Hall County Major Chris Matthews
HALL COUNTY, Ga. - A veteran Hall County Major has been appointed interim sheriff in the wake of Sheriff Gerald Couch’s 60-day suspension.
What we know:
A judge appointed Major Chris Matthews to the position on Wednesday. He will serve as the interim chief for at least the next two months while Couch is on leave following a DUI accusation.
Matthews has worked in the department since 1984 and currently serves as the Major of the Administrative Bureau, a position he has held for nearly nine years. He is the longest-serving sworn officer in the agency.
The backstory:
The leadership change follows an investigation into Sheriff Couch, who was placed on leave after one of his own deputies reported finding him swerving in his county-issued car on Feb. 27. Responding officers noted he smelled of alcohol, and a police report states his blood alcohol level came back at 0.212%—well above the state limit of 0.08%.
Couch reportedly told officers he started drinking at 6 a.m. but had his last drink at 8 a.m., just an hour and a half before he was pulled over.
Governor Brian Kemp launched an investigation on March 6, appointing a three-member committee to review the case. That committee consists of Attorney General Christopher Carr, Greene County Sheriff Donnie Harrison, and Glascock County Sheriff Jeremy Kelley.
Dig deeper:
While Hall County Chief Deputy Kevin Head had been leading the department during the initial investigation, he was ineligible to officially assume the office because he does not reside in Hall County. Head will continue to serve as Chief Deputy under Interim Sheriff Matthews.
What we don't know:
It's unclear if Couch will return to office following the suspension.
The Source: Information on the appointment of Matthews came from the Hall County Sheriff's Office via a press release. The information on the arrest, investigation and suspension came from previous FOX 5 reporting.