Athens man accused of threats, DUI, hit and run

According to the incident report, Deputy Jeff Strickland was dispatched to the Golden Pantry on Hwy. 29 South in Dogsboro (Hull) about 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Dec. 13 for a 911 hang up. When he arrived, he found the store empty, with newspaper racks turned over, papers scattered all over the floor of the entrance and blood on the floor and glass doors.

Soon the store clerk pulled up along with two other witnesses in another car. The witnesses told the deputy that they saw a gray Chevrolet Blazer strike the clerk’s black Mitsubishi Eclipse while it was parked at the store and then drive away. They followed the Blazer to Harve Mathis Road where they called 911.

The clerk told Deputy Strickland that the incident began when the Blazer struck a post in front of the store as it pulled up. The driver (Davis) continued to rev the engine before getting out and coming inside the store. When the clerk questioned him about the post, the suspect became agitated and allegedly threatened to shoot the clerk, pointing his hand at him while mimicking a handgun. The clerk asked him to leave, but the suspect yelled obscenities at him and allegedly reached across the counter to grab him. The clerk struck the suspect with a stool, knocking him to the floor. The clerk then came out from behind the counter and began pushing the suspect out the door. When the suspect attempted to get back up, the clerk said he pushed the newspaper racks over on top of him. The clerk then pushed him out of the store and the suspect climbed back into his vehicle, allegedly striking the clerk’s car as he left the store.

Sgt. Doug Martin later found Davis on Hwy. 72, where he was identified and found to have a laceration above his left eye.

Davis was transported to Athens Regional Medical Center for his injuries and Deputy Strickland met with him there. Strickland reported that Davis was “very belligerent” with him, cursing, and striking his own head injury, causing blood to “splash around the room.” Davis refused a blood test.