Father in ICU after group attacks him, daughter at campground; 4 arrested

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) – Four people are facing charges for allegedly attacking a Georgia father and his 20-year-old daughter while they were camping. Days after the incident, the father is still in the intensive care unit.

Brittanee Hollingsworth says her father, 58-year-old Bruce Waldon, is in the ICU after he was cut from the ear to the back of the neck in the Saturday attack at a White County campground. He also suffered from a severe brain bleed.

“This is just an act of evil and senselessness,” Hollingsworth said. “My dad is having a lot of nightmares and just wakes up screaming because he’s afraid that they’re going to come and try to hurt the rest of the family.”

Bruce Waldon, 58, is in the ICU after he was cut from the ear to the back of the neck in a... — Bruce Waldon, 58, is in the ICU after he was cut from the ear to the back of the neck in a violent attack while camping. He also suffered from a severe brain bleed.(Brittanee Hollingsworth)

Waldon’s family says the father and his 20-year-old daughter were camping at Low Gap Campground when a group of people allegedly attacked them from behind.

“My dad was eating peanut brittle and fixing his fishing pole, and my sister was eating boiled peanuts,” Hollingsworth said. “My dad was attacked with a beer bottle on the side of the head, cut him from his ear to the back of his neck, and was passed out on the ground.”

Waldon’s daughter sustained bruising in the incident. The White County Sheriff’s Office says she stabbed her attacker in self-defense.

Four people have been arrested for allegedly assaulting the father and daughter. Krista Wilson, 44, Joshua Wilson, 42, Joshua Miller, 32, and Charles Miller, 39, were charged with aggravated assault and battery, according to the sheriff’s office.

Waldon’s family is speaking out in hopes this doesn’t happen to anyone else. Police haven’t said if alcohol was a factor, but they say if it was, it shouldn’t be allowed in a family-friendly area to prevent incidents like this.

“I don’t understand why you would do this to a man that was with his daughter for a camping trip,” Hollingsworth said. “My dad would give the shirt off his back and not ask for one back.”

Hollingsworth says she believes there were more suspects involved. The sheriff’s office says it is still an active investigation.

Waldon’s family started a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses.

Atlanta News First does not vet or endorse individual GoFundMes. Donate at your own risk.

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