Athens man indicted for assaulting woman with shovel

By Joe Johnson

Ricky Jerome Jernigan, 68, of Fairview Street was indicted this week for severely injuring a woman last month when he struck her with the head with a shovel.

The incident happened on the night of September 9th when, police said, the victim was smoking crack and drinking at Jernigan’s home.

She told the police that when her host tried to have sex she tried to leave but Jernigan followed her out the door and struck her in the back of her head with the shovel.

A witness called 911 to report that the victim was in the middle of the street with her head “split to the white meat.”

Police said that the victim suffered severe cranial hemorrhaging.

Jernigan remains incarcerated after having been denied bail.