Man charged with obstruction following beating incident

Matthew Darrell Drake, 24, 273 Piedmont Road, was charged with one count of obstruction of an officer.

According to the sheriff’s office, Drake hindered the investigation and made false statements to investigators involving the assault of Timothy Franklin Veal, 52. Veal was found by Deputy Jeff Strickland on Dec. 1, severely beaten in a bedroom of his home.

John William Baxter, 34, of an Athens address was charged with aggravated battery and obstruction at the time of the incident. Drake, who told officers he was with the two men, denied any part in the beating. He and Baxter eventually left Veal at his home, after driving him around in his car for a while.

Veal suffered two collapsed lungs, broken ribs and severe facial trauma and was transported to the intensive care unit at Augusta Medical Center. Madison County Sheriff’s Department investigator Jimmy Patton said Tuesday that Veal remains in intensive care in Augusta, but that his condition has been upgraded to “serious.” He was removed from the ventilator on Monday and has been able to speak. Patton said Veal is “progressing slowly” and that he will attempt to interview him about the incident once he is moved into a regular room.

Patton said more charges could be pending in the case.

In another arrest, Danielsville man was charged with family violence last week following a domestic incident at his residence.

Don Christopher Mardis, 37, 793 Fred McElreath Road, was charged with one count of battery FVA and two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree.

According to the incident report, a woman at the residence stated that her boyfriend, Mardis, pushed her down and held her by the neck. Two children were reportedly present when the incident occurred.

Others arrested by law enforcement officials in the county last week included:

•William Joseph Adams, II, 41, 371 Timber Ridge Lane, Colbert, failure to appear (original charge: burglary, etc.).

•Clint Lee Flanigan, 33, 803 Willis Glenn Road, Hull, probation violation (original charge: suspended license).

•Richard Earl Helms, 44, 9574 Hwy. 72 West, Hull, bench warrant (original charge: obstruction).

•Michael Lee Kiser, 21, 2225 Arnold Park Drive, Comer, failure to appear (original charge: disorderly conduct), open container, DUI and expired or no driver’s license. (Comer PD)

•Kandice Onnette Massey, 29, 260 Spring Branch Road, Danielsville, probation violation (original charges: false report of a crime and cruelty to children).

•Mary Cain McElreath, 33, 251 Culpepper Road, Commerce, probation violation (possession of methamphetamine and crossing guard line with contraband).

•Yemeika Lamond Norman, 24, 277 Thomas Road, Hull, no insurance and suspended registration.

•Areon Bernard Walker, 19, 14 Reed Drive, Colbert, bench warrant (original charge: statutory rape).

•Anthony Lee Whidby, 28, homeless, bench warrant (failure to appear).

•Lewis Lee Baker III, 19, 1889 Seagraves Mill Road, Hull, speeding, possession of marijuana and windshields and wipers.
•Brent Hascal Caudell, 27, 840 Hwy. 191, Danielsville, hold for Hall County.

•Christopher Demetrius Ezzard, 20, 146 North Chase Street, Athens, possession of marijuana less than an ounce. (Comer PD)

•Amy Leigh Hammond, 22, 261 Hillwood Drive, Danielsville, no insurance.

•Jamarcus Antwon Huff, 19, 250 Sussex Drive, Apt. 1, Athens, driving without a license and possession of marijuana less than an ounce.

•Carissa Octavia Patman, 22, 190 Tommy James Road, Hull, obstruction of an officer.

•Michael Lamar Segars, 24, 1766 Hwy. 106 South, Hull, DUI and failure to obey traffic control.

•David Milton Thomas, 36, 2544 Della Slaton Road, Comer, DUI/alcohol, speeding and failure to drive within a single lane.

•Jimmy Chase Thomas, 18, 5296 Hudson Rivers Church Road, Danielsville, consumption of alcohol by a minor. (Comer PD)

•Ricky Randolph Thomas, 51, 1060 Peach Orchard Road, Danielsville, hold for Clarke County.