Hit and run ends in arrest

On Saturday, October 17, Houston County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched around 5:45 p.m. to a hit and run incident that happened at the intersection of GA 247 and Sandy Run Road. Preston Everette Ketchup, age 55, of Bonaire, was driving a 1993 green Ford Ranger and had come to a stop at a traffic light. As he waited to turn west onto Sandy Run, his vehicle was rear ended by a 2007 black Chevy Tahoe, driven by 40-year-old Hawkinsville resident, Eric Dwayne Cheese. Immediately following the impact, Cheese navigated his vehicle around Ketchup’s and left the scene; however, Ketchup was able to get his tag number and a description of his vehicle, which were provided to law enforcement.

According to HCSO Lt. Brian Blanton, a deputy was able to locate a vehicle matching the description on Madison Drive. The Tahoe had been parked and several people were standing outside of it looking at the damage caused by the accident. As the deputy approached, Cheese admitted that he was the driver and was taken into custody without incident. Blanton said that neither Cheese nor Ketchup sustained any bodily injuries in the accident. Cheese was charged with following too closely with accident, driving while license suspended or revoked (MISD), failure to report accident and hit and run.

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