Man indicted in retaliation shooting

Published 4:49 pm Friday, July 1, 2016

MOULTRIE, GA.  — A Moultrie man accused in a February shooting, that occurred just an hour and a quarter mile from a fatal shooting scene swarming with police, has been indicted on assault and firearms charges.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Darian Williams was shot multiple times in retaliation for the earlier shooting in which Ryshaun Montay Bigelow died. They have identified Darryl Dana Thomas Jr. as Williams’ suspected shooter.

Bigelow was shot multiple times at about 3:10 p.m. on Feb. 16 in the 100 block of Seventh Street Southwest. Donterrius Williams, Darian Williams’ brother, has been charged with murder in connection with Bigelow’s death. 

At about 4:05 p.m., five rapid shots rang out a short distance, close enough for some of the police officers to crouch and to order the clearing of the area of several dozen bystanders gathered around the perimeter set up by police.

“The investigation determine that Thomas committed the crime in response to Ryshaun Bigelow being shot and killed on the same day in February,” according to the GBI. “Donterrius Williams, brother of Darian Williams, was charged with Bigelow’s murder and is still being held in Colquitt County Jail.”

Thomas, 24, 714 10th Ave. N.W., was indicted during the June term of a Colquitt County Court on the five charges: aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a first-time probationer, and two counts possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Darian Williams’ injuries are such that he has lost the use of his legs, according to prosecutors, which accounts for the felony battery charge.

Donterrius Thomas, who was arrested the day after the shootings, has not been indicted. A Superior Court judge set a $250,000 bond in his case, but he remained in Colquitt County Jail as of Friday.

Georgia law requires — with few exceptions — that a judge set bond for jail inmates whose cases have not been presented to a grand jury within 90 days.

In other cases involving violence the following have been charged:

• Anthony Jerome Thompson, 29, 1152 Fifth St. S.W.; criminal attempt to commit a felony, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In a separate case, Thompson was indicted on a count of child molestation.

• Justin Wilkerson, 20, 1721 Second St. S.E.; criminal attempt to commit a felony, three counts possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, armed robbery.

• Bravtorvance Pate, 47, 403 First Ave. S.E. Apt. 3; two counts aggravated battery, aggravated assault.

• Dequion Williams; aggravated assault.