Friday, March 29, 2024
Michael Stone Online

Police & Law

911 Call Went Astray (Chattanooga Times Free Press)—A mother whose daughter’s birthday party turned into a deadly shootout Thursday had called 911 earlier to ask for police protection—but the call went to the wrong place and a family member says it never drew a response from Whitfield County authorities.

9/11 Victim Lives On in Powder Springs (Patch)—Jennifer Kane may have died in the Sept. 11 attacks almost 10 years ago, but in many ways, she lives on.

Bach Had No ‘Ill Intent,’ Friend Says (Patch)—Powder Springs lawyer Robert Bach is facing 25 counts of theft by taking and five counts of theft by conversion for allegedly failing to file bankruptcy papers for people who paid him to do so. But a longtime friend and fellow Powder Springs lawyer said he doesn’t believe Bach, 78, was trying to scam anyone out of their money.

Cobb Police Leaving for Other Jobs, Former Deputy Police Chief Says (Patch)—With almost five years since a pay increase for county employees, Cobb is losing members of its police force to other agencies, retired Deputy Police Chief Bill Mull told Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee during Monday night’s town hall meeting.

Craft Attorneys Amend Suit Against Accusers (Chattanooga Times Free Press)—Tonya Craft’s lawyers have filed a new version of a $25 million lawsuit that details accounts of parents and police “manipulating” child molestation charges to make it appear as though Ms. Craft was guilty.

Crime Map: Man Leases Property That’s Not His; Car Stolen from McDonald’s (Patch)—Though not apparent in the linked PDF, the map—constructed in MapQuest—is interactive and allows readers to see where exactly the incidents happen. When a mouse is dragged over one of the points, it reveals the incident’s category (burglary, theft, etc.) and a number. The numbers match up with summaries of the police reports located below the map. In smaller towns, the smallest of crimes matter to the citizens, so these weekly maps included all police reports from the previous week.

Georgia Teens Need to Know the Law, Author Says (Patch)—One October, two strangers—one 14, one 15—were walking opposite directions at school between fourth and fifth periods, and they bumped into each other. “Instead of saying, ‘Excuse me, I’m sorry’ … or just keeping their mouths shut or going on about their business, words were exchanged, then heated words were exchanged, and insults were exchanged, and the two boys decided they would take their differences out on the school grounds,” J. Tom Morgan said.

‘I Felt It Was My Duty’ (Patch)—Since he was a little kid, Paul Reynolds had always wanted to join the military. But it wouldn’t be until age 22, less than a year after the most devastating attack on U.S soil, that he decided to enlist in the Army.

Judges Take Selves Off Principal Assault Case (Chattanooga Times Free Press)—All five Hamilton County General Sessions Court judges have recused themselves in an assault case involving a local principal because they sometimes work with the principal’s husband.

Locally Made Body Armor Saves Illinois Officer (Gainesville Sun)—Phalanx Defense Systems, a Gainesville-based body armor manufacturer, recently tallied its first save when its gear prevented an Illinois police officer from receiving more serious injuries from a shotgun slug.

Lone Business Fails Alcohol Test, Gets Suspension (Patch)—Powder Springs police and the Georgia Department of Revenue went to the 18 businesses licensed to sell alcohol in the city limits on Aug. 9 to make sure they weren’t selling to minors, and all of them passed—except one.

Man Shot by East Ridge Police (Chattanooga Times Free Press)—DeAngelo Jelks was driving on Ringgold Road, returning from a trip to pick up books for a school paper, when he heard a familiar sound.

Police Seek People Who Threw Dogs Off Overpass (Chattanooga Times Free Press)—Inez Castleberry has two possible explanations for being able to help two dogs that were thrown off a U.S. Highway 27 overpass: coincidence or an “act of God.” As she was running a little late to work on Nov. 5, she saw a man next to a truck parked under the Chickamauga bypass along Battlefield Parkway. Beside him, she said, were two visibly injured dogs.

Powder Springs Lieutenant Quit After Taking Gun (Patch)—Lt. Vernon Bailey, one of two officers involved in the June 1 traffic stop of Brice Wilson, resigned in August for taking a pellet gun when responding to a fire four days before the stop.

Rowe Shot Self 3 Months Before Wife’s Death (Patch)—Three months before Michael Rowe was accused of killing his wife and setting his house on fire, he shot himself.

Sewell Named Powder Springs Police Chief (Patch)—After more than seven months without having someone permanent at the helm of the Powder Springs Police Department, the city has selected a police chief: Charlie Sewell.

Staffing First Big Step for Sewell (Patch)—Not having closed on a house yet, Charlie Sewell has been staying at a hotel. He’s gotten as far as unloading the boxes in the his office at the station, but still nothing hangs on the walls. But hey, give the guy a break. He’s only been on the job since Monday. “I’m sitting here at the desk trying to prioritize what needs to be taken care of next and trying to organize—and those two together area a formidable task,” Powder Springs’ new police chief said.

Woman Dead, Man Missing After Powder Springs Fire (Patch)—A Powder Springs woman was found dead after what Powder Springs police are calling a “suspicious” early morning house fire Monday, and the other resident of the house was unaccounted for late into the night.