICTIM #1] was the owner of the gun and that she had bought it for protection from her ex-boyfriend [WITNESS #2]. Williams then stated that he believed that [VICTIM #1] was trying to set him up to get into trouble so that she could be with [WITNESS #2]. While speaking with Williams, [WITNESS #2] drove by and pulled over to speak with Officers.

[WITNESS #2] notified FTO Blankenship that Williams had been known to carry a gun on him in a bag. [WITNESS #2] also acknowledged that there had been several altercations between he and Williams in the past with threats involving the firearm.

I returned to speak to [VICTIM #1] who then stated that she and Williams ended up “wrestling” over the gun in the front yard of Williams sister’s house after he had pointed the gun at her again. [VICTIM #1] goes on to state that she was able to convince Williams to put the gun down and go back to Summerville with her after getting gas from the gas station.

[VICTIM #1] said that Williams had the gun pointed at her the whole time they were driving to the gas station. [VICTIM #1] continues to say that this was the second time Williams had pointed the gun at her but she did not call the police after the first. [VICTIM #1] also stated that Williams has had the gun for several months but does not know where he got it from.

Williams was then notified that he was under arrest and placed in the rear passenger seat of my patrol vehicle. FTO Blankenship and I then transported Williams to the Circle K where the incident occurred so that I could request surveillance footage as well as collect a statement from the caller [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] stated that she would not be able to access the footage but the manager would. [WITNESS #1] stated that the manager’s name is [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] typically works the day shift starting between 4am-6am.

The Hi Point 45cal firearm, pistol magazine, and ammunition were seized as evidence and submitted at the Rome Police Department.

Williams was then transported to the Floyd County Jail and booked without incident.

A victim notification form will be filled out and left at the jail at [VICTIM #1]’ request.

[End of Narrative]

The information below reflects all details available at the time of publication and was obtained directly from the official court database accessible to the public. Court records are subject to change at any time at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors, omissions, or discrepancies within the docket. No information provided should be construed as legal advice or opinion. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Case History:

3/18/26

MOTION FOR BOND FILED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY

What this means: Phillip Cornell Williams’ attorney, Jonathan Snyder, filed a formal request asking the Floyd County Superior Court to set bail so Williams could be released from jail while his case is pending. The motion argues that Williams should be granted bond at a reasonable amount. This is a standard request in felony cases where defendants are initially held without bond.

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3/22/26

RULE NISI ISSUED FOR BOND HEARING

What this means: The Floyd County Superior Court issued a rule nisi scheduling a bond hearing for Phillip Cornell Williams. This is a court order that sets a specific date and time for the judge to consider whether to grant William’s bond and, if so, at what amount. The hearing gives both the prosecution and defense a chance to present arguments about whether Williams should be released pending trial.

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3/22/26

PHILLIP CORNELL WILLIAMS FILES HANDWRITTEN BOND MOTION

What this means: Williams submitted his own handwritten motion requesting bond, separate from his attorney’s formal motion. In this pro se filing (meaning he represented himself for this document), Williams asked the court to set bond so he could be released from jail. It’s not uncommon for defendants to file their own motions even when they have attorneys, though the handwritten note is difficult to read in full.