In a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Brian Etheridge and Sharamane Etheridge have accused Houston County, its Sheriff, and an unnamed deputy of violating their civil rights. The plaintiffs allege unlawful detention and threats during an incident at the Perry County Fair on October 11, 2025. They claim their Fourth, First, and Fourteenth Amendment rights were breached when deputies detained them without cause after they operated a drone. The complaint also highlights alleged retaliation for free speech and obstruction of records access under Georgia law. The Etheridges seek compensatory damages, punitive damages against individual defendants, attorneys’ fees, and injunctive relief.
Source: 525cv00464_Brian_Etheridge_v_Houston_County_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf
