BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Glynn County Interim Police Chief Rickey Evans said Monday that the man shot and killed by a Papa John’s delivery driver on Saturday night had “an extensive criminal history.”
Police identify the man killed as Jeremy Hicks, 37. According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, Hicks was released two years ago after serving 15 years on a conviction for armed robbery.
The driver told police that the man ordered a pizza delivered about 11 p.m. Saturday, but when he got to the address, which turned out to be a vacant mobile home, the man pulled a knife on him. The driver, who police have not named, said he pulled his gun and shot the man in self-defense. Hicks died at the scene.
Ernest Bradham, the owner of the property, told News4Jax that no one lives there and it’s being renovated. He said he lives close by and the gunshot woke him up.
“My wife came about 10 minutes later and said get up and look at all these lights at the trailer,” he recounted. “So I got up and police cars are all down the road.”
When asked if he knew Hicks, Bradham said: “I wouldn’t know him right now if you showed me a photo and asked if I knew him. I don’t know the guy.”
Evans said the driver and the attempted robbery did not know each other and that no charges have been filed against the driver, who has no criminal record. He added that police are still investigating and would like anyone who knows anything about what happened to contact them at 912-554-3645.
“This is a case that we will take a little time to get all of the facts we are working on,” Evans said.
Evans said there have not been any other recent robberies in the area of Saturday night’s shooting.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said delivery drivers sometimes make easy targets for robberies.
“They’re in and out of communities very fast and it’s easy to fake a delivery call,” Jefferson said.
News4Jax has reached out to Papa John’s corporate office regarding the shooting and is awaiting a formal response.