Man indicted in gas station shooting

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 26, 2016

By Melanie Ruberti

mruberti@civitasmedia.com

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LaGRANGE — A Troup County grand jury indicted one man in the shooting of another man outside the Bay Food Mart, 1312 Hamilton Road, and indicted another man for allegedly hindering police in arresting the suspect in the incident.

Eddie Charles Johnson is charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Johnson is accused of shooting a 30-year0old man once in each leg outside the convenience store in the early morning of July 3, 2015.

Dustin Michael Keegan was also indicted in the same case. According to the indictment, Keegan was accused by law enforcement officers of concealing Johnson while investigators were looking for him.

The grand jury also indicted a Hogansville couple for cruelty to children.

Christopher S. Dire was charged with cruelty to children in the first degree, battery and aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act along with violating a family violence order set by a Troup County judge.

Emma Dire was charged with violating a family violence order and cruelty to children in the third degree.

The indictment states Christopher Dire hit a child in the face with a box fan, wounding him inside a home in the 700 block of Corinth Road.

The report also says the man allegedly brandished a hammer in a threatening manner towards the same child.

According to the indictment, Christopher Dire was previously convicted of battery in accordance to the Family Violence Act on Feb. 14, 2013.

The report said part of the terms of his probation included he have no contact with the children inside the Corinth Road home.

Both Christopher Dire and Emma Dire violated that order when man was allowed back in the residence, the documents stated.

Emma Dire was also cited with criminal negligence for ignoring the order, plus allowing excessive physical and mental to the child when she granted Christopher permission to move back into the home, according to the indictment.

The Troup County grand jury voted to indict Clifford Willoughby on an older case that allegedly happened eight years.

Willoughby was charged with aggravated sexual battery and three counts of child molestation, the report stated.

The indictment read between Jan. 1, 2008, and July 1, 2009, Willoughby reportedly touched a young child in her private area and also made her touch him.

Other indictments include:

• Antavious Darrell Bray, Kym Denardo Parham and Jarvis Darell Hardnett on counts of theft by receiving stolen property plus violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act. Bray and Parham face additional charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and another count of participation of a street gang. Hardnett was also charged with giving false information to law enforcement officers and driving without a license.

• Wilbert Lamar Hardnett, 42, of McGregor Street, was indicted on charges of aggravated assault, burglary and battery.

• Carlos Demorris Lindsey, 28, of East Mulberry Street, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and obstruction of an officer.

• Talley Deon Copeland was charged with false imprisonment and robbery.

• Joseph Jewell Porter, 18, of McGregor Street, charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She can be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.