Suspended ex-Georgia deputy accused of assaulting 3, including 2 officers

Ross, 49, of Hayesville, North Carolina, was arrested Monday morning by Austell officers after allegedly becoming violent in the POST office, located in the same building as police headquarters, his arrest warrant states. (POST sets certification and training requirements for peace officers and criminal justice professionals in Georgia.)

“Our officers heard that fight so we went outside to investigate,” Lt. Edward Cason told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Ross and one of the women he’s accused of assaulting were on the ground as he tried to grab her gun, Cason said.

Ross is accused of punching one woman in the face, striking another in the eye, and trying to remove a holstered firearm from a third, “thereby creating a hostile and dangerous environment for all three victims,” his warrant states.

Ross was arrested without incident on multiple felony charges, including two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers, aggravated battery, and violation of oath by a public officer. He was also charged with three counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of battery, and was being held without bond Thursday, Cobb booking records showed.

It wasn’t the first time Ross has been under investigation. But it is the first time he has faced criminal charges.

Ross began working as jailer in Walton County in March 2019 and became a deputy in December 2020, according to POST records.

As a deputy, Ross was assigned to serve as school resource officer at an elementary school. There, a student reported that Ross showed her messages on his cellphone commenting on her looks, according to investigators.

“If you need anything, I’ll be there for you,” Ross is accused of typing to the girl on his phone in one instance.

During a second incident, the student said Ross showed her a message that said she “was the prettiest girl in the world” and that he was “not trying to make [her] uncomfortable.”

“Additionally, he was seen playing with school children using his handcuffs, allowing students to touch his law enforcement equipment, cleaning a long rifle in clear view of school children and staff,” a POST report states. “It was also alleged he spoke of major criminal issues such as rape in front of students.”

In October 2022, Ross resigned from his job instead of being terminated, records showed. In May 2023, Ross was hired as a deputy in Towns County in northeast Georgia, but voluntarily resigned that July.

Ross admitted during his May 2024 conference with POST it was a mistake to show the student the messages and said he had gotten no formal training as a school resource officer. He said the girl was being bullied and he was trying to help her, his POST records state. Ross denied taking apart his rifle while at the school.

In April, POST suspended Ross’s certification for 36 months. The following month, Ross filed a written appeal to POST, stating that he had served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps and had never acted unethically.

“My efforts have always been to uphold the dignity of the profession, walk an ethical path, and help others in times of great stress,” Ross wrote in the letter dated April 21. “I am committed upholding safety and security within my community.”

North Carolina police certification records indicate Ross was hired as a detention officer with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. On Friday, a spokesman for the agency said Ross never worked for the agency.