Share and Follow
WAYNESBORO, Ga. – For some time now, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has been engaged in ongoing discussions with county officials to address the pressing need for improved conditions at the local jail.
Renewing his call to action, Williams is urging leadership to take notice following two distressing incidents involving the same inmate, which resulted in harm to two different correctional officers.
According to investigators, the inmate in question, 25-year-old Jayven Ward, allegedly targeted an officer over the weekend by dousing them with a mixture of toilet water and urine.
The following day, after being moved to another cell, Ward reportedly escalated his behavior by flinging human feces at a different officer.
“It’s a terrible situation,” Sheriff Williams lamented. “There was no provocation, and it appears to stem from the inmate’s lack of remorse for being here on a murder charge.”
Sheriff Williams confirms both officers are unharmed and getting proper support.
“They’re physically fine, but psychologically I’m not sure. One of them had feces literally splattered against his face and portions of his mouth and his eyes. I would not be okay psychologically,” the Sheriff said.
But, with rusted doors and mold covering the walls, ceilings and showers, the Sheriff says upgrades are urgent for the 40-year-old facility.
“We understand that in human nature, people are just going to do things that are improper, and it is what it is. But, we have to have proper facilities to deal with those folks. If we’re going to put humans—deputies and officers—in a position to care for those folks, then we’re going to have to give them the right resources and tools to be safe,” Williams said.
The conditions at the jail are even impacting operations for law enforcement.
“We can’t do simple things like classification. If we have gang members, we don’t have true lockdown facilities. So, this person that assaulted two officers—who’s already in jail for murder—is currently locked down as best we can, but it’s not even a true lockdown,” said Williams.
We reached out to county leadership about this most recent request for upgrades.
County Manager Merv Waldrop sent NewsChannel 6 this statement:
“The Commissioners Office has not received a copy nor was notified of any incidents over the weekend. The Board has been working for several years on Jail Renovation. We are in court with Sheriff Williams over the use of camera funds which the Board wants to dedicate to this project.”
Sheriff Williams says if it were up to him, the jail needs a facelift.
“I think it needs to be torn down and rebuilt, but if they take the infrastructure we have and make it safe, I’m all for it. But, the longer they wait, the more people will be hurt. The more lawsuits will come about, and the more difficult it is to hire and retain qualified staff,” said Williams.
As for Ward, he’s now facing more charges following these two attacks.
The investigation is ongoing.