LaGrange police investigating teen’s claim of statutory rape

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Staff report

A three-car chain collision crash on Lafayette Parkway sent two people to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/10/web1_WEB1021Ax.jpgA three-car chain collision crash on Lafayette Parkway sent two people to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

Melanie Ruberti | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/10/web1_LDNpublicsafetyResize8.jpg

Melanie Ruberti | Daily News

Detectives with LaGrange Police Department are investigating claims a 15-year-old girl had a sexual relationship with a 37-year-old man in the city limits — and across state lines in Alabama.

LaGrange police Sgt. Robert Kirby of the criminal investigation section said the girl told detectives Monday the relationship was consensual and has been going on for a month.

Under Georgia law, since the victim is 15 years old, technically she is not old enough to grant consent to have a sexual relationship, Kirby said.

Kirby stated both the victim and the alleged suspect are from LaGrange.

Detectives are looking into the allegations and will be speaking to the 37-year-old man.

If the teen’s claims prove true, Kirby said the suspect could be charged with felony statutory rape.

Two arrested on meth charges

A man who said he was trying to stay out of trouble helped LaGrange police officers arrest two people suspected of drug possession and prostitution at the Lafayette Garden Inn on Tuesday night.

The man flagged down officers in a patrol car around 8:30 p.m. and showed them Facebook messages he had been receiving from a female offering sexual services in exchange for money. According to the report, the woman gave her name and told the man what room she was staying in inside the hotel.

When officers relocated to that room, they found the woman, identified as Stephanie Annemarie Walker, 23, and a male, Jeremiah William Talbot, 29.

One officer stated they asked Walker about the messages, to which she claimed her ex-boyfriend hacked her Facebook account and was sending them out.

Officers asked to search the hotel room, but Walker told them the room was her friend’s. She did allow them to search her purse, which was by the bathroom. According to the report, as the officer approached the bathroom, he noticed a suspected methamphetamine pipe lying on the counter.

Police stated they attempted to find the other two people who were also staying in the room, but could not locate them.

Officers said a search of the room turned up items that included a soda bottle cap with a crystal type lump appearing to be methamphetamines inside, a red rubber coin pouch containing several drug-related items including a scale and several pills.

LaGrange police arrested both Walker and Talbot and charged them with felony possession of methamphetamines.

Officers said at the Troup County Jail, deputies also found an additional small white plastic baggie of suspected methamphetamine was located within Walker’s bra.

Pregnant woman injured in wreck

A three-car chain collision on Lafayette Parkway in front of the Circle K gas station at South Davis Road around 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon sent two people to the hospital, according to LaGrange Senior Police Officer Wesley Engle.

Engle said the driver of a 2006 red Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck hit the back of a dark blue Nissan Versa, who then smashed into the back of a gray 2012 Dodge Charger. All three cars were traveling westbound in the far righthand lane of Lafayette Parkway.

The driver of the Versa, who was pregnant, and a passenger in the Charger were transported to West Georgia Medical Center to be checked out. Their conditions were not available at press time.

LaGrange police temporarily shut down a portion of the right hand lane to investigate and then clean up the accident.

Engle said the driver of the truck was cited for following too closely.

All information in this report is gathered from official law enforcement and public safety reports and releases. It is the policy of the Daily News to list the names of people charged with felonies.