DAVIDSON COUNTY – The challenge of former Davidson County sheriff Gerald Hege’s candidacy was thrown out Friday morning, as the Davidson County Board of Elections ruled the matter was a “moot” point, said Davidson County Board of Elections Director Ruth Huneycutt.

Thirteen residents, led by Salvation’s Way President Melisia Prout, filed affidavits last month against Hege’s candidacy, claiming Hege would be in direct violation of state law if elected because he would have control over firearms in the sheriff’s office. But the issue became moot when incumbent Sheriff David Grice easily beat Hege during Tuesday’s Republican Primary.

The board, which met at the Davidson County Governmental Center, unanimously voted to dismiss the petitions, Huneycutt said.

After the hearing, an altercation ensued between Hege’s supporters and those affiliated with Salvation’s Way, Prout said.

As members of both sides left the meeting, a woman in her group had her hand slammed into the elevator by a Hege supporter, Prout claimed. She said her brother, James Floyd Stanley Jr., attempted to attempted to identify the man in the governmental center parking lot and find out the license tag number from his truck.

“(Hege supporters) put the guy in the truck and hid him, so we couldn’t find him,” Prout said. “My brother went behind the truck to get the license tag number, and another one of (Hege’s) people sat down on the bumper to hide the license tag number. My brother and the man on the bumper exchanged words. Then he lunged off the bumper to attack my brother, and when he did that two other men attempted to jump on him.

“I don’t know if the other two men were able to make contact or not because at that point we were all in the middle trying to separate everybody.”

Hege said he attended the meeting but wasn’t present when the altercation occurred.

When officers with the Lexington Police Department arrived at the scene, the confrontation had ended, said Capt. Mark Sink. The people involved, told officers they would file charges with the magistrate, Sink said, adding that there will be no investigation.

Prout said the woman who had her hand slammed in the elevator had to be taken to the hospital for X-rays. She said her brother has filed warrants with the Davidson County magistrate.

According to warrants, Stanley, of Lexington filed simple assault charges with a magistrate against Jerry Moose and Randall Hobert Griffie, both of Thomasville. In return, Griffie and Moose filed simple assault charges with a magistrate against Stanley.

Davidson County Sheriff’s Office Maj. E.B. Grubb said the sheriff’s office is not involved in an investigation of the incident.

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