Pedestrian Killed Crossing Street

Press Release Update: Tuesday, June 17, 2020:

On Tuesday, June 16, 2020, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Christi Hinkley in connection with the fatal pedestrian accident that killed Sebastian Gregorio-Diego last November.

The arrest warrant accuses Hinkley, 64 years-old of Canton, of one count Homicide By Vehicle In 1 St Degree, a felony and one count Hit And Run Resulting In Serious Injury Or Death, a felony.

Hinkley voluntarily turned herself into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center where she was booked on the charges.


Please see the previous press releases for further information.



Monday, November 26, 2019 Update:

The pedestrian who was struck by the SUV has been identified as:
Sebastian Gregorio-Diego
58 years old of Canton GA


Friday, November 22, 2019 Update:

At this time the Cherokee County Coroner's Office is still working to make a positive identification of the pedestrian.  An autopsy was conducted today by the GBI crime lab with results pending.

The driver of the SUV was Christi Hinkley, 64 years-old of Canton, Georgia. 

This incident is still an ongoing investigation.

Original press release 1:47 PM, 11/21/2019:

A pedestrian was struck by an automobile in Canton, Georgia on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

Canton Police and Cherokee County Fire personnel responded to the incident near 217 Riverstone Pkwy around 7:45 pm.


Responders located a 52-year-old male from Canton.  The man was struck by an SUV as he attempted to cross the street.  The man succumbed to his injuries on the scene.

The suspect driving the vehicle was a 64-year-old Canton woman.

The accident is being investigated by the Canton Police Department with the assistance of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit. 

Canton Swears In New Police Officer

Today Canton's interim Chief of Police Stephen Merrifield introduced its newest Police Officer, Ben Johnson, to the agency. He was sworn into the department with the Oath of Office by Judge Darrell Caudill at the Canton Public Safety and Municipal Court Complex. Family, friends, and other members of the Canton Police were in attendance to show their support. Officer Johnson brings four years of law enforcement experience, having served previously at the Cobb County Police Department.

Interim Chief Merrifield stated, "Working for a community-oriented police department requires a special officer that has a mindset of community, an attitude of service, and a heart of protection. We feel Officer Johnson is one of those special officers and are excited to have him join our department."

Left to right: Cpt. W. Turner, Judge Darrell Caudill, Ofc. B. Johnson, Chief Stephen Merrifield, Lt. J. Lummus, Cpt. J. Tucker

Suspect Located and Arrested after Domestic Dispute

At approximately 5:45 PM, Tuesday, November 12, 2019, Canton Officers responded to a domestic dispute at the 4000 building of River Ridge Apartments. Officers discovered a female victim at the scene who had fled her apartment from the suspect, her boyfriend, Joseph Evely.  It was determined during the investigation Mr. Evely had assaulted the victim in their apartment.  Officers were unable to make contact with the suspect who was reported to be in the apartment armed with a handgun.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office assisted by deploying their SWAT and Negotiation Team.  After obtaining a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Evely, SWAT made entry into the apartment and found it to be unoccupied. 

Several hours later Canton Officers were able to locate and arrest Mr. Evely at the apartment complex without incident.

Joseph L. Evely, 19 yrs. old of Canton, Ga. is being charged with the violation of O.C.G.A 16-11-37 Terroristic Threats and Acts (Felony) the violation of 16-53.1(a) Battery F.V.A (Misdemeanor) with other charges pending.

Terroristic Threats Arrest

At approximately 8:50 P.M. on Thursday, November 7, 2019, Canton Officers responded to a water leak coming from an apartment into a unit below at the Heritage Apartments located at 101 Heritage Dr, Canton, GA.  Officers attempted to make contact with the resident of the apartment, Jushua Honea.  Mr. Honea refused to cooperate and made terroristic threats towards officers and his wife.  He then barricaded himself inside the residence.  

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office assisted by deploying their Negotiation team and later joined by Cherokee SWAT.  After a four and a half hour negotiation period, the SWAT team made entry into the apartment and apprehended Mr. Honea without incident.  He was transported to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

Interim Chief Merrifield stated, "I would like to commend our Officer's response to the call and would like to thank the Cherokee County Sherrif's Office for their fast response and safe resolution to the situation.  I would also like to thank the Cherokee County Fire Department, who also was on scene assisting during the incident.  We are proud to have such a great working relationship with all the responding agencies". 

Suspect:
Joshua Honea 36 yrs old of Canton Ga

Charge: 
O.C.G.A. 16-11-37 Terroristic Threats

Canton Police Welcomes New Officer

Canton Police held a swearing-in ceremony for it's newest Officer, Alexander Ball. He was sworn into the department by Judge Darrell Caudill on Thursday, September 26, 2019, at the Canton Public Safety and Municipal Court Complex. Family, friends, and other members of the Canton Police force were in attendance to show their support. Officer Ball served as a Police Officer at the Gainesville Police Department for two years before joining the Canton Police Department.

Interim Chief Merrifield stated "We are blessed that Officer Ball has chosen the Canton Police Department to continue his law enforcement career. He has the right mindset, attitude, and heart to faithfully serve our community. We welcome him to the CPD and look forward to his service".



Left to right: Capt. J. Tucker, Interim Chief Stephen Merrifield, Ofc A. Ball, Judge D. Caudill, Capt. W. Turner, Lt. J. Lummus

Terroristic Threats and Acts Arrest

On Tuesday, September 3, 2019, just after 5:00 pm., Officers received information in reference to threats being made at Canton City Hall.  Upon further review, it was reported an individual was not satisfied with the service provided to him while waiting in line at the City Utility Department and made a statement that he was going to get his gun and come back to shoot everyone.

Criminal Investigation Division Detectives quickly began an inquiry into the serious matter, obtained witness statements and an omission from the suspect.  He was arrested just before 8:30 pm. and will be charged with the crime of Terroristic Threats and Acts.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell said, “I am very proud of the swift work of our Detectives and the fact we were able to intervene and bring a safe and successful resolution to this incident.  Our City Staff works very hard as it relates to solving problems and brings very professional customer service to our citizenry.  We will not tolerate someone threatening violence and will investigate these potentially volatile situations with a true sense of urgency and justice.”

Chief Mitchell added, “As in this case, it is very important to remind our citizens and employees alike to bring these types of threatening statements forward to the attention of Law Enforcement because of the potential of threats to be turned into harmful and deadly actions by those who have the capacity to carry them out against those we serve.”   

Suspect Information: 
Mr. Malton Howard Nelson – age: 69 of Canton, GA.

Charges:  
Terroristic Threats and Acts   

Canton Police Chief Returns from Police Leadership Training in Israel

Chief Mark J. Mitchell presents Award of Appreciation to Israeli Police Commander.   

ATLANTA— Canton Police Chief Mark Mitchell has returned after an intensive two weeks of public safety leadership training with Israel’s top police executives. He trained in Israel with another 12 Georgia police chiefs and command staff, two sheriffs, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation inspector and executives from the Georgia State Patrol, Stone Mountain Department of Public Safety and Georgia Command College.

He was in a 21-member delegation of senior law enforcement officials from Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina participating in the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange’s (GILEE) 27th annual peer-to-peer training program in partnership with Israel. While there, the delegates were shown best practices and the latest technologies in policing and public safety.

Community policing, “a policy and a strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime, improved quality of life, improved police services and police legitimacy, through a proactive reliance on community resources that seeks to change crime-causing conditions,” was the focus again this year.

Community policing assumes a need for greater accountability of police, a greater public share in decision-making and a greater concern for civil rights and liberties, according to Robbie Friedmann, who formulated the definition. A professor emeritus at Georgia State University and GILEE’s founding director, he led this year’s delegation.

More than 770 public safety officials—most from Georgia—have participated in the program in Israel. Nearly 35,000 have attended additional GILEE trainings, briefings, seminars and workshops in Georgia and around the world.

“Our GILEE delegates return with new ways of developing, collaborating on and using strategies to minimize the production of crime and terrorism,” said GILEE executive director Steve Heaton. “In GILEE’s 27 years, many of these graduates have gone on to serve in key leadership roles in Georgia and beyond.”

GILEE is a research unit within Georgia State’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. It enhances public safety by nurturing existing and new partnerships within and across public agencies and the private sector. It has received multiple awards and honors, including the Special Service Award from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Georgia Governor’s Public Safety Award.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell added, "I am very blessed to have been chosen to attend this delegation exchange to Israel. Their National Police Agency, Military and people are extremely passionate, diligent, loyal and resilient each day they work to protect their country. I learned the Israeli Police do a great job of training their Officers to be a success, excel in their efforts to proactively prevent terrorism / crime, communicate / share intelligence across all law enforcement divisions and see the need to build trusting relationships, legitimacy and engagement with the many different cultures and religions they work with to generate an atmosphere of harmony in their country. I feel certain this experience will further strengthen our philosophy, culture and strategies of training our officers toward success, protecting those we serve and building a stronger foundation of trust with the great citizens in our community."

“I believe GILEE offers one of the best leadership development training programs globally,” said Donald De Lucca, a three-time police chief and past president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), in a recent letter to GILEE. “The inside look and hands-on learning provide executives with a broader view of some of the best practices available to the police profession.”

In fact, several U.S. and international professional policing associations and academic institutions have written this year in support of the many contributions GILEE has made to the field’s professional development. Learn more about the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange at gilee.gsu.edu.