Police: Buford Man Killed Father With Crowbar

BUFORD, GA -- A Buford man is in custody Thursday after police say he beat and killed his father with a crowbar.

Joseph Allen Cook, 40, faces charges of murder and aggravated assault in the death of his father, 68-year-old Larry Cook.

Gwinnett County Police say the initial 911 call Wednesday evening to the family's home, on Bridle Glen Drive in Buford, came from Larry Cook. The dispatcher could hear yelling and someone requesting police, then the line went dead.

Another 911 call came from a neighbor, who said she saw the attack in the family's driveway.

Police say that, after the attack, Joseph Cook went back into the home and told his step-mother what he had done. She also called 911.

Police arrived and Cook, who was outside, was arrested -- at first without incident. But, after he was transported to Gwinnett County Police headquarters for questioning, he punched a female police officer in the face, according to a news release.

The officer suffered some facial injuries and an ambulance was called, but she is expected to be OK, police say.

Police described Joseph Cook as an ex-convict, but said it wasn't immediately known what he served time for or where he was incarcerated. There was not history of police calls to the home for violence or other criminal activity.

(Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department)