Towns Co. man charged in domestic violence incident, standoff with police

HIAWASSEE - Following an alleged incident of severe domestic violence and a brief standoff with Towns County authorities, a Hiawassee man has been arrested and now faces a long list of charges.

 

According to a press release from the Towns County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a home on Konaheta Drive in Hiawassee last Saturday. This came in response to several 9-1-1 calls from neighboring residents that reported an ongoing domestic violence sitaution taking place inside the home in question.

 

Upon arrival, deputies were met outside the home by a female resident and two children, all of whom were badly beaten and had just escaped the residence. The trio was then transported to an ambulance stationed nearby, which then carried them to Chatuge Regional Hospital in Hiawassee.

 

Deputies on scene soon learned that two additional children were still inside the home with the male suspect, and began to approach the residence. They were met by the suspect, later identified as Damian Moody, who was in the process of using a large machete to smash the window out of a vehicle near the home.

 

The release said that a brief standoff ensued, ending when Moody released the two children and charged at the deputies. The release did not say if he was still wielding the machete when he charged at police.

 

Moody was tazed in mid-charge, allowing deputies to safely subdue him. He was then transported from the scene via ambulance due to suspicion of a possible drug overdose.

 

The two children who had been held inside the home by the suspect were also transported from the scene to be evaluated, but did not suffer any serious injuries in the incident.

 

Moody faces numerous charges stemming from the incident, including Aggravated Battery, two counts of Aggravated Assault, and two counts of felony Cruelty to Children.

 

He has also been charged with three counts of Battery Family Violence and one misdemeanor count of Cruelty to Children.