Richmond County authorities are searching for a career criminal for allegedly stabbing a homeless man in December.
Hassan Hopgood, 36, left the victim with multiple wounds to the head, stomach and side in the random stabbing on Dec. 20 on Deans Bridge Road, according to a sheriff’s report.
The victim, described in a report as a 56-year-old white male, said he was walking east in a crosswalk area at Deans Bridge Road and Milledgeville Road when the suspect suddenly attacked.
“He walked by an unknown black male who started stabbing him for unknown reasons with what appeared to be a 6-inch knife,” the report says. “He does not know the subject nor did the subject say anything to him during the assault.”
The victim was taken to Augusta University Medical Center for his injuries, and an investigation led to warrants against Hopgood for aggravated assault.
Hopgood has been arrested multiple times over the last two decades for marijuana and cocaine possession, breaking into vehicles, theft by receiving stolen property, trespassing, shoplifting, giving false info to police, obstruction and public indecency. He received probation and community service in almost every case, except one 30-day sentence for marijuana possession.
Last March, he was arrested for refusing to leave an Augusta café while drunk and kicking a glass window. He fought the arresting deputy and then exposed himself on the way to jail, telling the officer to “suck this,” a report says.
Judge David Watkins accepted a guilty plea in June to public indecency and obstruction and gave Hopgood more probation and community service.
Anyone that comes in contact with the suspect or has any information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Inv. Foozan Monga or any on-call investigator at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1034 or 706-821-1020.
