Kirby Carmichael
Met Sheriff J. D. Stewart
of Catoosa County, Georgia.

1983

Sheriff J. D. Stewart

In office from late 50's on and off from until his death 1986

 

In the late 70's on into on the mid 80's, Sheriff Stewart brought national attention to

 Catoosa County with the department's purchase of Pontiac Trans-AM Patrol cars.

Stewart and his cars were featured on the nation television show Real People"

and in Car and Driver Magazine.

 

Stewart was always a Pontiac man who had a need for speed.

One of Sheriff Stewart's deputies was en rout to a murder call, when a Georgia State Trooper

clocked the Trans - AM patrol car doing 160mph on I-75.

 

All of the  Catoosa County patrol cars were Pontiac Trans - AM's

400 & 4 Speed

The Black T/A is my car. 455 bored 40 over with a Doug Nash 5 Speed

with an 850 double pump Holly.

 

                                                   Inside of Sheriff Stewarts Car.                                                           J. D. Stewart had his name painted on his car.

Deputy Mike Tinker Driving My T/A in 1983

  A note from someone who was there.

Hello Kirby!

        I wanted to send you a note to tell you that J. D. was sheriff in the late 1950's until he was beat by Leroy Brown in mid 1960s. Brown was a 2 term sheriff.. The public voted him out and we Catoosa Countians had JD again :)

J.D. took office Janurary 1st, 1977. He succeeded Sheriff Leroy Brown after beating Leroy in the election. I worked for JD 2 different times, I initially went to work for him in October 77 and worked there until mid summer 1980, then again just before his death in 1986. The Trans am were a lot of fun for all of us deputies :)
 


Take care!
Cliff Yates
 

The Headstone on Sheriff  J.D. Stewart's Grave

 kirbycarmichael@aol.com