Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Releases Statement on Viral Arrest Video
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says a viral social media video showing deputies arresting a woman outside a business on Wrightsboro Road captures only a small portion of the incident and does not show the events that led to her arrest.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were dispatched at approximately 10:20 a.m. on June 19 to a business located at 3481 Wrightsboro Road in Augusta after employees reported a disruptive customer.
Investigators said the woman allegedly approached an employee in a threatening manner, causing the employee to retreat into an employees-only area of the business. Authorities said the woman followed the employee into the restricted area, which is not open to the public. Surveillance video from inside the business reportedly confirmed she entered the employees-only section.
When deputies arrived, employees requested that the woman be removed from the property. Deputies said they issued a lawful order directing her to leave the business, but she refused, telling officers she would not leave unless the store manager personally instructed her to do so.
While completing the investigation, deputies also requested the woman’s identifying information for an incident report. According to the sheriff’s office, she refused to provide her identity.
The sheriff’s office said the video circulating online begins only after those events had already occurred and starts after the woman was escorted outside the business. Officials said the deputy seen in the video had returned to a patrol vehicle to retrieve a notepad needed to complete the report.
The woman was arrested and charged with Criminal Trespass and Disorderly Conduct under case number 26-125282.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said it reviewed body-worn camera footage from all responding deputies, along with surveillance video from the business and witness statements, and determined the evidence was consistent with the sequence of events described by investigators.
In its statement, the agency urged the public not to draw conclusions based solely on short video clips shared online, stating that brief recordings often fail to capture the full context of an encounter.
The sheriff’s office said it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring deputies perform their duties professionally and in accordance with the law.
