County commissioner arrested after gunfire, standoff in retirement community

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — A two-hour standoff situation that began after gunfire erupted in a Spalding County retirement community is over -- and now, a county commissioner is behind bars.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went to serve a warrant involving a domestic dispute to a man who owns a home within Sun City Peachtree by Del Webb.

While serving the warrant, officials said shots were fired at, or in the direction of, deputies.

A mass email was sent out to residents, advising them to stay inside.

Around 5:30 p.m., officials confirmed Spalding County Commissioner Donald Hawbaker was arrested.

NewsChopper 2 over the scene showed a tank in the front yard and a huge hole in the house where it punched through.

“Once we got him outside, he continued to be verbally abusive, cursing at me, cursing at the deputies, telling us that he wanted to die. He refused medical treatment. He was transported to the Spalding County Jail,” sheriff Darell Dix said.

Hawbaker was also arrested in October on a DUI charge ahead of his monthly government meeting.

[READ MORE: Spalding County commissioner charged with DUI before government meeting]

Officials said nobody was hurt by the gunfire and deputies did not return fire.

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