Dougherty Grand Jury hands down indictments in murder, assault and contraband cases

ALBANY — Indictments came down in Dougherty County this week in at least three noteworthy cases, including a pedestrian death that took place last year.

Rodriguez Richardson, 37, who was arrested last month by marshals in Louisiana in connection to the vehicle-related death of pedestrian Petrocelli Jermaine Williams, 41, on East Oglethorpe Boulevard in September, was indicted for felony murder in connection to the death, said Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards.

Also indicted for felony murder in the incident were William Fredrick Jackson, 32, and Michael Alonzo Stephens, 27, Edwards said.

Police said Williams was struck by a vehicle on the 1700 block of East Oglethorpe Boulevard on Sept. 20 while Stephens, Jackson and Richardson were in the vehicle when Williams was struck. Officers initially believed Williams’ death to have been the result of a hit-and-run incident, but, after further investigation, officers came to believe that the three conspired unsuccessfully to rob Williams, then killed him by striking him with a vehicle.

Edwards said Richardson was also indicted for possession of firearm by a convicted felon, and Jackson was indicted for damaging property at the Albany Police Department Law Enforcement Center during an interview. Three others were indicted for firearms and interference charges in relation to the case, the district attorney said.

An aggravated assault indictment was handed down in connection to a domestic dispute in a Burger King parking lot, the victim of which was a corrections officer who was also indicted Wednesday on contraband charges, Edwards said.

Albany police said the Burger King incident look place at the 1501 Radium Springs Road location on Jan. 31. Cherrell Riley, 19, and Dekel Smith, 21, were having a verbal altercation at the establishment when Riley got into her vehicle and rammed Smith’s vehicle and struck Smith’s legs in the process, police said.

Police said Riley continued to drive through the parking lot with her partially disabled vehicle, and Smith exited his vehicle and fired several shots from a handgun — which did not hit Riley or her vehicle.

It was later uncovered that Smith, a correction officer at Autry State Prison in Pelham, was found to be smuggling contraband in the form of marijuana and tobacco into the prison, police said. He was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and violation of oath of office, Edwards said.