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Accused Coweta deputy apparent suicide before investigation begins

By David Markiewicz
Feb 11, 2015

An 11-year Coweta County sheriff’s deputy who the Georgia Bureau of Investigation wanted to talk to concerning a sexual offense accusation was found dead Monday in an apparent suicide, sheriff Mike Yeager said.

GBI inspector Sherry Lang said Wednesday that Donald Patterson, “… was scheduled to meet with GBI agents on Monday regarding potential child molestation charges.”

She said she couldn’t answer any other questions because the autopsy report had not been completed.

Patterson had been placed on administrative leave by the department pending the investigation, Yeager said. He said the department had been contacted about the allegation, then turned the matter over to the GBI.

The Newnan Times-Herald first reported the story.

Yeager called Patterson, “a good deputy. One of those that did his job.”

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