James Nelson

The sheriff’s department is looking for a 20-year-old Margaretta man who twice during the past week managed to flee on foot from deputies attempting to arrest him on a warrant for violating probation.

James Latherias Nelson first gave police the slip the morning of April 10 when he jumped from the rear passenger seat of a 2013 Buick that briefly sped off from Deputy Trey McCullough on Lowder St. in west Macclenny.

The deputy turned around on the vehicle driven by Veronica Manning, 35, of Glen St. Mary when it failed to stop at the intersection with Minnesota Ave. about 10 am. He chased it to a residence on Big Blvd. near the school bus garage and saw Mr. Nelson scale a six-foot fence before running off toward the CSX tracks.

Ms. Manning and passenger Antonio Lee, 22, of Glen initially told the deputy they did not know the identity of the fleeing passenger, then under threat of arrest admitted to Deputy McCullough that he was Mr. Nelson, who has the nickname “Monkey.”

Two mornings later about the same time, Deputy Chris Walker said he was tipped off that Mr. Nelson and another male were in a Chevrolet SUV outside a residence on Ruise Lane in Margaretta.

The vehicle sped off when the officer approached in his patrol car and turned onto Davis Rd. where it pulled up to a residence and both occupants fled on foot through a field of tall grass.

Deputy Walker identified one of the men as Mr. Nelson. The vehicle belonged to Tosha Coleman, who said she allowed the fugitive to use it the previous day.

Mr. Nelson is on probation for criminal mischief, burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

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Baker County High School varsity football coach Ryan Sulkowski used this week’s school board meeting as an opportunity to issue a public apology for his use of a school district credit card to buy alcoholic beverages at a Clay County restaurant following a sporting event in February.

“This is something that’s been on my heart,” Coach Sulkowski said, as he stood before the board during a community meeting in the sanctuary at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ in Margaretta. “I’m standing here, humble. I wanted to apologize for any negative reaction to the mistake I made.”

School board chairman Dean Griffis said Mr. Sulkowski, who was recruited to Baker County from Colorado in April 2010, had requested time to address the school board under a place on the agenda designated for “citizen input.”