Fugitives Captured: 3 Down, 1 To Go

The Jasper County Jail this week houses three individuals who were listed as fugitives just a week ago, and officers are now looking for another fugitive.

Daniel Driskell is being sought in connection with the attack on a law enforcement officer last week. A sheriff’s deputy was working undercover when he was taken hostage at gunpoint. Last week a lookout was issued for Lamont Thurman and Amanda Valenzuela. That pair turned themselves in this week.

Mr. Thurman was booked on December 12 and Ms. Valenzuela was booked December 13.

Warrants have been taken for Mr. Driskell who is charged with felony counts of possession of a firearm in commission of a crime, aggravated assault, attempt or conspiracy relative to regulation of controled substance, false imprisonment, and the misdemeanor offense of wearing a mask to conceal identity.
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Additional charges against Mr. Thurman include kidnapping, possession of a firearm in commission of a crime and wearing a mask to conceal identity. Last week’s charges included VGCSA and conspiracy to commit a crime.

W. Sheppard
In addition, Wendell Sheppard who had allegedly fled the country after being given bond on child molestation charges more than a year ago, has been picked up

Local authorities were alerted to Mr. Sheppard’s whereabouts in October, when he was picked up and held in Costa Rica. Extradition proceedings took awhile, according to Sheriff Charles Roper, but now Mr. Sheppard has been returned to Jasper County.

Mr. Sheppard was indicted in August, 2002, on four counts of child molestation and one count of aggravated child molestation. He was booked here last Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Gunshot Victims
Rodney Houston, one of two Jasper County gunshot victims last week, died at an Atlanta hospital December 11. His wife, Rhonda Houston, was released from the hospital this week, recuperating from wounds that occurred when her husband allegedly shot her.

The Houston’s neighbor called 911 when Mrs. Houston came to her home saying her husband shot her. Mrs. Houston was airlifted soon after the incident, but it took some time for deputies to locate Mr. Houston. He was also airlifted to an Atlanta hospital.

Sheriff Roper said this week that the ballistics reports were not back from the crime lab. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is working with Jasper County in determining what happened.

Mutual Aid
Jasper County deputies assisted Butts County deputies with traffic control early Tuesday morning when an automobile accident blocked both lanes of Hwy. 16 near the Ocmulgee River bridge.
Apparently, a car traveling on Stark Road ran the stop sign, and hit the embankment. The car subsequently caught fire.

Two juveniles were taken to the hospital.
Jasper County volunteer fire-fighters were called to set up a landing zone for the helicopter which landed in Jasper County on property just off Jackson Lake Road and Hwy. 16.