It is unclear if the individual’s name is Matthew Sartain or Sartain Matthews. The Bulloch County Jail report lists his name as Matthew Sartain, but arrest warrants list Sartain Matthews. In this article, he is referenced as ‘Matthews’ to reflect what’s on the arrest warrants.
An incident on a bus on the campus of Georgia Southern ended with a man being arrested for kidnapping a driver and injuring three police department employees.
The incident reportedly happened between 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on March 10 in front of the College of Education at Georgia Southern.
Warrants filed in Superior Court state that 46-year-old Sartain Matthews kidnapped a bus driver, refused to allow her to leave the bus, and injured officers who tried to get both Matthews and the driver off of the bus.
The warrants allege the following:
Kidnapping – When the named victim attempted to exit the bus, Matthews told the female she was not allowed to leave, physically pushed her back down into her seat, and prevented her from exiting the bus.
False Imprisonment – Matthews refused commands from a police officer to let the bus driver exit the bus.
Disorderly Conduct – Matthews was intoxicated and refused multiple verbal commands from officers to exit the bus and release the bus driver, causing the bus driver to fear for their safety.
Public Drunkenness – Matthews “made manifest by slurred speech, glossed eyes, and actively consuming an alcoholic beverage identified as a Four Loko. Matthews also refused to comply with commands, which police say further demonstrated his intoxicated condition.
Simple Battery – Matthews pushed the bus driver in the chest while she was trying to leave, causing her to fall back into her chair. The arresting officer wrote in the warrants that she had previous knowledge that the bus driver “had a pacemaker and was attempting to escort her off the bus for her safety” when Matthews pushed her.
Obstruction (misdemeanor) – Matthews obstructed and hindered Captain Barker by refusing verbal commands to exit a bus and engaging in a physical altercation with Barker, which required Barker “to go hands-on in order to remove the accused from the bus.”
Obstruction (misdemeanor) – Matthews obstructed and hindered Officer Garza by refusing verbal commands to exit a bus and engaging in a physical altercation with Garza, which required Garza “to go hands-on in order to remove the accused from the bus.”
Obstruction (felony) – Matthews obstructed Captain Charles Bowen who was attempting to escort Matthews off the bus, but Matthews refused to comply and “engaged in a physical altercation, which caused injury to Captain Charles Bowen.”
Obstruction (felony) – Matthews obstructed Sergeant Timothy Alderman who was attempting to escort Matthews off the bus, but Matthews refused to comply and “engaged in a physical altercation, which caused injury to Sergeant Alderman.”
Obstruction (felony) – Matthews obstructed Lieutenant Jacob Heatherly who was attempting to escort Matthews off the bus, but Matthews refused to comply and “engaged in a physical altercation, which caused injury to Lieutenant Heatherly.”
Matthews remains in the Bulloch County Jail without bond and no scheduled court date. Records do not indicate he has an attorney.
Court records show that Sartain Matthews was arrested in 2022 for False Imprisonment in Bulloch County after he barricaded a man in an office and refused to let him leave. A misdemeanor Obstruction charge was also included.
Matthews was arrested again in March of 2024 for two counts of False Imprisonment* and one count of felony Obstruction. He was offered a negotiated plea* in late 2024 and sentenced to ten years probation, with credit for time served in jail dating back to 2022, a $2,000 fine that was suspended, order to have no contact with the victims in the case, and ordered to comply with mental health treatment.
The victims in the 2022 case, the 2024, and the 2026 case are not the same. The negotiated plea was offered under the previous administration in the District Attorney’s Office.
I don’t get it!! Why they don’t keep a disgusting man in jail without bond, was he suddenly reformed from child molestation!?! NO !!
There is no information regarding this man and a conviction for any type of sexual offense. He’s also not on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry.