THOMASTON POLICE ARREST

On March 27, 2018 Officers from the Thomaston Police Department responded to a disturbance call at DayLight Donuts located at 1102 Hwy 19 North, Thomaston, Georgia. As a result of the incident Edward Rodriguez of Thomaston was arrested for public intoxication, obstruction of an Officer and interference with government property.

Once in custody, Rodriguez became combative and began to resist the officer. His resistance necessitated the help of additional officers. During his resistance, an officer’s body camera was displaced and broken and Rodriguez attempted to bite another officer. In an effort to avoid being bitten, the officer forced Rodriguez to the ground. Due to Rodriguez’s resistance he sustained a laceration to his head on the pavement. EMT’s were immediately dispatched. Mr. Rodriguez continued to be very combative and aggressive to the EMTs while being treated in the ambulance and an officer had to assist in restraining Rodriguez while he was transported to Upson Regional for medical attention.

Due to the nature of the incident a further review is being conducted to ensure all appropriate procedures were taken during the arrest of a combative individual.

WESTWOOD MERGER ON THE TABLE

BIG NEWS FROM WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY ON PICKARD ROAD IN UPSON COUNTY---THE WESTWOOD BOARD IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON A MERGER WITH SKIPSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN GRIFFIN NEXT TUESDAY—AND HEADMASTER MARK DAVIS SAYS IT APPEARS THE VOTES ARE THERE TO DO IT.

SKIPSTONE HAS BEEN OPEN FOR 12 YEARS AND

CURRENT ENROLLMENT IN GRIFFIN K-12 IS 450 WITH A 200 STUDENT WAITING LIST—MORE CLASSROOMS ARE NEEDED AND WESTWOOD FILLS THE BILL.

MARK TOLD ZOOM NEWS—PLANS CALL FOR SKIPSTONE TO MAKE A MAJOR INVESTMENT TO GIVE THE WESTWOOD CAMPUS A FACELIFT WITH THE CURRENT ENROLLMENT OF 107 TO MORE THAN DOUBLE BY NEXT SCHOOL TERM.

SKIPSTONE STUDENTS RECEIVED ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $1.4 MILLION LAST YEAR AND THEY HAVE A FULL RANGE OF ATHLETIC TEAMS THAT HAVE WON CHAMPIONSHIPS.

THE NEW NAME WOULD BE SKIPSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AT WESTWOOD CAMPUS—AND MARK DAVIS WOULD BECOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AT BOTH CAMPUSES.

NTSB REPORT RELEASED ON PIKE PLANE CRASH 2016

THE VICE-CHAIR OF THE GRIFFIN-SPALDING AIRPORT AUTHORITY, RONALD ALEXANDER, 74 AND A PASSENGER LARRY ENLOW, 68 AN FAA OFFICIAL—PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH AT PEACH STATE AIRPORT IN PIKE COUNTY NOVEMBER 2016—AND THE NTSB INVESTIGATION REPORT SAYS THE WORLD WAR ONE TRAINER HAD PROBLEMS GOING BACK TO 2013.

A WITNESS TO THE CRASH SAID THE PLANE SEEMED TO HESITATE FOR AN INSTANT ON TAKE-OFF—AND THEN THERE WAS SILENCE. SOMETHING IN THE BUILDERS POST IN 2014—DESCRIBING THE ENGINE AS RUNNING ROUGH WITH HESITATION AND BACKFIRING FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN ACCELERATING.

THE AUTOPSY REPORT REVEALED ALEXANDER DIED FROM EXTENSIVE THERMAL INJURIES AND ENLOW FROM BLUNT FORCE INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND TORSO.

ALEXANDER FOUNDED THE CANDLER FIELD MUSEUM AT THE AIRPORT IN 2005. 

POST 26 GSP STOPS SPEEDING FEMALE MOTORIST

A 100 MILE PER HOUR CHASE FROM UPSON COUNTY INTO PIKE COUNTY RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF A FEMALE MOTORIST—YOLANDA YOUNG, AGE 43 OF MILLEDGEVILLE –SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

SHE DROVE AROUND STOP-STIX AND WENT EAST ON 18 AT THE PIKE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

STATE TROOPER MIKE KNIGHT EXECUTED A PIT MANEUVER AND PIKE DEPUTY CHARLES HALL BLOCKED HER IN—BUT YOUNG HIT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE S.O. UNIT CAUSING SOME DAMAGE—BUT NO INJURIES.

MORE ON THIS STORY AT PIKE COUNTY TIMES.COM

UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ALLEGED AT USO AND TPD

UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF DAN KILGORE AND THOMASTON POLICE CHIEF MIKE RICHARDSON HAVE RELEASED THE NAMES OF THEIR OFFICERS INVOLVED IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE A DRUG ARREST WITH ALLEGED UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT MARCH 15TH AT THE WALTHAL TRUCK STOP ON 36 EAST.

SHERIFF KILGORE SAID THE GBI IS INVESTIGATING SGT. CODY KENNEDY AFTER HE AND THE CHIEF REVIEWED THE INCIDENT WITH DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEN COKER. SGT. KENNEDY HAS BEEN SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY DURING THE PROBE.

THE CHIEF SAID SGT. BRUCE GILBERT WAS TERMINATED AND PATROLMAN MATT ALLEN WAS SUSPENDED A WEEK WITHOUT PAY AND MUST UNDERGO ADDITONAL TRAINING.

THE TWO TOP COPS HAVE BEEN GUARDED IN THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MEDIA—BUT SHERIFF KILGORE TOLD ZOOM NEWS—THE INCIDENT STARTED WITH A TRAFFIC STOP FOR SPEEDING AND SUSPECTED METH WAS FOUND. 

David Scott Batchelor entered a non-negotiated guilty plea in front of the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams.

BENJAMIN D. COKER

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Griffin Judicial Circuit

PRESS RELEASE

On March 21, 2018, David Scott Batchelor entered a non-negotiated guilty plea in front of the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams. The defendant was charged with 30 counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children. On Counts 1-29, Judge Sams sentenced the defendant to 20 years with the first 18 to be served in prison. On Count 29, the defendant was sentenced to 20 years probation to run consecutively to his prison sentence and on Count 30, the defendant received 20 years, consecutive probation. His total sentence was 60 years with the first 18 years to be served in prison.

District Attorney Coker said of the plea and resulting sentence, “child pornography is not a victimless crime. Every time someone views or downloads these images, the children depicted are revictimized. This sentence sends a strong message that if you choose to engage in this kind of conduct, then the consequences will be severe. I would like to thank my staff, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Upson County Sheriff’s Office, and the witnesses in this case. If we all continue to work together as a team, we can get these predators off of the streets and keep our children safe.”

TU SCHOOL BOARD CALLED MEETING MONDAY

THE THOMASTON-UPSON BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL HOLD A CALLED MEETING MONDAY TO CONDUCT MORE INTERVIEWS TOWARD HIRING A NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT—ALL INTERVIEWS ARE HELD IN CLOSED SESSION.

THE MEETING SCHEDULED 4PM AT SSS FARMS CABIN ON WEST MOORE'S CROSSING ROAD . ZOOM NEWS HAS BEEN TOLD 7 APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED THUS FAR. SUPERINTENDANT DR. MAGGIE SHOOK IS RETIRING AFTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

RETIRED SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT DR. FRANK KING HAS BEEN RETAINED BY THE BOARD TO FACILITATE THE HIRING PROCESS.  

SILVERTOWN TRIANGLE PROPERTY OFF THE MARKET

THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN THE TRIANGLE PROPERTY IN SILVERTOWN OFF THE MARKET—ONE ACRE AN ATLANTA COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER OFFERED HALF A MILLION DOLLARS—FOR LAST YEAR— THAT COUNCIL TURNED DOWN.

FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TUESDAY LAKEITHA REEVES MADE A MOTION THAT IT NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE—BUT ADDED AT SUCH TIME CITY HALL RECEIVES AN OFFER COUNCIL FEELS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY -- IT MAY GET FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

COUNCILMAN DON GREATHOUSE ABSTAINED DUE TO FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO THE NEAR-BY ROGERS PROPERTY—IT WAS A 4-ZERO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN RYAN TUCKER. COUNCIL OFFERED NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR THE MOVE.

MARCH 20 UL RUNNING KNGHTS DAY

BIG TURN-OUT ON THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE FOR A CEREMONY TO SALUTE THE REPEAT STATE CHAMPION UL RUNNING KNIGHTS BASKETBALL TEAM—FOLLOWING THEIR PARADE—TUESDAY.

THOMASTON MAYOR J.D. STALLINGS AND UPSON COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN NORMAN ALLEN READ A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING TUESDAY—MARCH 20TH—UL RUNNING KNIGHTS DAY. 

$700,000 THEFT IN PIKE COUNTY

Pike County Sheriff’s Office Investigators concluded a five month long investigation into a scam operation which has resulted in the arrests of two men. Billy Daniels Sr. , 70 years of age from Zebulon, and George Veal, 52 years of age from Milledgeville, were arrested yesterday and charged with Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO). Daniels has an additional charge of theft by deception.

The investigation into the men’s activities began after a complaint from a local citizen about investing money with the suspects in which their was to be a return paid that was never received. Victims were found as far away as Minnesota and throughout Georgia, after numerous interviews with victims a pattern of getting them to invest in nonexistent companies was found. The suspects even provided documents and had incorporated a fake company to make the business dealings appear legitimate to the victims. Veal is an attorney and money was commonly sent to his accounts by the victims at which time he was found to keep portions of the proceeds for himself.

The suspects had a wide array of victims that included elderly people, cancer patients and lawyers. All of which were swindled out of varying amounts of money.

A total of over $700,000 was found to have been taken in by the two suspects. Both men are in the Pike County Jail and Daniels has a bond of $300,000, Veal’s bond has not been set yet. Daniels is currently on probation from Monroe County where he was convicted for Theft by Conversion in 2013, he also has a prior federal court conviction for embezzlement and theft from a health benefit plan in 1997.

It is possible that more unknown victims exist. If anyone has had any investment business with either of these two suspects you can call an Investigator at 770-567-8431.

SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW WALMART LIFT STATION

Public Notification Sanitary Sewer Overflow at Collection System Walmart Lift Station Force Main County: Upson Date of Release: 3/13/2017 Contact Person: Brian Kelly Phone: 706-646-8031 Mailing Address: 340 N Center Street City: Thomaston Zip: 30286 On March 13, ESG was checking the force main behind the Walmart department store due to low flows at the wastewater plant. After investigating, we found the pipe leaving the Walmart lift station was compromised, allowing sewage to leak when the pumps were running. The leak was found at 11:14 am. As a result we shut the lift station down and started repairs. We were able to get the leak stopped at 12:38 pm when the force main finished draining. We contacted Upson County Water and Sewer department asking if they could shut down their lift station that feeds the Walmart lift station to reduce the incoming flow. They were able to comply. The repairs were made, and the station was brought back on line at approx. 3:40 pm. There was a release of 35 gallons per minute for 84 minutes for a total of 2940 gallons due to the broken pipe. The release reached a tributary of Potato Creek. A spill notice sign has been posted at the site. Should you have any questions, I can be reached at 706-910-9506. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been notified and the affected area has been treated within the regulations of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the above listed contact person

SCHOOL THREATS IN TALBOT AND SPALDING SCHOOLS WED.

SCHOOL THREATS IN TALBOT AND SPALDING COUNTIES WEDNSDAY.

THE TALBOT COUNTY SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED THURSDAY AFTER A BOMB THREAT WENT VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA WEDNESDAY THAT DISPATCHED THE FBI GBI AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT –A REPORT THAT 10 BOMBS WERE PLANTED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS AROUND THE SCHOOL.

IN GRIFFIN—TWO FEMALE STUDENTS WERE TAKEN TO METRO JUVENILE DETENTION AFTER A THREAT TO SHOOT-UP CARVER ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SHERIFF DARRELL DIX SAID THE POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA COULD ALSO INVOLVE A 7TH GRADER WHO HAS BEEN QUESTIONED BUT NOT YET DETAINED. HE TOLD OFFICERS THEY WOULD NEED A SEARCH WARRANT TO SEARCH HIM AND HIS CELLPHONE.

Two U-L Knights Make All State Team

Senior Tye Fagan and junior Travon Walker were named to the AAAA All State First Team today.

Fagan led the Knights in scoring while Walker controlled the boards with 12 rebounds in last weekend's state championship game. The Knights win streak now stands at 63 games.

Upson-Lee Wins 4A Championship

The Upson-Lee boys defended their 4A state championship by defeating St. Pius 70-54 at McCamish Pavillion on the campus of Georgia Tech Saturday.

Tavias Fagan led the running Knights with 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Jarrett Adderton added 16 as four of the five starters were in double figures. Zyrice Scott scored 14 while Travon Walker dropped in 11 and led the team in rebounding with 12.

Cameron Traylor had 6 points and Alejandro Lockhart rounded out the scoring with 2.

The Knights winning streak now stands at 63, the third longest in Georgia high school basketball history. MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25 has the Knights ranked as the number 13 team in the country.

UPSON CANDIDATES IN THE MAY 22ND PRIMARY

QUALIFYING ENDED FRIDAY FOR THE MAY 22ND PRIMARY AND IN UPSON COUNTY TWO COUNTY COMMISSION SEATS ARE CONTESTED AND ONE SCHOOL BOARD POST.

DISTRICT THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONER INCUMBENT RALPH ELLINGTON OPPOSED BY PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIRMAN PAUL D. JONES—BOTH REPUBLICANS.

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4 THE SEAT HELD BY VETERAN COMMISSIONER FRANK SPRAGGINS WHO IS NOT SEEKING REELECTION. AARON S. DAWSON DEMOCRAT AND BENJAMIN WATSON THE 4TH, REPUBLICAN.

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 4—CHAIRMAN KEITH B. ROHLING AND BRIAN SALTER.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 131, UPSON, PIKE, LAMAR, INCUMBENT JOHNNIE CALDWELL AND KEN PULLIN BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT CHRIS BENTON.  

UL RUNNING KNIGHTS LOOK TO REPEAT AS STATE CHAMPS

THE UPSON LEE RUNNING KNIGHTS WILL MEET ST. PIUS OF ATLANTA SATURDAY 4PM AT THE GA. TECH BASKETBALL ARENA TO DEFEND THEIR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP—A TITLE THEY WON OVER ST. PIUS LAST SEASON BY 5 POINTS.

ZOOM 105-9/101-1 PRE-GAME COVERAGE BEGINS AT 2PM.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL EXPERTS LIKE KYLE SANDY SAY THIS GAME COULD BE CLOSER

SANDY TEAMS UP WITH THOMASTON SPORTS WRITER WES MCCARD ON A PODCAST ABOUT THE GAME , AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE SANDYSSPIEL . COM. 

THOM COUNCIL LOOKING AT A STORMWATER FEE SYSTEM

THE CITY OF THOMASTON'S PROPOSAL TO IMPLEMENT A STORMWATER FEE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS DRAINAGE ISSUES HAS FIRED-UP SOCIAL MEDIA—AND MOST POSTS OPPOSE IT. AT A PUBLIC MEETING TUESDAY THE CITY COUNCIL GOT QUESTIONS FROM SEVERAL CITIZENS INCLUDING GARY SELF, BRYAN SALTER, JULIAN BETHEL AND FORMER WATER/SEWER EMPLOYEE GARFON JUNG WHO TOLD THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL THE 1949 WASTE-WATER TREATMENT PLANT NEEDS REPLACING.

CITY ENGINEER TRAY GAVIN AND A REP FROM AN ATLANTA FIRM TOLD THE PUBLIC THOMASTON'S STORMWATER SYSTEM IS 100 YEARS OLD AND WATER RUN-OFF GENERATES LOTS OF COMPLAINTS FROM CITIZENS ON FLOODING AND SUCH.

$350,000 A YEAR IS DRAWN FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO DEAL WITH IT—BUT COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT CHARGING HOMEOWNERS 3.95 A MONTH, AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES MORE—SOMETHING TO GENERATE $460,000 A YEAR. SURVEYOR SELF SAID HE CALCULATED UNITED BANK'S BUILDING AND PARKING LOT SQUARE FOOTAGE AND CONCLUDED IT WILL COST THE BANK $1000 A YEAR.

BIG BOX STORES COULD PAY $900 A MONTH, SCHOOLS $500 A MONTH, SUPERMARKETS $350 AND CHURCHES MIGHT BE INCLUDED AT $60 A MONTH.

THE FEE PLAN COULD BEGIN SEPT. IST IF APPROVED BY COUNCIL.   

TWO UL KNIGHTS ARRESTED FOR POT

TWO MEMBERS OF THE UL KNIGHTS BASKETBALL TEAM WILL NOT PLAY IN SATURDAY'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AT GA. TECH BECAUSE OF A SATURDAY NIGHT MARIJUANA ARREST.

STARTER JACOREY JAMAL SMITH AND A RESERVE OTIS JAVEON WALKER , BOTH 17 YEARS OF AGE WERE ARRESTED NEAR THE GREATEST GENERATION PARK ALONG WITH TWO 18 YEARS OLDS, RODNEY RAINES AND HAMILTON HARRIS HARRISON.

THOMASTON POLICE CHIEF MIKE RICHARDSON TOLD ZOOM NEWS A 911 CALL ABOUT SUSPICIOUS VEHICLES DISPATCHED OFFICERS , WHO DETECTED A MARIJUANA ODOR AND A K-9 OFFICER FOUND POT IN 3 OF 4 VEHICLES.

ALL FOUR POSTED BOND OF $982 AND WERE RELEASED AT THE UPSON COUNTY JAIL.

ITS THE POLICY OF THE THOMASTON-UPSON COUNTY SCHOOLS TO PROHIBIT PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING AN ARREST UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED.

MORE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE TRIANGLE PROPERTY TUES.

THE ITEM IS NOT ON TUESDAY'S AGENDA FOR THE THOMASTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL —BUT THREE CITIZENS HAVE SIGNED-UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE TRIANGLE PROPERTY AT SILVERTOWN—GREG WILSON, CHASE FALLIN, AND DEANN HOPKINS.

THE REGULAR MEETING STARTS EARLIER THAN USUAL—AT 6PM WITH A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS ADDING A MONTHLY STORM-WATER CHARGE TO UTILITY BILLS.

GA. GEN. ASSEMBLY APPROVES TAX CUT BILL

STATE HOUSE MEMBER JOHNNIE CALDWELL TOLD ZOOM NEWS THURSDAY —THE $5 BILLION TAX CUT BILL HAS BEEN PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES AND IS HEADED TO GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL FOR HIS SIGNATURE—A BILL THAT STRIPPED A $40 MILLION TAX BREAK FOR DELTA AIR LINES.

REPRESENTATIVE CALDWELL SAID THE BILL DOUBLES THE STANDARD DEDUCTION FOR GEORGIANS STARTING IN 2018 AND REDUCES THE STATE INCOME TAX RATE STARTING IN 2019 FROM 6% TO 5.75 PER CENT AND IN 2020 IT FALLS TO 5.5%.

CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR---LT. CASEY CAGLE WENT OFF ON DELTA WHEN THEY CUT TIES WITH THE N.R.A. AND SAID HE WOULD KILL THE INCENTIVE UNLESS DELTA RESTORED TIES WITH THE NRA. GOVERNOR DEAL RECOILED AND SAID HE WAS FRUSTRATED BY THE ANTICS OF REPUBLICANS SEEKING HIGHER OFFICE—BUT THE SUPPORTED TAX RELIEF FOR GEORGIANS.