WISK/WDEC

Local News

Wednesday May 15^th, 2019

*UPDATED*

Today, May 15^th, is Peace Officers Memorial Day. All this week has been Police Week. A Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon today in front of the Public Safety Building in downtown Americus. The guest speaker for today’s ceremony is Representative Marc Morris of House District 26 of Cumming, Georgia. Rep. Morris is a direct descendant of Officer William R. Morris, the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Americus. Each local law enforcement agency will place a wreath in front of the Public Safety Building and the names of the officers killed in the line of duty in Americus and Sumter County will be read. Family members of the fallen officers are invited to place a carnation on the agency wreath as each name is read to commemorate their loved one. The Americus Police Department, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Southwestern State University Police are sponsoring today’s ceremony and urges the community to attend.

Saturday May 18^th will be the annual Women’s Health Fair sponsored by PSMC. The event, which is free to the public, will be held from 8 until noon in the Student Success Center on the GSW campus. Health screenings, including blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, will be held from 8 to 9. Along with the health screenings, there will be informational booths set up and physician-led discussions on women’s health. The event Saturday will feature Gold Medal winning Olympian Dominique Dawes as the keynote speaker. Again, the event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 229-931-6812.

As the school year winds down, there are still school events going on. Schley County is in the Class A state baseball playoffs and split their doubleheader yesterday in Ellaville. The Wildcats defeated Irwin County in game 1 but lost the nightcap. That means the third and deciding game will be needed at 6 this evening in Ellaville for the right to advance to the state championship series next Monday.

The Ross Couch era will start with the culmination of spring football practice at Americus-Sumter HS when the Panthers travel to Macon this Friday night for a spring game with SW Macon. The game will start at 7 on Friday night and will be played at the Ed Defore Complex in Macon. The game ends 2-weeks of practice as Coach Couch and his coaching staff put in their system at Americus-Sumter.

The current school year will be completed in just over a week. Baccalaureate Services for both Americus-Sumter and Southland Academy will fall on Thursday May 23^rd. southland’s Baccalaureate will be held at 7 on May 23^rd at Central Baptist Church while Baccalaureate for Americus-Sumter will be at 8 at Finklea-Robinson Field. Graduation will be on Friday May 24^th. Graduation at Southland will start at 7 in the Melvin T. Kinslow gym. Americus-Sumter will have graduation at 8 and will be at Finklea-Robinson Field. The Sumter County School year ends with an early-release on Thursday May 23^rd. southland’s last day is Friday May 24^th.

Americus Police were quite active on Tuesday. An auto was entered at 406 Pine Street.

A theft and criminal trespass occurred at 1515 Davis Drive. A theft took place from 604 Felder Street.

Counterfeit bills were reported and turned over to officers at 804 Adderton Street.

Following a traffic stop on Patterson at Philips, Darious R. Tyner was arrested for driving with a suspended license; no insurance; driving a vehicle with suspended registration; and for an outstanding warrant.

Damage to property (vehicle) occurred at 1602 E. Forsyth Street.

A suspicious incident was checked out at 703 Sunset Drive.

After a traffic stop was conducted on N. Lee at E. Lamar, William A. Miller was arrested for possession of misdemeanor marijuana or drug-related objects.

A simple battery (DVA) occurred at 1803-B Armory Drive. This domestic-related call was 1 of 4 answered by officers yesterday.

Investigation from a prior case led to the arrest yesterday of Kentavius DeMarcus Flowers for terroristic threats and acts.

Hope you have enjoyed the drier and cooler weather these last 2-days and nights because we’re about to go from nice and cool to unpleasantly HOT and it starts this weekend. We will have highs in the 90s starting Saturday and for most of next week as well. These nice, cool mornings won’t be around again until sometime in the fall. We’ll go from 50s to 70s for the overnight lows. Seems like we’re going from fall-like temperatures straight to summer in a matter of days. Just a head’s up on the weather!

*UPDATE*

Sumter County Sheriff’s Deputies were kept busy on Tuesday. 9 traffic stops were conducted. At a stop on US 280E, Vivian A. Breed was charged with passing in a no-passing zone. Warnings were issued in the other traffic cases. Deputies assisted in a vehicle pursuit yesterday afternoon on Highway 30W. This led to the arrest of Michael D. Ball for driving with a suspended license; fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement; reckless driving; failure to maintain insurance; and open container. A child molestation case is under further investigation. Deputies assisted in negotiating a neighbor dispute at 107 Starling Drive. Several prisoner transports were made yesterday.

In the Sumter County Jail today: Michael David Ball for failure to maintain insurance/ reckless driving/ driving with a suspended license/ fleeing and attempting to elude/ open container/ felony theft/ 2^nd degree felony burglary/ criminal trespass/ and probation violation; Anthony Charles Bridges for parole violation; Trevon Xavier Jones—back for Court; Jennifer Kelly Riley for probation violation; Herman Bernard Stephens-back for Court; and Darious Ranan Tyner for felony failure to appear and probation violation.