Athens woman’s head split open when attacked with shovel

Ricky Jerome Jernigan

By Joe Johnson

An Athens woman was recently hospitalized with a severe head injury after she was assaulted with a shovel.

The incident happened on the night of September 9th when Judy Gresham was smoking crack and drinking at the home of Ricky Jernigan.

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 “a woman was in the middle of Fairview Street with a head wound that was bleeding, and that the woman’s head was split to the white meat.”‘according to the police report.

Gresham was transported by ambulance to the hospital and Jernigan was arrested at the scene for aggravated assault.

Jernigan is being held without bail pending a bond hearing that’s scheduled for October 1st.