Teen probationer accused of breaking window at Department of Juvenile Justice

MOULTRIE, Ga. — A juvenile’s visit to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Moultrie ended with damage to property and a foot chase. He has since been apprehended.

The 16-year-old was arrested midday Tuesday by the Moultrie Police Department after he allegedly punched out a window tile at the department’s office on North Main Street. He also allegedly punched a probation officer’s personal vehicle 11 or 12 times.

According to MPD Sgt. Frank Newton, the incident stemmed from a suspected attempt to cheat a drug test.

Newton said the teen is an Adel resident who’s currently staying with his girlfriend in Moultrie. His probation officer brought him to the Moultrie DJJ for a drug test. 

The probation officer told police that the teen had gone to the house he was staying in and changed clothes, making her think he was harboring a fake bladder to pass the test. 

It’s part of standard procedure to send a male officer to observe the urine test, the probation officer said, but when that happened the teen threw a tantrum.

“He went off the deep end calling everybody gay and this, that and the other,” she said.

She said a deputy asked the teen about a theft, which set him off even further.

“He started cussing everybody out, he came out the door, he punched the window — busted the window — punched my truck [and] dented up my truck,” she said.

The youth then went on the run, chased by an out-of-county officer, but he was caught and arrested within 30 minutes. 

Newton said a hearing Tuesday afternoon would determine what action would be taken against the teen. Juvenile hearings are closed to the public and results will not be released.