ATHENS, Ga. --- Clarke County Sheriff Ira Edwards ordered his brother-in-law released from jail without bond Tuesday night after the Athens man was arrested on an out-of-county felony warrant.
University of Georgia police arrested 42-year-old Danny Thomas after they conducted a background check on his application to become a UGA police officer. The police found a warrant out of Houston County charging Mr. Thomas with theft by taking.
Sheriff Edwards could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.
Houston County Chief Deputy Sheriff W.R. Rape said a Clarke County jail official Tuesday night had "vouched" for Mr. Thomas and gave assurances that he would surrender to authorities in the central Georgia county.
"When they told me the (Clarke County) sheriff's department would see that he would be down here (today), that was fine with me," the deputy sheriff said. He said he didn't know who had vouched for Mr. Thomas.
Someone dressed in civilian clothes delivered Mr. Thomas to the Houston County jail Wednesday, according to Deputy Sheriff Rape, who said he didn't know who that person was.
Mr. Thomas filed a job application with UGA police in November, then passed a physical agility test and met with a panel for an interview, UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said.
UGA police ran a background check on Mr. Thomas on Tuesday, discovered the outstanding arrest warrant and called Mr. Thomas to ask him to report to the campus police department "in reference to his background check," and placed him under arrest, Chief Williamson said.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
That's a good way to manage your jail, prevent overcrowding and save tax payers money.
Not a news story.
Whats the deal? Apparently Mr. Thomas did not know there was a warrent for his arrest, and he has been in the area at least since November. He applied for UGA police job, and did not seem to be flight risk. He was delivered as promised. Was the "get out of jail free" card just as good as a bond? I think so. What would you do for your brother in-law, leave him or take home for the night and save the Houston County Sherriff the trouble of coming to pick him up the next day. I agree with pofwe not a news worthy story.
Whats the deal? Apparently Mr. Thomas did not know there was a warrent for his arrest, and he has been in the area at least since November. He applied for UGA police job, and did not seem to be flight risk. He was delivered as promised. Was the "get out of jail free" card just as good as a bond? I think so. What would you do for your brother in-law, leave him or take home for the night and save the Houston County Sherriff the trouble of coming to pick him up the next day. I agree with pofwe not a news worthy story.
Whats the deal? Apparently Mr. Thomas did not know there was a warrent for his arrest, and he has been in the area at least since November. He applied for UGA police job, and did not seem to be flight risk. He was delivered as promised. Was the "get out of jail free" card just as good as a bond? I think so. What would you do for your brother in-law, leave him or take home for the night and save the Houston County Sherriff the trouble of coming to pick him up the next day. I agree with pofwe not a news worthy story.
the big deal is nepotism. Any common Joe would of been locked up.
i got it, newsreader!?
I bet if it had been Marion Williams son, the POFWEs of the world would be screaming.
Dude, you are right, there is a story here. The court of jurisdiction was not Clarke county. He should have been transferred to Houston county for Houston to set a bond. Any common Joe would not have been released from jail if his brother in law was not the Sherrif, at least until being transferred to Houston county and posting bond with Houston county.
What is the story here, wasted space spent on this. Anybody that could call their brother-in-law to get out of jail would spend the quarter and make the call. It was only one night, he was dropped off the next day as promised. Just think of the problems that Sherrif Edwards would have had if the brother-in-law was left in jail or if he wasn't dropped off the next day. The Sheriff was the one put between a rock and a hard place and used what he had to get out of it.