COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County man will spend 15 years in prison for a violent attack on an Acworth Police officer that involved strangling her and attempting to gouge her eyes out.
The officer was also left with a front tooth knocked out in the assault, which happened in December 2022.
According to Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady, Jr., 37-year-old Kelly Holcomb was found guilty of aggravated battery on a peace officer, aggravated assault on a peace officer, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of obstruction of an officer and two other counts.
The incident occurred when the Acworth officer responded to a welfare check on Dec. 17, 2022 at the Deerfield Lodge off I-75 and Hwy. 92 in Acworth. The report came in of a "naked male attacking people" at the hotel.
"The officer attempted to calm the male, but he quickly engaged in a fight with another person," a release from DA Broady said. The man then attacked the responding officer and "knocked out one of the officer’s front teeth, strangled her and attempted to gouge her eyes out with his thumbs."
An investigation later determined Holcomb had broken into another room and attacked a woman, "causing serious injury to her and minor injuries to another male in that room."
Holcomb admitted at trial he was on meth at the time of the episode.
“Your bad decisions have led us here," Judge Jason D. Marbutt told Holcomb during the sentencing.
The full sentence includes no contact with the victims and another five years of probation after the 15-year prison term.
“This case shows the dangers of drug use and the harmful consequences it has not just for the user but the individuals surrounding them," said Assistant District Attorney Nolan Slifko, who prosecuted the case.
