About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2024)
6B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com Wednesday, June 5,2024 3 injured in head-on collision Amicalola EMC distributes Round Up grants to nonprofits By Julia Hansen juliahansen@ dawsonnews.com Three people were seriously injured during a head-on colli sion in western Dawson County last Monday, according to a crash report from the Georgia State Patrol. The two-car crash happened along Afton Road, near Ga. 183, at about 12:09 p.m. on May 27. Troopers responded to the scene at 12:43 p.m., the GSP report showed. A 2023 BMW 4 Series M440i was traveling west on Afton Road, while a 2001 Audi TT Quattro was traveling east along the roadway, the report stated. The BMW failed to maintain its lane, striking the front of the Audi. The driver of the BMW, 66-year-old Joseph Caldwell, told authorities he was coming from the liquor store. Caldwell was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The second driver, 16 years old, and an elderly passenger were seriously injured and taken to the hospital. Caldwell has been charged with DUI, failure to maintain lane and two counts of serious injury by vehicle, according to initial details from GSP. This story will be updated. By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com Recently, Amicalola EMC distributed grants to several nonprofits in its service area, including one serving Dawson County, thanks to the organization’s Operation Round Up program. According to a press release by Amicalola EMC, the board awarded a total of $24,000 in grants in the month of April to local nonprofit organizations and qualifying individuals in need. Among those who received grants is local nonprofit The Place, which serves residents of Dawson and Forsyth counties through a wide range of services includ ing its food pantry, thrift store, financial assistance, workforce development and education and more. In addition to The Place, other regional nonprofits who received grants included Angels on Horseback, Camp Kudzu, Pickens County 4-H, St. Vincent de Paul, Tiny Stitches, Core Vocational Training, Ferst Readers of Pickens County, Mountain Wisdom Inc., MUST Ministries Inc., North Georgia Family Partners EEC, Operation Appreciation Inc. and Weekend Snack Program. Several qualifying individuals in need also received grants for clothes, shoes, groceries, propane, health needs and medical bills. The funds for the grants were raised through Amicalola EMC’s Operation Round Up program, which allows partici pating co-op members to “round up” their monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar. “A rather small donation makes a big Photo courtesy of Amicalola EMC difference to someone in need,” the Local nonprofit The Place was one of several organizations to receive a grant from release said. Amicalola EMC, thanks to the cooperative’s Operation Round Up program. Mountain Ed. Dawson celebrates the Class of 2024 Photo courtesy of Dianne Mayfield Left to right: David Gomila, Annabelle Peck, Quinn Kirley, Lilly Peacock, Grade Allen, Iris Huff. By Dianne Mayfield For Dawson County News Dreams Do Come True! On Thursday, May 23, Mountain Education’s Dawson Campus celebrat ed and honored nine gradu ates. Since the Dawson Campus of Mountain Education opened in 2016, many students have had the opportunity to build a bet ter future through educa tion. Mountain Education is another local opportunity for students to complete their high school courses and earn their high school diploma. Campus Principals, Dr. Randi Sagona and Dr. Teresa Conowal welcomed an auditorium full of par ents, family and friends of the graduates. Both administrators echoed the themes of the importance of choices, perseverance, and the success of each graduate. Graduation marks a significant mile stone in each of their lives. It is a testament to their perseverance, resilience, and unwavering commit ment to their education. Graduation is a celebration of each of their journeys and all they have accom plished and a night to look forward to their bright futures that lie ahead. Quinn Kirley, High Honor Graduate for the Class of 2024, shared her comments to her class mates, family and friends and thanked them for their unwavering support that led her to tonight’s gradua tion. Quinn looks forward to continuing her educa tion in the future and plans to pursue a four-year degree in Biochemical Sciences. No matter the obstacles and challenges set forth in their path, these students have succeeded in earning their high school diploma. The future looks bright for these Mountain Education graduates. The com mencement ceremony included the presentation of diplomas, awards, scholarships and recogni tion of these amazing indi viduals who are capable of amazing things. The following students were cheered on by their family, friends and teach ers as they move forward and make their mark on the world. The Class of 2024 includes: • Grade Michelle Allen • Logan Robert Thomas Bryant • Isabella Luce Feanny • David Tyler Gomila • Iris Alexis Huff • Quinn Elisabeth Kirley • Lilly Ann Peacock • Annabelle Shirley Peck • Luke Andrew Walker A special thank you to community sponsors for their donations to the scholarship fund for our students moving on to post-secondary education opportunities. Seniors were awarded their schol arships at their Senior Honors Night held on April 23. These donors include: • 400 Waste and Scrap • Atlanta Gear Works Inc. • Bearden Funeral Home • Blue Mountain Chapter of Eastern Star • Charles Finley Memorial Scholarship • Duncan Exterminating, Inc. • Dawson County Retired Educators • Dawson County Family Connection • Gainesville Welding & Rendering Equipment, Inc. • Pelfrey Electrical • Townley Construction Trio sentenced for ’22 fight in pool parking lot By Julia Hansen juliahansen@dawsonnews.com Three men were recently sentenced for their roles in a May 2022 fight with another man in the pool parking lot of a Dawson County neighborhood off Ga. 400. Robert Lee Rarick, 24, of Dawsonville, pleaded guilty to misde meanor charges of simple assault, a reduced charge from aggravated assault and public drunkenness, according to court documents filed May 14. He was sentenced as a first offender Rarick Ridgeway II Ridgeway III to 12 months of probation for each charge, with the probation for the pub lic drunkenness count to run concur rently or at the same time as the simple assault count. He was fined $1,500 for the two charges. First offender status means that after Rarick finishes serving out his sen tence, these charges will no longer be on his record. Dawson County man Phillip Ridgeway II, 49, likewise pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of simple assault. He also pleaded to charges of battery, simple assault and public drunkenness, according to a sentenc ing document filed April 30. Ridgeway II was sentenced to a pun ishment of four years of probation, with 67 days of time deemed served. He got a $500 fine for the first simple assault charge. His probation could ter minate in two years if he completes his probation terms without any violations. His son, 23-year-old Phillip Ridgeway III of Lawrenceville, also pleaded to a reduced charge of simple assault, as well as battery and public drunkenness. Authorities decided not to prosecute Ridgeway III for a charge of aggravated assault, an April 30 sen tence stated. Ridgeway III got 12 months, with 67 days of time deemed served, for his charges. He was also fined $500. After completing an evaluation and anger management requirements, his proba tion may become either phone or mail- in status. Trial date set for ex-DCJHS teacher accused of sex crimes By Julia Hansen juliahansen@dawsonnews.com A trial date has now been set for the former Dawson County Junior High School teacher and coach accused of com mitting sex crimes against multiple under age children. The case for Dahlonega man James Gregory Jeffers, 41, is set to go to trial starting July 8, 2024, according to an order filed May 22 in Dawson County Superior Court. Plea documents must be filed by June 12, the order stated. Indictments Previously, proceedings in the ex teacher’s case were delayed due to court filings after his re-indictment on one felony charge of child molestation and four felony counts of sexual bat tery against a child under 16. The updated indictment was filed in December 2023. It reflects the narrow est dates that the prosecution could accuse him of the sexual crimes given the evidence, stated a May 13 motion in the case. Jeffers was initially arrested by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 2, 2021 and charged with one offense before being charged with a second crime on Dec. 3. The three additional sexual battery charges and one child molestation charge were subsequently brought against Jeffers, leading to his re-arrest on Dec. 10, 2021. Jeffers is accused of allegedly show ing one DCJHS student under the age of 16 a picture on his phone of male genitalia between Nov. 15-19, 2021 while at the junior high school. He is also accused of allegedly touching that same victim’s backside during six different spans of time in September 2021, the indictment’s sec ond count stated. Jeffers allegedly touched the back side of a second underage student dur ing three different spans of time that same September, and he’s accused of touching the backside of a third under age victim between Nov. 16-19, 2021 and of touching a fourth victim’s backside on Nov. 19, according to the updated indictment. He was initially denied bond before eventually being granted it on Jan. 18, 2022. Meanwhile, the Dawson County Board of Education voted to terminate his employment on Jan. 21, 2022 after he’d been put on administrative leave. Jeffers
