Sugar Hill councilman jailed for fighting on street

A Sugar Hill city councilman was jailed over the weekend for allegedly fighting with three other men on his neighborhood street.

James Nicholas “Nick” Thompson, 34, was released from jail on his birthday, Saturday morning, after Sugar Hill Mayor Gary Pirkle pooled money with Thompson’s parents and another city council member, Steve Edwards, to pay a $2,600 bond. Thompson was charged with simple battery and battery, both misdemeanors.

Two of the men involved in the confrontation — Daniel Koster, 21, of Buford, and Charles Reid, 21, of Sugar Hill — were charged with simple battery. A third man, Brandon Antoine Ballard, of Sugar Hill, was issued a disorderly conduct citation.

The three men claimed Thompson had threatened them with a bat and yelled at them “for no reason,” according to a police report.

Thompson told police the argument started after he yelled at the three young men to slow down because they were speeding through his Secret Cove subdivision around 7:30 p.m. Friday. At the time, Thompson was walking his two young children in a double stroller.

The three men responded by threatening Thompson and following him as he tried to walk away, the police report stated.

Thompson told police he dropped off his kids at home and then returned to confront the trio.

The dispute resulted in a scuffle, the police report said. Thompson said Tuesday he was “not proud to have been arrested.”

“It was a first time ever for me to be in trouble like that, but I’ve got three children and my two youngest ones were threatened directly and in clear danger,” Thompson said.

Pirkle said that Thompson did what any other parent would do, and pointed out “he tried to get out of the situation and couldn’t.”