One man’s long-standing history of making threats toward a nearby wedding venue culminated with him launching a firework at a helicopter carrying a newly married couple, Georgia deputies say.

A Cherokee County deputy was working as security at an Oct. 20 wedding when he heard a “mortar firework” hurtling toward a departing helicopter carrying the newlyweds, according to a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office crime report. After further investigation, the sheriff’s office issued a warrant for David Jeter on a charge of making terroristic threats, according to deputies.

While working his “extra-duty job,” the officer was aware that other issues had occurred at Rocky’s Lake Estate, where the wedding was being held, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies said the owner, William Morris “Rocky,” had a particular problem with Jeter, who is accused of making threats against employees and wedding guests before.

Jeter lives 470 feet away from Rocky’s Lake Estate in Woodstock, according to the report, and has repeatedly harassed passersby. To access parts of the venue, deputies said, guests would need to take a golf cart that would drive past Jeter’s house, where he would make “sideways motions to his neck with his hands” and say “don’t do it” to guests.

A disorderly conduct report was filed against Jeter as a suspect in 2022, according to the report.

On the night of the firework incident, the bride and groom celebrating the end of their wedding at Rocky’s Lake Estate boarded a helicopter at about 9:45 p.m., according to the report. Around that time, the officer was told by an employee that Jeter was outside of his home “yelling in anger,” the deputy said.

The helicopter lifted off about 15 minutes later, and while flying off, many people in the venue heard a firework “shoot off and explode,” the report said. It came in “close proximity to the helicopter as it was still low,” the officer said, and the owner suspected Jeter may have launched the rocket.

Jeter had mentioned in a previous encounter that he was “protesting” the wedding venue, the sheriff’s office said.

The officer said he was only aware of one firework being launched.

To check if Jeter had discharged the explosive, Morris contacted his daughter to check her outdoor camera footage, according to the sheriff’s office. Morris’ daughter lives across the street from Jeter, deputies said, and had previously put camera up around her home due to “a history of being harassed by [Jeter].”

After going over the video footage, the owner sent a clip to the officer that he said showed the firework launching from Jeter’s home, the sheriff’s office said.

“Had this firework hit the helicopter it could have caused problems, or damage to the helicopter,” the officer wrote. “David’s actions scared a lot of people, as multiple people observing thought something bad has happened to the helicopter.”

As a result of the incident, the officer said he had probable cause to charge Jeter with terroristic acts. A warrant was issued because “his actions were escalating,” the officer wrote

Jeter was booked in jail Oct. 24 by the sheriff’s office, according to jail records. His charges were listed as disorderly conduct, with a $3,500 bond, and terroristic threats, which had no bond posted.

Woodstock is about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta.

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