Yr in Review: Hart Co Commissioner Ricky Carter and Son Arrested

In our continued look back at the top stories of 2022, a former Hart County Commissioner is arrested.

In late March, Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland said then-District 4 Commissioner Ricky Carter and his son Jake Carter allegedly went to the home of Ricky Carter’s brother-in-law, identified as Jack Williford on Highway 77 around midnight Saturday, March 19.

When they arrived, Ricky Carter’s son, Jake allegedly assaulted his uncle, beating him and causing serious injuries.

Sheriff Cleveland said as Carter’s son was attacking Wilford, a neighbor tried to intervene by pulling Jake Carter off of Williford.

That’s when, the Sheriff said, Ricky Carter pointed a gun at the neighbor and threatened him.

Carter, 64, was arrested and charged with Terroristic Threats and Acts and Pointing a gun/pistol toward another.

Jake Carter is charged with Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, Terroristic Threats and Acts, and three (3) charges of Cruelty to Children in the 3rd Degree.

Ricky Carter was released several days later on a $30,000 bond.  Both were later indicted in May by a Hart County Grand Jury.

Carter was first elected to the Hart County Board of Commissioners in 2012 and has been re-elected twice since then.  Carter was up for re-election again this year and ran against local businessman Jeff Brown but lost.

On June 30, Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order appointing a review commission to look into the indictment of Carter to determine whether the charges against him would adversely affect his service as Commissioner.

Based on their findings, the Governor had the option to suspend or remove Carter.

But in mid-July Carter resigned as Commissioner for District 4.

“Commissioner Carter has resigned and the Governor has accepted it. There’s really no need for the Board to make a judgment on that. So, we can move forward,” Hart County Commission Chair Marshal Sayer said at their July meeting.

Sayer asked for Brown to be sworn in as Commissioner for District 4 so citizens of District 4 would have representation.

“We’ve been in touch with state officials to have Mr. Brown appointed. We know that District 4 has been without a commissioner since March. And I don’t see any reason why state officials would not allow this to happen,” Sayer continued. “The folks have spoken with their votes and he had very good support in this election. So I don’t think it’s out of line for the Governor to present us with a situation where we can appoint Mr. Brown to our Board.”

The Governor accepted the request to appoint Brown early and he was sworn in last August.

So far, Carter’s case has not gone to trial.