Woman shot by Dalton police officer now in jail

The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·2 min read

May 2—A woman shot Monday by a Dalton police officer after reportedly throwing hand sanitizer in his eyes was in the Whitfield County jail Tuesday afternoon awaiting a first appearance hearing.

Chevona Bernice Doughty, 41, is charged with aggravated battery against an officer (weapon), obstruction of an officer resulting in injury and second-degree criminal damage to business property. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) press release said she is from Dalton but current jail records say she is from LaFayette, Tennessee. She did have a Dalton address when she was arrested in 2013.

According to the press release from the GBI, which is handling the investigation at the request of the Dalton Police Department, around 4:45 a.m. Monday Dalton Police Department officers were sent to the Hamilton Medical Center emergency room lobby in response to a person, later identified as Doughty, barricaded in one of the examination rooms.

When the officers entered the room Doughty threw hand sanitizer into one of the officer's eyes, causing the officer to temporarily lose sight. The officer shot Doughty, who was treated and released into the custody of the police department. The officer received treatment and was released from the hospital.

City of Dalton Communications Director Bruce Frazier on Tuesday referred questions about the incident to the GBI.

"I can tell you that it's the police department's policy for an officer involved in a shooting to be placed on administrative leave after the event," Frazier said. "The return to duty is determined by a number of factors not necessarily involving the outcome of the GBI investigation. The officer is going to be OK and is expected to make a full recovery, so I don't believe there's also a medical leave involved."

In response to questions on Tuesday, a GBI public information officer directed a reporter to file an open records request.

According to Whitfield County jail records, Doughty was booked into the jail several times during the last 20 years, most recently in 2013 for abuse or exploitation of a disabled or elderly person, theft by deception, theft by taking, financial transaction card fraud and criminal receipt of goods or service obtained by fraud.

Once the GBI's investigation is complete the case will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for review.