[GA] Deputy Kernaghan, just fired for being a scary stalker of his estranged wife, is arrested again

Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Kernaghan, fired last month after being charged for stalking, making harassing phone calls and terroristic threats to his estranged wife, has been arrested again after reportedly violating the protection order..

EXCERPTS FROM LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH'S NEWS:

FIRED COLUMBIA COUNTY DEPUTY FREE ON BOND
By Valerie Rowell
Friday, May 28, 2010 11:56 AM
Last updated 3:51 PM
A Columbia County sheriff's deputy was fired today after being arrested and charged with stalking. Motorcycle deputy Gregory Key Kernaghan, 40, was charged with stalking, making harassing phone calls and terroristic threats, according to sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris. Kernaghan is accused of stalking his estranged wife. "Once we learned of the events, we, of course, we're very disappointed," Morris said. "As we've demonstrated in the past, we enforce the law no matter who is involved. Deputy Kernaghan's actions were dealt with swiftly and justly." Kernaghan was released from the Columbia County Detention Center this afternoon after posting a $5,000 bond, according to jail personnel. Kernaghan's wife, from whom he's been separated from since October 2009, called police Thursday. She claimed that since their separation Kernaghan has followed her on a number of occasions and calls her about 20 times per day, despite being told not to, according to a police report. Also, she said he threatened to hurt her and she has audio recordings of the threats. Kernaghan was a sheriff's office reserve deputy before being hired in February 2007. He was working as a motorcycle deputy with the sheriff's office traffic unit. As with other sheriff's office employees charged with crimes, Kernaghan was terminated upon his arrest, Morris said. http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2010-05-28/columbia-county-deputy-arrested-and-fired

FORMER DEPUTY ARRESTED AGAIN FOR STALKING
Former Columbia County sheriff's deputy Gregory Key Kernaghan has been arrested again, this time for aggravated stalking.
WRDW.com
Posted: 10:44 AM Jun 15, 2010
[Excerpts] Former Columbia County sheriff's deputy Gregory Key Kernaghan has been arrested again on a stalking charge. This time the charge is aggravated stalking, a felony in Georgia that carries the possibility of prison time if convicted. Kernaghan was arrested just after 6:15 pm Monday (June 14) at a Martinez residence. Online property records indicate that residence belongs to Gregory and Stephanie Kernaghan. Sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris says the charge was upgraded to aggravated stalking because Kernaghan violated a condition of his bond when he was released after the earlier arrest. Morris says Kernaghan tried to contact his estranged wife directly and through another person. Last month Kernaghan was arrested on a stalking charge after a complaint from his wife, Stephanie. At that time she indicated he was calling her up to 20 times a day. The couple is in the process of a divorce. After the first arrest, Kernaghan was fired by the sheriff. He was a motorcycle patrol officer. http://www.wrdw.com/crimeteam12/headlines/96374154.html

EX-DEPUTY ARRESTED AGAIN ON STALKING CHARGE
chronicle.augusta.com
June 15, 2010 9:04 AM
[Excerpts] A former Columbia County sheriff’s deputy fired last month after being arrested for stalking, was arrested again Monday for attempting to contact his estranged wife. Gregory Key Kernaghan, 40, was arrested Monday evening and charged with aggravated stalking. Kernaghan, a former motorcycle deputy, was charged in May with stalking, making harassing phone calls and terroristic threats, according to sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris. He was accused of stalking his estranged wife. After that arrest, he had been released from the Columbia County Detention Center after posting a $5,000 conditional bond, according to jail personnel.  One of the conditions of the bond was that he have no contact, direct, indirect or through another person, with his wife. On several occasions since, Kernaghan clearly violated the order by attempting to contact her both directly and through another person, Morris said. In May, Kernaghan’s wife, from whom he’s been separated since October 2009, told police Kernaghan has followed her on a number of occasions and called her about 20 times per day, despite being told not to, according to a police report. Also, she said he threatened to hurt her and she has audio recordings of the threats. He is being held without bond, according to jail records. http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-06-15/ex-deputy-arrested-again-stalking-charge?v=1276597241
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