Debegwan Johnson

Name:
Johnson, Debegwan Selah

Date of Booking:
05/16/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Aggravated Assault

SIMPLE BATTERY

Cruelty to Children- 3rd Degree

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 May 16, 2025, at approximately 1503 hours, I officer J. Mitchell and Lieutenant Coursey were leaving a 911- hang up call after being unable to locate the caller. As I approached Peacock Street near the North Side Housing Authority apartment complex, I saw what appeared to be a women running out of her apartment building screaming and crying as she was waving for me to stop in front of her apartment. The apartment number was [REDACTED] located on Peacock Street. The female was on the phone with the Vidalia Police department dispatcher regarding the matter. The female individual, [VICTIM #1], had stated that Debegwan Johnson, known as “Nookie,” had jumped on her and he was refusing to leave the apartment. I saw what appeared to be blood on the outside of Ms. [VICTIM #1]’s shirt. I asked her was she bleeding and she replied that it was hot sauce that was thrown on her by Nookie.

I called dispatch and had advised that there was an active physical domestic and called Lt Coursey for assistance at the apartment. I heard yelling coming from inside of the apartment and saw that the front door was open with the screen door shut. I saw two male individuals pushing each other towards the door as I approached the steps to the front entry of the apartment. I asked for both parties to step outside of the apartment after I saw what appeared to be covered in blood on there clothing and faces. Lieutenant Coursey called for EMS after noticing the lacerations on a male individual who was identified as [VICTIM #2]. Mr. [VICTIM #2] had stated that Mr. Johnson had put his hands on him and that he had been hit on the head with a bottle.

I detained Mr. Johnson as he was walking towards Mr. [VICTIM #2] with a fighting stance asking him what he wanted to do. I instructed him to put his hands behind his back because he was being detained. I placed my handcuffs on Mr. Johnson after grabbing him and walking with him towards my patrol unit. Mr. Johnson appeared to be in an irate state and stated that he had been drinking. After walking Mr. Johnson to the back of my patrol unit, he had fallen on the floor of the backseat. I asked him did he needed assistance with getting into the seat and he refused and stated that he had been drinking, and he wasn’t the only one that had been fighting. I told Mr. Johnson that he was being detained due to his aggressive behavior. He began yelling in the back of the patrol unit at Mr. [VICTIM #2] while calling him a “bi*ch a*s ni*ga.” I stated to Mr. Johnson that he needed to calm down and to stop yelling. Mr. Johnson stated that if I was going to be taking him to jail then I better had done it now. I stated to him that I was trying to figure out what was going on and what led up into the argument.

Mr. Johnson stated that his lip was busted by Mr. [VICTIM #2]. He also stated that the apartment didn’t belong to anyone of the other parties that were present at the residence. Mr. Johnson stated that the apartment owner, known as [REDACTED], was on her way back from work after being called.

I had spoken to Ms. [VICTIM #1] as she sat down on the porch. I asked her what caused the argument, and she stated that she just wanted Mr. Johnson to leave the apartment because he had been acting crazy and very aggressive. After refusing to leave, he pushed her, causing Mr. [VICTIM #2] to jump in between him and Ms. [VICTIM #1]. Ms. [VICTIM #1] also stated that after refusing to leave, he had taken a hot sauce bottle and splashed it onto her clothes and her face. Ms. [VICTIM #1] stated when Mr. [VICTIM #2] and Mr. Johnson started fighting int the front room, that is when she had called the police to have him removed from the residence.

EMS arrived on scene at approximately 1515 hours. Injuries were assessed on Mr. [VICTIM #2] initially due to him having an open wound on his forehead that was bleeding. Mr. [VICTIM #2] refused treatment from EMS and refused to go to the hospital after stating that he was fine and didn’t need any medical attention. EMS approached my patrol unit to assess the injuries of Mr. Johnson. After he was scene by EMS, he requested that his keys and his personal belongings be turned over to Ms. [VICTIM #1]. I walked over to Mr. Johnson’s vehicle and saw that all his windows were rolled down. His keys were in the middle compartment of his vehicle. His vehicle was a black Toyota Camry with a dent towards his front-end bumper near the passenger side of the vehicle.

I took pictures of the scene inside of the residence. I saw what appeared to be splattered hot sauce on the walls of the living room and near the kitchen. I also saw what appeared to be a pile of smeared blood in the middle of the floor. After pictures were taken of the scene, I had taken pictures of Mr. [VICTIM #2]’s injuries for the photos to be attached to the case. I saw what appeared to be the hot sauce bottle that was identified as the weapon that was used to strike Mr. [VICTIM #2] on the head. The hot sauce bottle was in the living room area on a black TV stand.

I had spoken to a witness of the altercation inside of the home after I had taken pictures. The witness was identified as [WITNESS #1]. Mr. [WITNESS #1] had stated that he had heard screaming and yelling coming from the front room of the apartment while he was in the back bedroom with his 6-year-old juvenile daughter. Mr. [WITNESS #1] had advised that his daughter was special needs and was in the back room to keep his daughter calm from the situation. Mr. [WITNESS #1] stated that Mr. [VICTIM #2] is a close friend of his and had come over to his house to play video games with him. He stated when Mr. Johnson had come over, he had been acting very strangely like he was on something. After he heard Ms. [VICTIM #1] tell him that he needed to go home he had gotten upset. He also stated that when they began fighting his daughter had gotten upset and he had shut the room door.

After further investigation, it was determined that Mr. Johnson was the primary aggressor and would be arrested. Mr. Johnson is being charged with:

1. Aggravated Assault
2. Simple Battery
3. Cruelty to Children in the 3rd Degree

I had transported Mr. Johnson to the Toombs County Detention Center. I gave my beginning and ending mileage to dispatch upon arrival and departure from the scene. After Arriving at the detention center, Mr. Johnson was then turned over to the jail. My body worn body camera and patrol until surveillance camera was on and active during the entirety of the case. The crime scene photos were uploaded to RMS and the case file.

[End of Narrative]