Jeremy Ward

Name:
Ward, Jeremy Ray

Date of Booking:
06/21/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Criminal Trespass

Disorderly Conduct

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 6/22/2025, at approximately 22:26 hours, I, Deputy N. Smith, along with Deputies Garren, Dillard, Harrison, and Casey, were dispatched to 2676 Springplace Smyrna Rd (Dollar General), in reference to a call about an altercation in the parking lot where a truck was allegedly blocking the caller in to the parking lot from leaving.

I arrived on scene and spoke with Zachary Malone, who was standing beside a silver Ford F-150 (GA tag: [REDACTED]) in the parking lot. Malone explained to me that this incident began when he was leaving RCW Wrestling (3890 Highway 52 Alternate) a few minutes prior to this and entered the roadway of Highway 52 Alternate. Malone advised that a small black vehicle (later identified as a black Kia, TN tag: [REDACTED]) then passed him at a high rate of speed in the opposing lane of travel and honked its horn. Malone advised that he followed this vehicle to the Dollar General so that he could explain to the driver of this vehicle how unhappy he was with the rude and reckless driving. Malone believed that this driving had put he and his lone passenger, Juvenile 1, in to danger, which upset him greatly.

Malone advised that he and the large man who was driving the black Kia (later identified as Jeremy Ward) began cursing and shouting at one another within the parking lot of the store. Malone advised that he went to get back in his truck to leave and called Ward a “dumb*ss redneck”. Malone stated that Ward then kicked the driver side tail light of Malone’s truck and broke the lens of the light. I observed the damaged pieces on the ground. Malone advised that he then saw Ward run away in the direction of Highway 225 South, leaving behind his vehicle and its passenger in the parking lot.

I then spoke with the passenger of the Kia Soul, [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] advised me of the identity of Ward and then advised me of her account of events. [WITNESS #1] advised much the same story as Malone, in reference to the traffic incident, but stated that Malone had pulled out on Highway 52 Alternate right in front of her and Ward’s vehicle, which lead to Ward being required to pass Malone at a high rate of speed, so as to avoid a collision. [WITNESS #1] stated that she and Ward continued on to the Dollar General to buy items for her home, when they saw Malone pull in to the parking lot near them, without parking in a spot, and then exit his vehicle to begin a verbal altercation with Ward. [WITNESS #1] advised that she then called 911. [WITNESS #1] claimed that she saw Ward and Malone arguing but did not see Ward kick Malone’s tail light or see Ward leave the area on foot.

Deputy Garren then called Ward and advised him to return to the scene. When Ward returned on foot after several minutes, he explained a similar account of events as [WITNESS #1]. Ward explained that Malone was yelling “I’ll f*ck you up!” to him and that Ward understood that Malone was angry and that Ward felt threatened, so he felt that he needed to kick Malone’s tail light out of self defense because he knew that if he hit Malone, he would go to jail. Ward advised that he then left the scene because Malone told him that he was calling the police and Ward does not “like police”.

Both Malone and Ward were arrested and placed in to handcuffs (double-locked and fit to size) for Disorderly Conduct (County Ordinance 42-1) due to the loud and inappropriate altercation in the public area, where there were multiple witnesses and store patrons affected. Ward was also charged with OCGA 6-7-21 (Criminal Trespass) for damaging the property of Malone, during the altercation. Malone was transported to the Murray County Jail by Deputy Garren and Ward was transported to the same location by Deputy Dillard. Both were turned over to jail staff without incident. Both suspects’ charges were placed on citations and left with jail staff.

[End of Narrative]