GA. Politician Finally Indicted For Repo Shooting
Nearly 2 years ago, we shared This Story and finally, Twiggs County Commissioner Lonnie Ford was indicted by a Twiggs County grand jury this month on aggravated assault charges after the sheriff’s office says he opened fire at a person repossessing his daughter’s car back in 2023.
The indictment was handed down on April 14 — just over 1.5 years after Ford was initially arrested and spent an evening in jail.
Sheriff Darren Mitchum says Ford saw the tow truck on Oct. 3, 2023, pulling the car away from his home on Highway 80 and followed the vehicle to Reece Funeral Home, where the truck driver pulled over.
Mitchum previously told 13WMAZ that Ford didn’t realize the tow truck was repossessing the car; he thought it was being stolen.
When the driver pulled over, that’s when Mitchum said that Ford opened fire, shooting the tires out of the vehicle with a .40 caliber handgun. He says the tow truck driver had all the proper paperwork to legally repossess the vehicle.
After the shooting, Ford and the truck driver both drove to the sheriff’s office, where Ford was booked at around 10:30 p.m., Mitchum said. He was released the next day at 9 a.m. after posting a $8,500 bond.
The indictment makes the charges against Ford official.
A grand jury found that there was enough evidence to charge Ford with two counts of aggravated assault, discharging a gun near a highway or street, reckless conduct and criminal property damage in the second degree.
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Even after being charged by law enforcement, Ford won reelection to his seat on the Twiggs County Board of Commissioners back in 2024. He represents District 1.
However, the indictment will likely spark a review commission, which will evaluate whether Ford’s indictment merits suspending him as the case moves through the courts. That panel is typically appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp when a politician is indicted on felony charges.
They evaluate whether the indictment “relates to and adversely affects” the indicted politician’s ability to serve in their role.
