Jesse Parker

Name:
Parker, Jesse Lafayette

Date of Booking:
01/14/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

HIT AND RUN-FAILURE TO STOP AND RENDER AID

PASSING IN NO PASSING ZONE

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON

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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on January 14, 2026]

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026 I Deputy Jonathan Maney was dispatched to a Hit & Run at Cornelia Christian Church located at 1244 441 Bypass, Cornelia GA. Dispatch advised Cornelia Police Department was out with the victim of a hit & run/ road rage incident that started in the county. I responded in a code one (no emergency equipment activated) status.

Upon my arrival I met with Cornelia Police Department Officer Jared Baker. Officer Baker advised me that there was a hit & run that started on Level Grove Rd in the County and ended in the city, Baker advised the offender was not on scene.

I then met with the victim identified as [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that he was traveling east on Level Grove Rd in the area of the HWY 365 Southbound ramp. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was operating a 2013 Ram 1500 truck bearing GA tag [REDACTED]. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that there was a silver Mercury Grand Marquis driven by a older white male in front of him that had stopped in the road at the southbound ramp to allow a vehicle to make a left turn onto the ramp (Vehicles traveling west on Level Grove Rd making a left onto the ramp must yield for traffic flowing East).

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that he honked his horn at the car in front of him which then made a turn onto the south ramp. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated as he went by the vehicle he noticed it pulled in behind him. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated the vehicle then began following him and blowing the horn. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that the driver of the vehicle had what appeared to be a hatchet and was hanging it out of the drivers window.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he pulled off to the right side of the road at the northbound on ramp to allow the vehicle to pass. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he was at a slow roll when the driver of the Grand Marquis swerved into his lane striking his vehicle in the front left bumper with its right rear bumper area.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he followed the vehicle east on Level Grove Rd until the vehicle turned right into Quality Foods parking lot. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] continued to the red light were he made a right turn south onto US Hwy 441. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he traveled approximately one mile before seeing the Grand Marquis turn left into the parking area to the left of Cornelia Christian Church.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated as he pulled in roughly 100 feet behind the Grand Marquis the driver was standing with his door open aiming what appeared to be a rifle/shotgun at [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] provided photos showing the male later identified as Jesse Parker pointing a black pump action style shotgun at him. There was also pictures of Parker holding the shotgun. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated Parker then left the scene and he called 911.

While I was en route to the call I heard dispatch give out a Be On The Lookout (BOLO) for the Grand Marquis. While Deputies was searching for the vehicle dispatch advised the offender (Parker) had called in and was being connected with a Cornelia Police Department Officer who was not on scene. Dispatch then canceled the BOLO.

I was advised by Officer Baker that Parker had told another Cornelia Officer he was on his way home to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Clarkesville GA to put away his groceries and would them come turn himself in. At approximately 1500hrs I was notified by Dispatch that Parker was at the Habersham County Sheriffs Office lobby. Deputy Andra Townsend and Deputy Wayne Sless responded and placed Parker in custody without incident.

At that time Georgia State Patrol arrived on scene and worked the accident side of the incident as I worked the criminal side. I later completed and was granted the following warrants by Honorable Judge James Dempsey.

1- Aggravated Assault (Vehicle)
1- Aggravated Assault (Hatchet)
1- Aggravated Assault (Gun)
1- Possession of a firearm by a convicted Felon

I then responded to the Habersham County Detention Center where I completed a intent to charge form and victims notification form. I also spoke with the Criminal Investigations Department and advised them of the incident.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on January 14, 2026]

On 1/14/2026, I, Deputy Townsend was dispatched and responded code one to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office to meet with a subject that had been involved in a hit and run and road rage incident where deputies were out with the victim.

Upon my arrival, I met with Jesse Lafayette Parker (offender/arrestee) in Tim Jarrell’s office at the sheriff’s office. I asked Jesse what had occurred and he said that he was driving and there was a male subject in a truck that kept honking his horn and shooting birds at him.

Jesse continued stating that he drove through the Quality Food parking lot and then went to Georgia Power to speak with someone about getting a wooden spool. Jesse stated the person in the truck followed him into the church/ Georgia Power parking lot, but parked away from him. Jesse advised that he left the scene at that time.

Jesse explained that he received a phone call from an Officer while he was on his way home to put his groceries up, but the officer wanted him to return to the scene. Jesse told him he would not return to the scene and he was going home to put his groceries up before they ruined. Jesse had been driving a Mercury Grand Marquis when the incident occurred, but that vehicle was not parked in the Sheriff’s Office parking lot.

I asked Jesse what vehicle he drove to the Sheriff’s Office and he stated he drove his truck. I asked Jesse if he had a hatchet in his Grand Marquis and he advised he did. I asked Jesse if he had a gun or shotgun in the vehicle also and he stated no, he did not. He did advise that he has a baseball bat in there.

Jesse went onto explain that he left his groceries in the vehicle at his residence before driving his truck to the Sheriff’s Office to meet deputies. I asked Jesse why he left his groceries in the vehicle if he went home to put them up before coming to the Sheriff’s Office and why he switched vehicles. Jesse said he needed to drive his truck since he had not driven it lately.

I was instructed by Sgt. Seeley to place Jesse under arrest. I instructed Jesse to stand up and I placed him in handcuffs in front of his person due to him being 84 years old, checking for proper fit before double locking them. I searched him incident to arrest with no contraband located. I walked Jesse over to the Detention center where he was turned over to jail staff without incident.

I advised Deputy Maney what Jesse had said while I was speaking to him. Maney had Deputy Sless go over to Jesse’s residence to lock it down until investigators completed the search warrant for the residence and two vehicles.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on January 14, 2026]

On 1/14/2026 I, Deputy Sless was dispatched and responded code one to 1000 Detention Drive Clarkesvile Georgia in reference to a subject involved with a hit and run needing to talk with a deputy.

I arrived with Deputy Townsend who began talking with the subject. I was then sent to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Clarkesville Georgia in attempt to locate the vehicle involved with the incident. I was able to locate the vehicle at the back of the property behind an old work truck hidden behind a shed. I took photos of the vehicle and pictures of inside the vehicle for the report.

I then locked down the property due to investigators obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle and the property. Once investigators arrived on scene with the search warrant the scene was handed over to them.

[End of Narrative]