Anthony Flanagan, who is running as a Democrat for the District 3 Newton County Board of Commissioners seat, served prison time for aggravated assault in Rockdale County in the early 90s and has had several financial troubles, according to public records.

On March 18, 1991, a 32-year-old McDonough man entered Flanagan's yard and threatened Flanagan, according to Rockdale County court documents. Flanagan, who was 23 at the time, shot the man with a .25 caliber pistol in his left arm, breaking his bone. In court, Flanagan's lawyer stated he had acted in self-defense.

Flanagan was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault, a felony charge, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license, a misdemeanor.

In Nov. 1991, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation and given first offender status which would allow the guilty plea to not show on his record.

Because he was a Georgia Tech student at the time, the judge allowed him to finish the semester and to turn himself in on Jan. 26, 1991.

However, four days before he was to turn himself in, Flanagan violated the terms of his probation by violating the laws of a governmental unit, according to court documents.

Flanagan's lawyer told the judge that Flanagan was involved in a civil action and was ordered to pay $569 or spend time in jail.

While at the courthouse to settle the civil action, Flanagan tried to leave to get the money from the bank to pay the debt, but he was still in custody.

When Flanagan attempted to leave the courthouse, police officers chased after him.

According to the court transcript, Flanagan said,"When I seen police chasing me and guns drawn on me, I just panicked."

The police were able to subdue Flanagan, but not without a struggle. During the struggle, Flanagan left a scratch marks on an officer's arm, which the officer insisted were bite marks.

He was arrested and charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer, battery and escape. He also had broken his probation curfew several times in December and January.

In Feb. 1992, Flanagan's first offender status was revoked due to the violations and he was sentenced to four years under the original sentence of aggravated assault.
Flanagan served one and a half years in prison before being released from Hays State Prison on Sept. 10, 1993, according to records.

Flanagan's financial troubles also began in the early 1990s, according to documents from Westlaw Court Express, an online document site.

In March 1993, California filed a state tax lien for $3,587 against Flanagan on a property in Yuba City, Calif.

In April 2002, a small claims judgment for $5,000 was filed against Flanagan on a property on Knoll Court in Conyers.

In March 2006, Flanagan bought a property in the Timber Oaks subdivision on Hoglen Drive in Covington. The property was foreclosed upon and was auctioned off on the courthouse steps in Aug. 2011.

Lastly, in December 2011, a small claims judgment for $208,901 was filed against Flanagan in Cobb County.

Multiple attempts were made to reach Flanagan, but he did not return any phone calls seeking comment.

Flanagan is the owner of Georgia's Print, Sign & Graphic's Co., located on U.S. Highway 278 in Covington.