Nicholas Phillips

Name:
Phillips, Nicholas Devon

Date of Booking:
05/03/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Aggravated Battery

Possession of Marijuana < 1oz

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 3, 2025, at approximately 0836 hours, I officer J. Mitchell responded to a dispatch call from central at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital at 1 Meadows Parkway in Vidalia in reference to an assault that had occurred recently. Upon arrival I spoke to a nurse by the name of [REDACTED] who stated that they had a patient who had been admitted and that I needed to speak with him about an incident. I walked over to room number 7 in the emergency room center and spoke with a male individual by the name of [VICTIM #1]. Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that he was recently assaulted last night at the Dollar General on McIntosh Street in Vidalia near a white van that is parked near the store near the dumpsters.

I saw what appeared to be a bloody and bruised nose that was crooked at an angle on Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s face. I had taken multiple photos of Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s injuries at different angles for the case and police report. The photos were emailed to my work assigned email where they would be uploaded to attach to the case file.

Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that he had been walking through that area on foot last night and came across a few individuals that he knew. He stated that he had spoken to the individuals that were present as he was searching for scrap metal and cans. He stated that he had witnessed an exchange of “ice” between two of the unnamed individuals that were present between an unnamed individual and the suspect who had assaulted him, Nicholas Phillips. Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that suspect Phillips had been riding on a red colored bicycle while he had been standing out there. He stated that he had rode away on the bicycle and immediately came back while yelling at him. Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that he did not know why he had been assaulted by suspect Phillips but stated that during the drug exchange had occurred, Phillips had said to him that he had better stay out of his yard on his property whenever he is walking in town.

Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that he had been struck in the face causing him to fall to the ground in the parking lot. He stated that his nose was bloody and when he gained back consciousness he had walked to the local hospital. After being asked about his injuries during his admission to the hospital, the nurse called the police due to the nature of Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s injuries. Mr. [VICTIM #1] stated that the individual was known as “Tik Nik” around town. He was described as a black male who was tall and dark skinned with curly frow-like hair on the top of his head. He stated that suspect Phillips in the past resided near the area of Pine Street at the old boarding house across from Horton’s Auto Shop. He stated that there was a gentleman that sat in a wheelchair that lived out of the white van that was parked near the dumpster at the Dollar General that witnessed the incident happen. He stated that after the incident the individuals who he had been speaking to were gone from the location. Mr. [VICTIM #1] also stated that after the assault when he got himself back up, the suspect had already ridden away on his bicycle North of McIntosh Street near Thompson Street where he is known to hangout.

At approximately 0924 hours, I rode the area of Pine Street in Vidalia near the old boarding house across the street from Horton’s Auto shop and saw an individual who matched the description of one of the individuals who were present during the incident, [WITNESS #1] who is also known as “[WITNESS #1].” I notified dispatch that I would be changing locations from McIntosh over to Pine Street to step out and speak with an individual. After approaching Mr. [WITNESS #1], I greeted him and asked him if he knew about an incident that had occurred over at the Dollar General on McIntosh Street. Mr. [WITNESS #1] stated that he was there when the fight had happened. He also stated that the individual, Tik Nik had came back on his red bike and punched Mr. [VICTIM #1] in the face from behind. Mr. [WITNESS #1] had stated that Mr. Phillips had seemed upset or aggravated while he was there before the incident had happened but didn’t give any indication that he was going to strike Mr. [VICTIM #1] or anyone that was standing out there with them. Mr. [WITNESS #1] stated that in the past, Mr. Phillips hung out with a white female individual by the name of [WITNESS #2] who currently lives at a boarding house on Jenkins Street.

Mr. [WITNESS #1] also stated that the Phillips subject had been staying over at his mother’s old residence at [500 BLOCK] Thompson Street, in a shed that was out behind the house. He said that it was a possibility that he would be there at that address. I had advised dispatch that I would be going to that address in attempt to contact the Phillips subject.

When Lieutenant Coursey, Sergeant Hadvab and I arrived at the residence, I walked with Lieutenant Coursey towards the back of the home where I saw what appeared to be a white metal shed. We knocked on the door of the shed three times and stated, “this is the Vidalia Police Department, if you are here, please make yourself known.” We did not get a response. I saw in front of the shed a black-colored bicycle that was lying on the ground in front of the shed entrance door. The shed was not locked and had been opened to confirm no one was there. We walked back towards the front door of the residence and knocked again. Blinds were hung up on the back windows that led toward the back of the house and the front windows did not. We looked inside the house from all the windows that were not covered. No one was suspected to be inside of the house. A next-door neighbor was outside and stated that they didn’t know if anyone was there but if the bike was there, it was a chance someone could be. After leaving the residence, we notified dispatch that we would be relocating to the boarding house on [100 BLOCK] Jenkins Street, where she lived.

Upon arrival, I spoke to a male individual who was standing in the screen doorway of the resident. After he was asked about Ms. [WITNESS #2], he stated that she was inside the home in her room. I knocked on the door and asked Ms. [WITNESS #2] did she had a moment to speak to my shift commander, shift supervisor and me. She agreed to let us enter her room and the door was shut behind us to speak in private. Ms. [WITNESS #2] was asked about the incident that had occurred, and she stated that she was there and left after Mr. [VICTIM #1] had been hit in the face. She stated that the male individual went by the nick name of “Tik Nik” who struck Mr. [VICTIM #1] in the face. She stated that when Mr. Phillips had assaulted Mr. [VICTIM #1], she asked him what was wrong with him and why he did he do that and did not get a response back. Ms. [WITNESS #2] states that the last thing she recalls about the incident was Mr. [VICTIM #1], on the ground covered in blood from being punched.

After speaking with Ms. [WITNESS #2], I contacted a Dublin Police Officer who resides in Vidalia, Officer J. King. I asked Officer King did she knew anyone by the nickname of Tick Nik. Officer King stated that she knew of him in the area and knew that his mother had died a while ago. She stated that his name was Nicholas and was unsure of the last name. Dispatch checked RMS in house for anyone by that name and saw that there were a few male individuals listed. Officer King also stated that the suspect Phillips subject was in his mid to late thirties. Dispatch had been advised of the information to help narrow down the in-house system search.

After further investigation, it had been determined that the suspect was Nicholas Phillips. A binary was sent out to the officers on shift through dispatch for an exact description. Dispatch had advised that the Phillips subject was currently on probation. His probation officer’s contact information was printed out by dispatch. I rode the area where suspect Phillips had been last seen and had negative contact with that individual.

I returned to the ER at Memorial Health Meadows Hospital to confirm the description of the suspect. After showing the mug shot of Nicholas Phillips to Mr. [VICTIM #1], he confirmed that the black male subject in the photo was the suspect who assaulted him. Nicholas Phillips is being charged with OCGA 16-5-24 Aggravated Battery. The warrant was completed along with the victim notification form. My body-worn body camera was on and active during the entirety of the interviews and investigation. The incident is currently under investigation.

[End of Narrative]