Teen charged in pepper spray incident

Oct. 22—A Milledgeville teen is in trouble with local law enforcement authorities for the second time of late.

Both incidents stem from crimes connected with the Walmart Supercenter in Milledgeville.

The first such incident involved a fire that was reportedly set in a wooded area behind the store.

The latest crime, which happened on Oct. 11, involved the pepper spraying of an 8-month-old infant and another person inside the store.

The child reportedly encountered breathing difficulty following the incident and had to be administered medical attention from firefighters/first responders with Milledgeville Fire Rescue Services and personnel with Grady Emergency Medical Services. The child was later taken to Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin hospital in Milledgeville for further medical attention.

The teen, who cannot be identified because he is considered a juvenile under Georgia law, has been charged with one count of aggravated assault, battery and theft by taking, according to an incident report filed by Milledgeville Police Officer Michael Eason.

The police officer said before he arrived at the store he was informed by a supervising officer that the suspect was still inside the store.

Eason said when he got to the store that he was met by Latoya Simpson, who told him that her son was pepper sprayed while she was shopping in the baby section.

The woman said she retrieved a pack of diapers from a lower shift at which time she heard her baby crying.

Simpson said she had noticed the teen standing at the end of the aisle nodding his head before the incident happened.

While talking with Simpson, Eason said he learned from a police dispatcher that he needed to talk with another victim.

That victim said she also was pepper sprayed. She said the incident happened while she was in the toy section of the store.

Eason said he later asked a Walmart employee to retrieve video surveillance camera footage in reference to the pepper spray incidents.

While viewing the camera video, Eason said he saw the suspect coming into the main section of the store from the garden center. The suspect went into the sporting goods section where he retrieved the pepper spray. As he was walking back to the last aisle of the garden section, he could be seen tearing open pepper spray case. He used a large pair of pruning shears to cut open the case.

The suspect then reportedly sprayed himself before he grabbed an energy drink from a nearby refrigerator and drank it.

Eason collected those items as evidence in the case.

The suspect managed to leave the store but police issued a BOLO for him with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, as well as Georgia College & State University Police Department.

Lt. Jim Thompson later notified local authorities that the suspect was inside his residence.

Maj. Linc Boyer attempted to talk with the suspect, but it was to no avail.

The suspect's mother later arrived at the residence at which time she led her son to the front door where he was handcuffed.