Screwdriver wielding man threatens murder

Upon arrival, police met with a woman who said Albert Sweat III, 36, of 124 Second Street in Winder, was chasing her ex-husband with a screwdriver and trying to kill him.

The woman said Sweat had been at her apartment earlier in the day having “mixed drinks and beer.” According to the woman, Sweat became boisterous and unruly, so she called her ex-husband so that he would make Sweat leave. Sweat left in such a hurry that he almost backed into a tree and ran up on a curb, the woman said.

Later that night, Sweat allegedly returned to the apartment with a knife and a screwdriver. He ordered the woman to call her ex-husband back to the apartment because he intended to kill him. The woman sent her ex-husband a text message informing him that Sweat was back at the house and she needed help.

When the ex-husband arrived, Sweat reportedly lunged at him with the screwdriver. The ex-husband armed himself with a mop handle. The two fought until Sweat fled prior to the arrival of police.

Police searched the area, but could not locate Sweat. Approximately 15 minutes after police had called off the search, an officer was dispatched back to the woman’s residence because Sweat was banging on her door and attempting to enter the apartment.

Sweat was taken into custody and charged with public intoxication and aggravated assault.


Woman burns man with cigarette, claims abuse
A Winder woman called police after fighting with her husband. The woman, Nancy Griffin-Roberts, 24, of 120 Second Street in Winder, accused her husband of attacking her while drunk.

Griffin-Roberts said her husband had been yelling at her and calling her names. She also said her husband accused of her of having intercourse with her uncle and her father, a claim she denied. During the course of the argument, Griffin-Roberts said her husband grabbed her on the shoulder and ripped her bra.

The husband denied Griffin-Roberts claims. He said Griffin-Roberts was yelling at him as they walked to the gas station. The man said he tried to walk away, but Griffin-Roberts kept stopping him. At one point, Griffin-Roberts placed a lit cigarette against his neck and pushed it into his skin. The man said he pushed Griffin-Roberts away after she burned him.

A witness confirmed the husband’s account of the incident. In a written statement, the witness wrote that Griffin-Roberts “put her cigarette to his neck and burned him. She was swinging her arms at him trying to hit him and scratch him.”

Once Griffin-Roberts was placed in handcuffs, she began screaming and yelling. She later calmed herself enough to explain that she had been drinking and forgot to take her medications which control her mood swings and temper.

Griffin-Roberts was transported to the Barrow County Detention Center and charged with battery.


Vandal leaves message on road
A Barrow County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Smith Mill Road after a man called and said graffiti had been painted on the roadway.

When the deputy arrived, he discovered that someone had used white paint to write that a certain male performs sexual acts on other males.

The male accused of performing the acts approached the deputy and said he believed his neighbors were responsible for the indecent message. The man said his neighbors owe him money. The neighbor denied knowing anything about the graffiti and said he had not witnessed anything unusual.

The Roads and Bridges Department was notified so that they could come and remove the graffiti from the road.


‘Crazy’ daughter tackled during dispute
A Winder man accused his “crazy” daughter of starting a fight which resulted in two individuals being issued citations for disorderly conduct.

Crystal Martinez-Leuvano, 32, of 130 Ashwood Court Avenue in Winder, called police after several individuals reportedly began fighting in her front yard. By the time police arrived, the combatants hads dispersed and Martinez-Leuvano said everything was fine.

Later that evening, police received another call from Martinez-Leuvano. When police returned to the residence, Martinez-Leuvano was “crying and very upset.” She informed the officer that Steven Thomas Harden, 30, of 126 Ashwood Way in Winder, had tackled her to the ground. When the officer asked what had prompted the contact, Martinez-Leuvano said several people had come to her house yelling at her for calling the police earlier in the evening. Martinez-Leuvano said Harden took her to the ground “for no reason” and began hitting her.

The officer spoke with several witnesses including Martinez-Leuvano’s father. The father, who the officer noted was “heavily intoxicated,” said Martinez-Leuvano was “crazy” and had been yelling and cursing at everyone. The man admitted he may have “said some things that upset Crystal.” According to the father, Harden stepped in front of Martinez-Leuvano in an attempt to diffuse the situation. The father said Martinez-Leuvano began hitting Harden and they both fell to the ground. A second witness corroborated his story.

Like Martinez-Leuvano’s father, Harden also admitted perhaps saying a few things he should not have said. He accused Martinez-Leuvano of striking him several times in the face before he grabbed the woman and “brought her to the ground.”

As the officer was interviewing Harden and the witnesses, Martinez-Leuvano continued to yell and curse. When the officer told Martinez-Leuvano to stop yelling, Martinez-Leuvano became upset and said she was calling her friend who is also a police officer.

“I told her I did not care,” the officer wrote.

After speaking to all the parties involved, the officer determined that Martinez-Leuvano was the primary aggressor but that Harden was also at fault. Both parties were issued citations for disorderly conduct.