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Former CCSO deputy arrested after domestic dispute

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – A deputy with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has been fired after being arrested and charged following a domestic dispute.

According to the incident report, Gilbert Lopez received his wife’s belongings from her employer, from whom she had previously been fired. When he returned home, he was upset because he found in an address book the name and phone number of a man with whom Lopez said his wife had had a relationship in the past.


The incident report states that during the verbal argument, Lopez ordered his wife to get her things from his car and to take the man’s card from the index card. Lopez then admitted that he picked up the index card and threw it, hitting his wife in the chest.

Lopez states that he did not intentionally throw it at her, but because he was angry. The Rolodex got stuck in his hand as he threw it and accidentally hit his wife in the chest. According to the investigative report, Lopez states that he followed his wife upstairs and tried to open the door by pushing it open and pushing on the door with his foot. As he pushed on the door, his foot left a hole in the bottom right corner.

Meanwhile, Ms. Lopez states in the investigative report that when Lopez arrived at the apartment, he told her to get her things out of his car. As she walked to the car, Lopez argued with her about the name and phone number of a man in her address book.

Mrs. Lopez states that Lopez grabbed the Rolodex and threw it at her, hitting her in the left cheek and neck. Then, she says, she went into the house and locked herself in the bedroom because she was afraid of her husband. She adds that Lopez then tried to get into the bedroom by kicking in the door.

The reporting officer states in the incident report that a slight red mark was observed on the underside of her cheek.

The incident report also states that both children were home. One child stated that he was sleeping in his room and only heard the verbal argument, while the other child said he was in his bedroom and came out when Lopez tried to get into the bedroom and saw him kicking the door.

Authorities say Lopez was taken to the Columbia County Detention Center and charged with violating county ordinances for disorderly conduct, in lieu of a state charge of simple assault.