Washington County Commissioners father behind bars for alleged arson

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – A Washington County Commissioner’s father is behind bars for his alleged involvement in an arson that occurred last year in Bonifay.

John Hawkins, the father of Commissioner Tray Hawkins, was arrested early Tuesday at his home in Bonifay.

According to the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were contacted by the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations stating they had a warrant on Hawkins for a vehicle fire that occurred in February 2023.

He is currently facing multiple charges including arson, two counts of fraud, an organized scheme to defraud, and providing a false report to law enforcement.

This isn’t the first time John Hawkins has been in hot water.

His employer, Wheeler Management Consultants, has been working as a FEMA consultant for Washington County but is now the focus of an FBI investigation for common law negligence.

Some residents have also criticized the inappropriate relationship between Wheeler and the county, due to John Hawkins’s son being a commission member.

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