A 47-year-old Chickamauga man has been convicted in two separate cases involving violent incidents inside the Catoosa County Jail. On January 9, 2026, Jeffrey Wade Anthony was found guilty after a non-jury trial of committing Unlawful Acts of Violence in a Penal Institution, with the case heard in Catoosa County before Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Melissa Hise.
The January criminal pre-trial calendar for Chattooga County Superior Court shows a wide-ranging docket as cases move toward the upcoming trial term, including multiple cases involving serious sex crime allegations, along with drug, theft, and violent offenses.
Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Judge Melissa Hise released a video update on January 1 highlighting several changes she says will improve efficiency in the courts and help the circuit stay better organized in 2026.
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Joe Montgomery, a familiar and respected figure in law enforcement across the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, has retired this week following an extraordinary 41-year career with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Of his four decades of service, 31 years were dedicated specifically to the communities within the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit.
At the request of the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Catoosa County, Georgia, involving officers from the East Ridge (Tennessee) Police Department. Authorities say no one was injured during the incident.
