Toccoa Municipal Court Hearing Results in Shutdown of Regency Inn

Jessica Waters, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

In Toccoa, a local motel that police say has become a hub of criminal activity has been ordered to shut down for 30 days.

During a Toccoa Municipal Court session last week, Judge Robert Sneed heard testimony from Toccoa Chief of Police Jimmy Mize and statements from City Attorney John Dickerson as well as testimony and comments from Gopal Pal, resident manager of Regency Inn on West Currahee Street in Toccoa, and Pal’s attorney James Irvin.

The hearing was in response to a case revolving around a complaint filed by the City of Toccoa against Diven, Inc., doing business as Regency Inn, and the Inn’s owner, Arjun Pal, who is Gopal’s son, according to testimony from Gopal.

According to court paperwork, the complaint filed by the city alleged that the company, and its owners, were “maintaining a public nuisance through a negligent failure to abate known criminal activity on the premises, violations of state and local regulations and ordinances.”

During the hearing, Mize was asked to detail the activities at the motel that led to the complaint.

The first two cases he said involved shootings that happened just this month

In the first instance, the suspect who shot at police on July 1 during a traffic stop was eventually arrested on July 2.

37-year-old Montavious Cantrell Winkfield surrendered to police at a Lavonia apartment complex after an all-out manhunt.

Mize was also asked to talk about the drug activity at the Regency Inn.

After hearing requests from the defense attorney James Irwin regarding requests to have the case dismissed or continued claiming proper court notification had not been issued to the owner, Judge Sneed addressed the plaintiffs and defendant.

Sneed said the situation at the Regency Inn was not acceptable and ordered attorneys on both sides to negotiate and come to a resolution.

The Judge then ordered the Regency Inn to shut down for at least a period of 30 days to give the attorneys a chance to come up with a solution to the crime problem.

At the end of that time, Judge Sneed will review the case again.

Meantime, tenants in the motel portion of the Regency Inn must vacate the premises within 3 days of the hearing, while tenants of the long-term-stay portion of the Inn must vacate the premises within 7 days.