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Name:
Honea, John Darrell
Date of Booking:
03/27/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Battery – Family Violence
Exploitation And Intimidation Of Disabled Adults, Elderly
Interference With Calls For Emergency Assistance
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 22, 2026 at approximately 1436 hours I, Dep. Paige Holmes, responded to a battery call at [1800 BLOCK] Barnesville Rd. in non emergency mode.
Upon my arrival I made contact with [VICTIM #1] (W/F -55 ), her nephew, [WITNESS #1] (W/M) and his wife, [WITNESS #2] (W/F -88). [VICTIM #1] advised that she lives at [200 BLOCK] Raventree Ln with her sister, [WITNESS #3] (W/F 62) and her sister’s son, John Darrell Honea (W/M -84). [WITNESS #3]’s daughter, [WITNESS #4] (W/F -86) has been visiting from Tennesee for the last few days.
[VICTIM #1] advised that Darrell had gotten in some trouble and he has some warrants on him in Coweta County. She advised that she helped her sister pay for an attorney for him but he wouldn’t turn himself in to Coweta County. She said she had spent the last couple of days at [WITNESS #1] and [WITNESS #2]’s house. When she went home today she found [WITNESS #3], Darrell and [REDACTED] who is Darrell’s work sponsor with America Work Mcintosh Trail, sitting in the garage. She said [WITNESS #3] told her to go on inside.
[VICTIM #1] said she had helped pay for his attorney and wanted to know what was going on. She sat down in the rocking chair. [REDACTED] was trying to get Darrell to turn himself in on the warrants and Darrell kept saying that he’d do it tomorrow. [REDACTED] told him that until he turned himself in he would no longer be his sponsor and that he couldn’t work for him any longer. [REDACTED] left.
[VICTIM #1] said if Darrell wasn’t going to turn himself in that she would call 911 and picked up her phone. She said that Darrell got up, pushed her back in the rocking chair, grabbed her arm and twisted it trying to get the phone from her and got nose to nose with her telling her she wasn’t calling 911 on him. She dropped the phone. He got off her and she grabbed a broom stick and hit him in the leg with it. [WITNESS #3] had picked up her phone and gave it back to her. She went inside and called [WITNESS #1] and told him there was trouble. [WITNESS #1] in turn called [WITNESS #2] who was already out and she said she would drive by and make sure [VICTIM #1] was ok.
When [VICTIM #1] went inside Darrell followed her in. She went to the bathroom and he wouldn’t let her close the door because he said she’d call 911. She got her bag and purse and went outside to get in her car and leave. She said Darrell sat in the car at the edge of her drivers seat with his feet up on the glass of the door refusing to let her close it. [WITNESS #2] drove up and said she didn’t see how Darrell was sitting but did see him at [VICTIM #1]’s car.
When he saw [WITNESS #2] he came to [WITNESS #2]’s car and said he didn’t do anything, he was just getting the phone because [VICTIM #1] was calling 911 and he didn’t want to go to jail. [WITNESS #2] told him to get away from her car and to leave [VICTIM #1] alone. While he was talking to [WITNESS #2], [VICTIM #1] left and then [WITNESS #2] left.
While I was at [1800 BLOCK] Barnesville Rd. I did observe bruising on [VICTIM #1]’s left arm and a visible mark on her lower left back area. I took photos of those injuries. [VICTIM #1] said that [WITNESS #4] was gone to Kroger and got back sometime during all of it but she doesn’t know what [WITNESS #4] may have actually seen. She said [WITNESS #4] would talk to me though.
I went to [200 BLOCK] Raventree Ln to make contact with the others involved. When I arrived there I made contact with [WITNESS #4]. She said that she didn’t actually see what had occurred but that she could definately tell there had been a conflict while she was gone.
[WITNESS #3] and Darrell were gone upon my arrival. [WITNESS #3] returned after I arrived. She said she had just taken Darrell to Coweta County to turn himself in. This was confirmed with Coweta County Detention. [WITNESS #3] said that she and Darrell and [REDACTED] were talking in the garage when [VICTIM #1] got home. She told [VICTIM #1] to go inside and [VICTIM #1] said she wanted to know what was going on and sat down. She said that after [REDACTED] left [VICTIM #1] said she was going to call 911. She said Darrell jerked the phone out of her hand.
When I asked her if Darrell had grabbed [VICTIM #1]’s arm she said she supposed he did. She also said [VICTIM #1] bruises easily. She said [VICTIM #1] did pick up an old broom stick and hit Darrell in the leg with it. I was unable to make contact with Darrell. Criminal Histories were requested for CID on [VICTIM #1] and Darrell Honea and both subjects were checked through RMS with no prior domestics on either one.
Warrants obtained for Darrell are Battery FVA warrant #26-EW-002348, Eploit Elderly Person Warrant #26-EW-002349, and Interference with 911 Call Warrant #26-EW-002350.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
3/27/26
JOHN DARRELL HONEA ARRESTED AND CHARGED — THREE OFFENSES FILED IN SPALDING COUNTY
What this means: John Darrell Honea was arrested and booked in Spalding County on three charges under Magistrate Case No. 26FAH-0556, with warrants 26-EW-002348, 26-EW-002349, and 26-EW-002350. He is accused of Battery – Family Violence, Exploitation of a Disabled or Elderly Person or Healthcare Shelter, and Interference with Calls for Emergency Assistance (911 Obstruction). Following his arrest, Judge Sam Parks of the Magistrate Court of Spalding County ordered that Honea be held with no bond on all three charges, noting active probation/parole status. He was committed to answer to the Superior Court of Spalding County.
3/27/26
DEFENSE COUNSEL ENTERS APPEARANCE — VIRGIL L. BROWN & ASSOCIATES, LLC
What this means: The law firm Virgil L. Brown & Associates, LLC formally entered their appearance as attorneys of record for John Darrell Honea in Magistrate Case No. 26FAH-0556. The attorney listed on the filing is Brent D. Hutchison. This means the defense attorney is officially on record and all future court notices in this matter are to be directed to him.
3/27/26
DEFENSE FILES REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING
What this means: Attorney for John Darrell Honea filed a formal request in the Magistrate Court of Spalding County asking for a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing is a proceeding where a judge reviews whether there is enough evidence — called probable cause — to justify keeping the defendant held and moving the case forward. The request was filed by Virgil L. Brown & Associates, LLC on behalf of Honea.
3/28/26
FIRST APPEARANCE HEARING HELD — HONEA ORDERED HELD WITHOUT BOND
What this means: John Darrell Honea appeared before Judge Sam Parks of the Magistrate Court of Spalding County at 8:30 AM for his first appearance hearing. This is the initial court appearance after an arrest where a judge reviews the charges and determines bond. Judge Parks ordered Honea held with no bond on all three charges — Battery – Family Violence (26-EW-002348), Exploitation of a Disabled or Elderly Person or Healthcare Shelter (26-EW-002349), and 911 Obstruction (26-EW-002350) — citing active probation/parole status. The case was bound over to the Superior Court of Spalding County.
4/1/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR BOND IN SUPERIOR COURT — ENTRY OF APPEARANCE ALSO FILED
What this means: With the case now in the Superior Court of Spalding County, Virgil L. Brown & Associates, LLC filed a Motion for Bond on behalf of John Darrell Honea, asking the court to set a reasonable bond so Honea could be released while the case proceeds. The motion argues that Honea is currently being held without bail, that continued detention would significantly impair his ability to assist in his own defense, and that he does not pose a flight risk or a threat to witnesses. The firm also filed a second Entry of Appearance in the Superior Court, formally placing themselves on record at that level as well.
4/1/26
DEFENSE FILES NOTICE OF HEARING — BOND MOTION SCHEDULED
What this means: Virgil L. Brown & Associates, LLC filed a Notice of Hearing informing the Superior Court of Spalding County that John Darrell Honea’s Motion for Bond — filed on March 27, 2026 — is scheduled to be heard on April 16, 2026 at 9:00 AM. This is the hearing where a judge will decide whether to grant Honea a bond and, if so, at what amount and under what conditions.
4/7/26
REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCE
What this means: The state filed a request to postpone a scheduled court proceeding. A continuance is a formal request to push a hearing or deadline to a later date. The specific proceeding being continued was due to the ADA requesting more information.
4/14/26
PRELIMINARY HEARING HELD IN SPALDING COUNTY
What this means: A preliminary hearing was held in John Darrell Honea’s case. At a preliminary hearing, a judge determines whether there is sufficient probable cause — meaning enough evidence — to require the defendant to answer to the charges and for the case to move forward. The outcome of this hearing is not detailed in the available case notes.
4/14/26
COMMITTAL ORDER ISSUED — BOND SET AT $20,000 WITH CONDITIONS
What this means: Following the preliminary hearing on April 14, 2026, Judge Samuel D. Parks of the Magistrate Court of Spalding County issued a Committal Order in John Darrell Honea’s case. Rather than dismissing the charges or committing Honea to Superior Court without bond, the judge ordered that bond be set at $20,000 across all three charges — Battery – Family Violence (Warrant 26-EW-002348), Exploitation of a Disabled or Elderly Person or Healthcare Shelter (Warrant 26-EW-002349), and 911 Obstruction (Warrant 26-EW-002350). State Attorney Jon Richardson and Defense Attorney Brent D. Hutchison were present.
Along with the bond, Judge Parks imposed several conditions that John Darrell Honea must follow: no contact with the alleged victim, no presence at a specific address in Griffin, Georgia, no alcohol or illegal drugs, no firearms or weapons, and no new criminal charges. These conditions remain in effect while the case moves forward. Honea must comply with all of them to remain out of custody.