ATLANTA, Ga. — Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson turned himself in, less than 24 hours after a grand jury handed down a seven-count indictment related to his physical confrontation with a local police officer at the scene of a 2024 shooting, Atlanta News First reported.
Henderson was booked on Oct. 27 and later released on bond and his own recognizance.
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The charges stem from a Dec. 2024 incident involving Hiawassee Police Officer José Carvajal, who responded to aid a wounded Towns County deputy, Austin Bradburn. Carvajal, a military veteran, applied a tourniquet to Bradburn’s leg and secured the deputy’s weapon after it was mistakenly picked up during the chaos.
Body camera footage obtained by Atlanta News First later revealed Henderson confronting Carvajal over the weapon. The encounter escalated when Carvajal refused to hand over the gun again until the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrived. Henderson became agitated and physically engaged with the officer, an altercation that left deputies on scene visibly shocked. Some were seen holding Henderson back.
The charges against Henderson include:
- Three counts of violation of oath by public officer
- Two counts of false imprisonment (including one under color of law)
- Simple battery on a police officer
- Simple battery
Alongside Henderson’s indictment, Bradburn was also indicted on Oct. 27 in connection to what authorities now believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His original claim of being shot by a suspect triggered the emergency response where the confrontation between Henderson and Carvajal occurred.
In response to the developments, Towns County’s Superior Court Chief Judge swore in Anthony Coleman as interim sheriff. Coleman is a retired Georgia State Patrol lieutenant and Hiawassee native, according to the report.
In September, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association requested a formal review of the case from Gov. Brian Kemp, citing “a high degree of unprofessionalism and possible criminal behavior.” Kemp signed an executive order launching the review the same day.
The misconduct panel later recommended disciplinary action, and on Oct. 21, Kemp ordered Henderson to be suspended for 60 days.
Georgia law allows the governor to suspend a sheriff accused of misconduct or criminal charges following a committee review.
