By Joe Johnson
An Athens man is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his chest as the result of an argument about oral sex that ended with gunfire.
The incident happened December 1st at a woman’s home on Venita Drive where she, her friend, Rickeyria Bennett, and Michael Johnson were having an argument.
According to police, the dispute was “about the pros and cons of having oral sex and personal hygiene on the genital area.”
At one point, Bennett called her grandfather, Donald Jones, asking him to meditate the heated debate.
As he watched on FaceTime, police said, Jones saw Johnson grab the phone from Bennett and and during an ensuing struggle over the device he mistakenly thought Johnson had placed hands on his granddaughter.
When Jones warned the 41-year-old man not to touch Bennett, Johnson reportedly challenged him by asking what he’d do about it.
The 68-year-old grandfather responded by saying “What is the address? Imma pull up,” according to police.
Johnson gave it to him and a short time later Jones arrived and shot Johnson during a scuffle in the doorway.
None of the witnesses reported the shooting to police, who said they only learned about it after the Venita Drive woman drove Johnson to the hospital.
When questioned, the victim and witnesses tried covering up what actually happened by making up stories, including a version that had Johnson getting shot during an altercation at a gas station.
After learning the real version of events, police arrested Jones for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted first offender.
Jones on Wednesday remained in pretrial detention at the county jail after a Magistrate Court judge denied him bail.