About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2025)
PUBLISHED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1861 VOLUME 164 • NO. 18 ("bwww.msgrnews.com Gatonton Messenger V . Official organ of Putnam County and City of Eatonton ' . Locally Owned by Smith Communications Inc. 4 SCELLEV GIA o G PA z 0 o SPCIAIC GNEWS THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2025 Three men mourned after fatal crash Lynn Hobbs lynn@msgrnews.com A vehicle crash on U.S. Hwy. 441 claimed the lives of three North Georgia men on Thursday, April 24. The three men each left families, including young children, to grieve them. According to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills, the men were traveling southbound on U.S. 441 in a 2024 Dodge Ram pickup truck that was towing a trailer loaded with commercial air conditioning equipment. As the Dodge approached the traffic light of the intersection of Hwy. 441, Pea Ridge Road and Twin Bridges Road, it crashed into the back of a 2022 Kenworth Tractor pulling an Aulick trailer. The tractor trailer also was southbound but was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection. The 911 Emergency Center at Putnam County Sheriff’s Office received the call at 9:54 a.m. Several deputies and first responders with Putnam County Fire Department and MORE CRASH » A2 i, /I % Three men died after the pickup truck they were in crashed into the left rear of a tractor-trailer stopped for a traffic light on Hwy. 441 at Twin Bridges Road in Putnam County. IAN TOCHER/Staff IAN TOCHER/Staff District 10 Congressman Mike Collins (center) with Putnam County High School senior Tanner Lukens and his family last Friday, during Lukens' signing ceremony to begin attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy this fall. Congressman visits PCHS for Merchant Marine signing Ian Tocher ian@msgrnews.com District 10 Congressman Mike Collins visited Putnam County High School April 25 to attend the signing ceremony for graduating senior Tanner Lukens, who committed to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in King’s Point, N.Y., where he plans to become a pilot. In front of full grandstands set up in the school’s Black Box Theatre, Collins and Lukens were joined by school principal Dr. Andrew Cooper, Putnam County Charter Schools Superintendent Derek Austin, Assistant Superintendent Scott Sauls, and Eatonton Mayor John Reid, among other local dignitaries. Also attending were Lukens’ team- mates on the PCHS baseball team, and cadets from the school’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Program, led by MSgt. MORE LUKENS » A3 City okays new fire training facility, tornado siren testing Ian Tocher ian@msgrnews.com At the Eatonton City Council meeting on April 21, councilmem bers heard a proposal to lease property on Church Street from the Eatonton-Putnam Water and Sewer Authority to develop and build a fire department training facility by using Conex shipping containers to build a “smoke room.” “I think it’s a wonderful oppor tunity to have an out-of-the-way- location for [the Eatonton Fire Department] to do that type of training while still inside the city limits,” City Administrator Gary Sanders said to councilmembers. After hearing from Eatonton Fire Chief Jamey Williamson, all six councilmembers voted unan imously to approve the lease and advance plans to build the fire training facility. Also suggested by Ward 2 Councilmember James Gorley in response to recent severe weather incidents, was resurrecting MORE CITY »A3 Milledgeville man sentenced in Putnam man’s murder Lynn Hobbs lynn@msgrnews.com A Milledgeville man pled guilty in Baldwin County Superior Court last week to the 2023 murder of a Putnam County man. Tavish Nigel Goddard was sentenced to life in prison by Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Alison T. Burleson. The victim, Joshua Corey Jones, 43, formerly of Thomas Drive on Lake Sinclair in Putnam County, was found dead June 17, 2023. Jones, a self-employed handyman, was lying unresponsive on the ground between two houses that were being remodeled in Graham Homes. At the time, Milledgeville Police Department’s Maj. Linc Boyer said Jones died from at least one gunshot wound from a Glock .9 mm handgun, according to previous reports. Goddard was arrested by Milled geville police officers at his home on Highland Avenue two days later and charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills assisted Milledgeville Police detectives in finding Jones’ family so they could be notified of his death. Tavish N. Goddard MORE MURDER » A7 0 94922 87854 WEATHER 86 HIGH Thursday Mostly Cloudy 62 LOW Detailed forecast / B4 For breaking news or to subscribe, visit |www.msgmews.com] or call 706-485-3501 SMITH COMMUNICATIONSa Newspapers • Magazines • Printing Gators prep for playoff push » PAGE B2 INSIDE THIS WEEK Classifieds D4 Public Record A7 Community C1 Opinions A4 Crossword Puzzle C5 Obituaries A6 Legal Notices D6 Sports B1 Got all my garden planted and a good rain on it to boot. Just hope we have mild Spring weather and not any early scorchers. Roger, Zeke, and I cut up the big oak tree that blew over on my barn. We all got enough firewood for next winter. Glad the University of Georgia Dawgs placed almost all its players that declared for the NFL Draft. I think it was 17 out of 21 and they went early in the first few rounds. Lots going on in Eatonton with upcom ing graduations, Dairy Festival, and summer fun. Fish are biting, too! Otis back home with no trophies in shuffleboard or paddle ball, says he blew out 1 in the paddle ball tournament. H you do that? That's like getting a torn muscle playing badminton. PUTNAM shoulder playing v can Your mama wants flowers from 00 (D 00 O LU
