By RAY LIGHTNER
Journal Staff Writer
Jeff Foxworthy once said you might be a redneck if you’ve ever fallen asleep at a Waffle House.
If you punch a deputy in the face at Waffle House you might be that plus get something you might not have bargained for.
Such was the case for Bennie Frank Womack, 66, of 1005 Elberta Road No. 27 in Warner Robins.
He was charged with felony obstruction of an officer and disorderly conduct for his activities around 2:53 a.m. Saturday morning.
He reportedly entered the parking lot of the Watson Boulevard Waffle House and asked customers and the deputy for a cigarette. When the deputy told the man he didn’t smoke, the man reportedly cursed and then went into the restaurant where he created a disturbance by using racial slurs and vulgarity.
When asked by the deputy to leave, Womack reportedly struck the deputy in the face with a closed fist and actively resisted arrest.
A second deputy, who like the first deputy was also on an authorized security detail at the Waffle House, was able to deploy a Taser on the offender, and both deputies were able to take the man into custody.
The offender was taken to the hospital where the Taser prongs were removed and he was then released to the jail. He remains in the jail without bond.
Womack was also charged with two counts of criminal trespass because he had been previously told he was banned from the property at 1501 and 1507 Watson Blvd.
Cpl. James Williams, who deployed the Taser, explained the security detail works the Waffle House during bar hours on the weekends. “It’s a pretty busy place,” Williams said. In other weekend criminal activity:
• Xavier T. Hickey, 41, of 1 Hampton Circle, Warner Robins, was charged with disorderly conduct at the Sheriff’s Office. Already in the jail on other charges, he was supposed to be escorted by a deputy to a funeral Saturday morning, but was not allowed to go reportedly do to his behavior.
• On Sunday morning a man reported a theft from the front admission building at the Mossy Creek Festival. The complainant reportedly saw a man come running out of the building and heading to Southlake Drive. He gave chase but was unable to catch him before he got into a small black truck. The suspect was reportedly wearing a light colored ball cap, a greenish Carhart jacket and blue jeans. An unknown amount of money, enough to make change, was taken.
• On Sunday morning, the owner of Waterford Golf Course reported the theft of $800 from the clubhouse. The reported point of entry was the east side of the building at a window going into the men’s locker room. A set of tire tracks apparently from a pick-up truck start at the building. The alarm was reportedly set and was still armed in the morning.
Anyone with information on either burglary is asked to contact Sgt, Ronnie Harlowe of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 542-2085.
