Charges dropped against former Northwest Whitfield High coach

The judge says Lamar Cofield was not legally obligated to report the events of a party at a private residence.

DALTON — A former Northwest Whitfield High School coach and paraprofessional who was arrested in October for failing to report an alleged sexual assault of a juvenile at a private residence had the charges against him dropped, according to the District Attorney’s office.

District Attorney Bert Poston confirmed charges had been dismissed against Lamar Cofield, saying Cofield was not legally obligated to report the events of the party. Cofield’s attorney Sam Sanders said he was officially notified by the District Attorney’s office on Monday.

“Under Georgia law as interpreted a couple of years ago by the Georgia Supreme Court, a person who is otherwise a mandated reporter and required to report abuse that comes to their attention cannot be prosecuted for failure to report when the information came to their attention outside of the context of the employment that makes them a mandated reporter,” Poston wrote in an email. “In other words, a teacher who learns at school that one of her students is being abused must report, but the same teacher that learns outside of the school that some other child is being abused is under no such duty.

They can report and there are some civil protections if they do report, but they are not required to, nor can they be prosecuted for not reporting.”

Cofield was arrested in October after an investigation into an incident at a party at a private residence in July. According to a press release from Sheriff Scott Chitwood at the time of his arrest, Cofield was at a party and was told by a female student that she had been sexually assaulted.

Whitfield County Schools spokesman Eric Beavers said Cofield may re-apply to the system, but his position at Northwest has been filled since his resignation and his case before the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is still pending. The GPSC regulates certification of the state’s educators.

Chris Whitfield, Dalton Daily Citizen

GBI: Trenton couple arrested after explosives found

RINGGOLD — A couple is charged with 13 counts of possession of a explosive device after police found homemade explosives in their car and home in Trenton on Monday. According to the GBI: On Monday at approximately 7 p.m. a Georgia State Patrol Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Ranger pickup truck at the Circle K store on Highway 136, Main Street in Trenton.

The trooper found three homemade explosive devices inside the vehicle.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Dade County Sheriff’s Office, and the Trenton Police Department were alerted and all agencies initiated a joint investigation.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Robert C. York, 56, and the passenger was Teshina R. Bates, 36, both of Trenton. A search warrant was later obtained for York’s residence at 35 PeeWee St. in Trenton.

The search found ten more homemade explosive devices inside the residence.

The devices were taken to a secure location and were destroyed.

York and Bates were arrested and charged with 13 counts of OCGA 16-7-88, possessing, transporting, receiving explosives or destructive devices with intent to kill, injure, or intimidate individuals or destroy public buildings.

Anyone with information on the case should call the GBI office in Calhoun at 706-624-1424, Dade County Sheriff’s Office at 706-6573233, or the Trenton Police Department at 706-657-4167.

From staff reports

Democratic attorney elected as state senator

MARIETTA — Democratic attorney Jen Jordan will become the next state senator from the 6th District.

She defeated her rival, pediatric dentist Jaha Howard, also a Democrat, in a runoff election with 10,681 votes, or 64 percent to Howard’s 6,017 votes, or 36 percent, unofficial results show.

District 6 includes portions of Cobb and Fulton Counties. Jordan and Howard got their names on the ballot after facing off against a stable of eight candidates in November’s first round of voting, which included three Democrats and five Republicans.

The fact that two Democrats came out on top was a surprise to many, but Jordan said she thinks it is too early to say whether it constitutes a trend.

But Howard also said he will take solace in the fact that the next occupant of the seat will be a Democrat, which ends Republicans’ super majority in the state Senate.

Ross Williams, Marietta Daily Journal