Zachariah Donahue

Name:
Donahue, Zachariah Gaberial

Date of Booking:
02/04/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRAVATED BATTERY

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 February 04, 2026]

On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at approximately 01:00, I, Cpl. A. Ortega, was dispatched to 162 Legacy Point, Clayton, Ga. (Mountain Lakes Medical Center) in reference to an assault report.

The dispatch center advised me that the hospital staff stated that a patient claimed she was punched in the face.

On scene, I spoke with hospital staff, who stated that a female subject came to the medical center seeking medical attention after being involved in an altercation. The female subject was later identified in Louisiana as [VICTIM #1] on her driver’s license. The doctor stated he noticed several teeth were missing, and [VICTIM #1] advised him that her boyfriend had punched her in the mouth. The doctor also stated that she would require an oral surgeon.

I entered the room where [VICTIM #1] was located and obtained her driver’s license. As I began speaking with [VICTIM #1], I immediately noticed visible facial injuries in the area of her mouth. There was a deep laceration on the lower lip, and the upper lip appeared swollen and bluish. Dried blood was observed near her nostrils and around her mouth. Inside her mouth, visible dental damage and bleeding were noted on the upper gum line with displaced upper teeth that appeared to have been pushed back. The injuries appeared to be recent.

After [VICTIM #1] had obtained X-Ray scans, I obtained her statement, and she stated the following:

[VICTIM #1] stated that she lives alone with her dog in her camper at lot [REDACTED] in the River Falls Campground. [VICTIM #1] stated that she had moved there in May 2023, and male who she identified as Zachariah Gaberial Donahue had moved into a nearby lot shortly after. [VICTIM #1] stated that she had met him while he was working at the campground, performing maintenance. [VICTIM #1] stated she had started talking to him around easter of last year, and they were friends for approximately six months before they started dating in October.

[VICTIM #1] stated that tonight he was visiting her in her camper and that they were discussing his personal issues. She said that Zachariah was worried about his seizures and that he was currently unable to work and obtain a license due to his seizures. [VICTIM #1] stated that she noticed Zachariah was upset and that he punched her “out of the blue”.

I then asked [VICTIM #1] how many times he had punched her in the mouth, and she stated it was only once. I then pointed out to [VICTIM #1] that I did not believe it was just one time, given the nature of the injuries. [VICTIM #1] once again confirmed it was just one time.

[VICTIM #1] pointed out that she could not recall much of the physical altercation because it happened so quickly. [VICTIM #1] also stated she felt like she “blacked out” for a minute after she had gotten punched in the mouth. [VICTIM #1] stated that after the physical altercation, she had gone to one side of the camper and separated from Zachariah and called his mother, who was later identified as [REDACTED], to come pick him up.

[VICTIM #1] stated that once Zachariah was picked up by his mother, she called her son to pick her up and take her to the hospital to receive medical treatment.

While I was obtaining [VICTIM #1]’s statement, Deputy M. Shedd and Deputy J. Deason had made contact with Zachariah and his mother at their camper in lot [REDACTED] and obtained his statement regarding the incident. See Deputy J. Deason’s supplement for further on his statement. It should be noted that due to technical issues, the photographs taken of Zachariah were attached to the linked files tab.

It should be noted that [VICTIM #1] was very minimal while recalling the events of the incident, and did state that she believed Zachariah needed mental health help due to his seizures.

[VICTIM #1] gave me consent to enter her camper and take photographs of the area where the physical altercation occurred. [VICTIM #1] was also given an F.A.I.T.H. card and advised on how to obtain a Temporary Protective Order against Zachariah.

Before meeting with Zachariah, who was located at lot [REDACTED] at the River Falls Campground, he agreed to complete a witness statement form, which is attached to this report in the linked files.

Based on the physical and testimonial evidence, Zachariah was arrested, and Deputy Deason transported him to the Rabun County Detention Center.

Because of an aggressive dog inside [VICTIM #1]’s camper, I was unable to enter and photograph the entire interior. I did notice red, dried spots on a window outside the camper, on both sides of the camper door, at the entrance near the inside doorframe, on the ground near a bed, and multiple napkins or cloths covered in a red substance lying on a table. The photographs were attached to this report in the linked files.

I charged Zachariah with Aggravated Battery and obtained a warrant on 2-4-26, which was attached to this report in the linked files.

Rabun County C.I.D. was notified of this incident.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on February 04, 2026]

On Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, at approximately 01:48 hrs, I, D/S J. Deason, responded to 32 Resort Drive Lot [REDACTED] in Lakemont, Georgia, in reference to a follow-up to an incident that had occurred at Lot [REDACTED].

I approached the camper in Lot [REDACTED], knocked on the door, announced myself as a law enforcement officer, and a male, whom I identified as Zachariah Gaberial Donahue, answered. I explained to Zachariah why I was there. D/S M. Shedd read Zachariah his Miranda warning, and he agreed to talk with us without an attorney present.

Zachariah told me that he was working at Lot [REDACTED], his girlfriend’s camper, [VICTIM #1], when a verbal argument ensued. Zachariah said that he was cleaning up storm damage for the campground. Zachariah explained that the argument with [VICTIM #1] started when he told her he needed to leave to help his mother pack their belongings because they were moving to a cabin.

Zachariah said he initially left [VICTIM #1]’s camper to dump storm damage, and when he returned to Lot [REDACTED] to continue working, he told me that [VICTIM #1] became upset with him, walked up to him from her camper to where he was working, got in his face, and pushed him. Zachariah said that he pushed her back. Zachariah said that [VICTIM #1] then open-hand struck his chest. Zachariah told me that he then closed-fist struck [VICTIM #1] four to five times. Zachariah said he was not trying to strike [VICTIM #1] in the face.

I asked Zachariah to show me where [VICTIM #1] struck him. Zachariah pulled up his shirt, and I noticed several scratches on his chest. It should be noted that the scratches on Zachariah’s chest looked more than 24 hours old. I had Zachariah show me his hands, and observed an open wound on the right hand of his middle finger knuckle, of which, through my training and experience, I recognized as an offensive wound caused when someone closed-fist strikes someone in the face, most specifically striking a tooth. I asked Zachariah which hand he writes with, and he replied, “My right hand.”

I observed a dried red substance on Zachariah’s pants, suspected to be blood. I asked Zachariah what the red substance was, and he replied, “dye.” Zachariah said that he does not work with any dyes. I took pictures of Zachariah’s injuries and the dried red substance believed to be blood on his pants. Ortega. Zachariah agreed to complete a witness statement.

CPl Ortega arrived on scene, and I provided him the above statement from Zachariah. Cpl Ortega informed Zachariah that he was under arrest. I secured Zachariah in the rear seat of my patrol car, which I had searched and cleared of contraband prior to transport.

I transported Zachariah to the Rabun County Detention, where I turned him over to detention staff without incident. I searched and cleared the rear seat of my patrol car, finding no contraband left by Zachariah. I turned the pictures I took of Zachariah and his witness statement over to Cpl Ortega.

[End of Narrative]