Milledgeville Fire Chief William Collier was arrested and charged with one count of simple battery on Nov. 29 following an alleged physical altercation at a high school charity basketball game.
The incident occurred between Collier and former firefighter, Willie Tennyson, at the Baldwin County High School Gymnasium on Oct. 22.
The Milledgeville Police Department requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, or the GBI, on Oct. 25, and when they made the decision to arrest Collier, he was booked into the Baldwin County Jail.
According to Baldwin County Jail records, Collier was booked into a cell at 11:46 a.m. on Nov. 29 after being allowed to turn himself in.
Tennyson had resigned from the fire department earlier this year but was at the gymnasium wearing the same shirt that active fire department personnel were given to wear during the event.
“It’s really weird that someone would show up and try and participate in a job they recently quit,” said Sairsha Connor, a sophomore mass communication major. “I don’t think the fire chief was right to grab the shirt off another man, but I do understand frustration with someone posing as a member of his team.”
There has been a probable cause hearing for Collier’s case. Neither Collier nor his attorney attended the hearing, but GBI Special Agent Zachary Plock presented the findings of the GBI investigation.
“It’s pretty baffling that someone in this type of position of power thinks they can do whatever they want without any repercussions,” said Dylan Almond, a sophomore computer science major. “He probably thought since he is the fire chief, nothing would happen.”
Reportedly, Collier took the shirt off Tennyson’s back, and it was confirmed in the investigation that Collier made physical contact with Willie Tennyson on purpose.
Milledgeville City Manager Hank Griffith said he will be in touch with Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan, City Attorney Jimmy Jordan and city alderpersons about a city council meeting regarding the incident.
“I think he should get fired,” said Andrew Dozier, a junior music major. “As a public figure in Milledgeville, he can’t act like he did or let anger get the best of him. I am not sure what their personal relationship might be, but there are definitely better ways that he [Collier] could have gone about this whole thing.”
No information has been released about a possible sentence length, but Collier is still being held as the investigation continues. His reported $500 bail has not been paid, and that payment may only become a possibility once the investigation is no longer active.
Any information about the incident is encouraged to be submitted to the proper authorities. The GBI regional investigative office in Milledgeville can be reached at 478-445-4173, and any anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).
