Athens jailer disarmed of stun gun during domestic violence assault

Demontavis Jermaine Sims

By Joe Johnson

An employee at the county jail in Athens recently was the victim of a domestic violence assault in which she tried defending herself with her stun gun.

The weapon was snatched away by the suspect, who repeatedly prevented the victim from making a 911 call for help.

According to a police report, the victim was awakened early the morning of July 11 by 28-year-old Demontavis Jermaine Sims, who would not take no for an answer to his sexual advances.

During an altercation he struck the woman, threw her around the bedroom, and choked her with both hands to the point she had difficulty breathing and nearly lost consciousness, according to the report.

The victim grabbed the stun gun from her county-issued duty belt, but before she could use it Sims was upon her and snatched it away.

He also repeatedly prevented the woman from completing a 911 call for help, the report noted.

Sims fled from the residence when officers arrived but he was caught after a brief foot pursuit.

He was charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping, battery, criminal damage to property, and obstruction of a 911 call.

Sims was denied bail by a Magistrate Court judge and is being held in pretrial detention at the county jail.

Anyone who is in an abusive relationship can seek advice and support services by calling Project Safe's 24-hour hotline at (706) 543-3331, or by visiting http://www.project-safe.org