_Debbie Lurie-Smith_


It remains to be seen if a group of juveniles who attended a party found to include underage drinking and marijuana usage understand the effort being made on their behalf last week by Jones County officials and a young man in a striped prison uniform.

The arresting officer, Deputy Travis Douglas, Jones County Probate Judge Mike Green, Probate Court Prosecutor J. Allen Lawson and Juvenile Court Prosecutor Joseph McKinnon combined their efforts July 17, which included a visit by Nathan Russell Hatton, a 19-year-old convicted of DUI and vehicular homicide, essay writing, community service, and probation.

The party took place in River North June 9 and was estimated to have been attended by 60-plus juveniles.

Douglas said the attendees ranged in age from 14 to 18, and it began as a surprise birthday party for one of the teens. The deputy said he found out about the gathering after conducting a traffic stop and finding the 17-year-old driver intoxicated as well as his 14-year-old passenger.

Douglas said in addition to arresting the driver, he investigated where the teenager got the alcohol and found out about the party. He took the 17-year-old to Jones County Law Enforcement Center and deputies Matt Graham and James Clark were dispatched to the party address.

“When the officers arrived at the River North address, they found from 40-50 cars. As soon as the kids saw the officers, they started running and hiding, and then the scene was locked down,” he said.

Douglas said when he arrived at the scene, the partiers were identified and about 25 of the teenagers tested positive for alcohol consumption and were transported to the LEC.

“It was an amazing scene. We found kids hiding in showers, under beds, in cabinets, and in the attic,” Douglas said.

The deputy said he did not believe the party was preplanned and began when a 16-year-old baby-sitting her sister, niece, and nephew decided to invite over a few friends.

The juveniles were summoned to the courtroom July 17 to listen to Hatton and to face the penalty for their actions.

“No one is getting away scot-free,” Douglas said to the teenagers. “This house was damaged, but the family did not choose to file charges. You came very close to causing two families to lose their children, but I decided not to call DFACS (the Department of Family and Children Services).

Douglas instructed the juvenile offenders to write a 5,000-word essay about the reasons not to drink and drive and he said they will have community service hours to perform.

Lawson warned all the teenagers not to appear before him in court again.

“If I see you in my court, you are not going to be able to drive anywhere. I will show you no mercy because if I let you go you could have a head-on collision with my wife and children.”

The 17-year-olds involved received a six-month probated sentence and community service.

Green said he felt the timing of the incident was amazing. He said he was at the LEC for an unrelated matter the night the teens were taken into custody.

“The jail was full of juveniles, and I lay awake that night wondering how we could get their attention. Not long after that I saw an article in the paper about Nathan Hatton and his desire to help other young people,” he recalled.

Green called the Bibb County assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case and she contacted Hatton’s lawyer.

“His mother called me to say that if he could influence someone he wanted to do it,” Green said.

The Sheriff’s Department made the arrangements for Hatton to come to Jones County.

Green said Hatton’s mother called him after the visit to say that her son was a different person after talking to the group.

“He said if he could help just one, he would have made a difference,” Green said. “It’s about choices and consequences. This young man probably only had two beers, but we basically have zero tolerance for juvenile drinking and driving.

“What happened to Nathan Hatton is real. If it doesn’t get the attention of these kids, I don’t know what will.”

debsmith@jcnews.com