A 64-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly claiming to be a clown who’s been threatening children.
Coffee County officials said a call came in Friday night to the communications center from a man who made lewd comments towards a female dispatcher and said he would harm her children.
The suspect, identified as George Randy Hoppe, also claimed to be a clown who’s been threatening children in the area, according to an arrest warrant.
However, the call came through on the non-emergency line and wasn’t traceable.
Hoppe allegedly called back later and told another dispatcher that he would kidnap her. When she asked for his address, he gave her a residence on Commodore Drive which turned out to be an empty lot.
As officials began listening to the calls, a deputy recognized the voice on the line.
Investigators went to Hoppe’s home and called the communications center from his phone. Dispatches said they recognized his voice and laugh as the same one from earlier.
Hoppe was arrested and held on a $100,000 bond.
