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Thursday, August 25, 2022 | Volume 135 Number 19 | Jasper, Georgia | 22 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1-00
Two school bus drivers arrested for DUI within a week
Photo/Kelley Little
Parent Kelley Little’s 10-year-old son was on the Pickens County
school bus when it ran off the road into a ditch. She took this photo after
rushing to the scene.
“All I could hear was
panicked children and
kids screaming and
crying, ” parent said.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Two Pickens County school bus
drivers were arrested and charged
with DUIs within four days of each
other in separate instances. The inci
dents have left parents enraged and
the school system under fire.
The first incident occurred on Fri
day, Aug. 19. According to reports,
deputies were dispatched to a school
bus crash on Fortner Road near
McGinnis Acres. Deputies found the
bus with its right side leaning on an
embankment. Driver Jeffery Tucker
was taking students home from
school when the incident occurred.
Approximately 40 kids were on
board at the time of the crash.
The sheriff’s report states that
Tucker was attempting to move over
for another bus traveling in the op
posite direction when he left the
roadway and slid into a ditch. It also
states that Tucker told officers and
deputies that he was okay to finish
his route, and that he was allowed to
leave to get another bus at the trans
portation department. After learning
of his departure, a school official on
site contacted the transportation de
partment and asked Tucker to stay
until law officers could speak to him
and check for impairment.
While officers were on the way to
the transportation department, Pick
ens 911 requested one of the
deputies call a parent who said “his
son was on the bus at the time it
wrecked,” the report states. “[The
parent] stated his son told him the
bus driver got in his face and yelled
at him, and when he did the son
could smell an alcohol-type bever
age on his breath.”
When the deputy and trooper ar
rived at the transportation depart
ment they could smell alcohol on
Tucker’s breath. The bus driver told
officers he had had a glass of wine at
around 11 a.m. that day. Field sobri
ety and breath tests were performed
and Tucker was taken into custody.
The bus driver has been charged
with DUI, Failure to Maintain Lane,
Hit and Run, 40 Counts of DUI
Child Endangerment, 40 County
Reckless Conducts, Cruelty in the
2nd Degree.
The Pickens school system issued
a press release regarding the incident
that day, which stated no children
had been injured and that parents
had been contacted regarding the
crash.
“The District takes this matter
very seriously,” the release states.
“Student safety is our highest prior
ity and utmost concern. Once law
enforcement has completed its in
vestigation, we will conduct our own
review into the facts and circum
stances surrounding this egregious
event.”
The second incident occurred on
Monday, Aug. 22. Pickens school
bus driver Tammy Lynn Decerbo
See BUS DRIVERS on 11A
Child
molestation
trial must
start over
Storm damages historic Tate Cemetery
By Alex Goble Staff Writer
agoble@pickensprogress.com
County crews were out working on extensive
weekend storm damage in the Old Tate Ceme
tery starting Monday. Despite multiple trees
being down, it appears that the majority of
gravestones there have not been impacted.
Most of the downed trees fell in the south end
of the cemetery (closest to Bell’s Pharmacy) and
to the east near Highway 53. The Tate family
section, farther in, was untouched by broken
branches or fallen trees, while a few other head
stones had close calls as pictured.
Crews were using heavy machinery and a
large wood chipper to dispose of the largest
pieces, and had finished a large chunk of the
work near the railroad tracks Monday.
Talking Rock fire station losing official
status following ISO inspection
A week
of court
proceedings
lost
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
A child molestation trial
that began last week with
motions and jury selection
will be forced to start over
after a medical issue arose
with the senior judge.
Court documents show
that the case, in which defen
dant Michael Travis Case,
39, faces 29 counts including
Rape, Aggravated Child Mo
lestation, False Imprison
ment, Aggravated Sodomy,
and others for sexually abus
ing a child under the age of
14.
Court officials said as the
motions and jury selection
process got underway, it was
clear that there was a medical
issue with the judge that
could undermine the defen
dant’s right to a fair trial.
“We, as court officials, all
figured out it was definitely
something wrong medically,
and (defense attorney) Lee
Fitzpatrick and Alison Sose-
bee agreed on the continu
ance,” said Pickens Clerk of
Court Jennifer Jordan.
Sosebee would not com
ment on specifics, but said
that filing the continuance'
was a difficult decision due
to the serious nature of the
case and charges brought
against the defendant.
"Unfortunately, due to a
medical issue with personnel
involved in the trial of this
case, State v. Case was con
tinued,” said District Attor
ney Alison Sosebee. “It is the
understanding of the District
See TRIAL on 11A
Book-in photo/Sheriff’s Office
Michael Travis Case has
been charged with sexually
abusing and raping a child
under 14. His case has been
delayed after a continu
ance.
Homeowners
could see
insurance rates at
the max;
businesses will
fare even worse,
says long-time
insurance agent
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Talking Rock’s mayor
and Pickens County officials
met Tuesday to discuss what
can be done after receiving
word the small town’s vol
unteer fire station would not
be officially recognized for
ISO (insurance ratings) be
ginning September 1.
In a letter/e-mail from
May 30, 2022 the Insurance
Services Office notified
Mayor Randy Banks that
their public protection clas
sification would move to a
10, effective September 1,
2022. Talking Rock had pre
viously been an ISO 6.
While not providing any
specifics, the ISO letter
states “that as part of our
analysis it was determined
that the following fire sta
tion^) did not meet the min
imum requirements for
recognition: Talking Rock
Fire Station is not recog
nized.”
Fire officials and an ex
perienced insurance profes
sional explained that a 10 is
the same rating as an area
with no fire protection. This
new rating will greatly in
crease insurance costs for
homes and businesses that
fall in the Talking Rock fire
district and could make it
difficult for commercial
property to get insurance at
all if it’s not corrected.
County officials familiar
with the process said it ap
pears the main problem is
Talking Rock needed to
show a roster of at least four
certified and active fire
fighters and only had two.
Kristie Easterwood, 911 op
erations manager, said they
check that volunteers are ac
tive and responding for them
to count.
Talking Rock officials
first contacted by the
Progress said they had been
unaware of the situation as
late as last month. And one
reason for them to be un
aware is it appears the Insur
ance Services Office notified
Talking Rock in a letter/e
mail addressed to the former
mayor’s e-mail; and the let
ter itself sent to an incorrect
address. The letter shows an
address of 429 Old
Blairsville Road, Talking
Rock, the address of the
Talking Rock Baptist
Church where the town
council met at one point
years ago.
On Tuesday, Talking
Rock Mayor James Bryant,
Jr. said he had a productive
meeting with the county and
fire officials but learned that
since the fire department is
all volunteer, the city doesn’t
have direct control over it.
Bryant said he is learning
how the relationship be
tween the county, city and
volunteer department works
and he hopes to develop a re
lationship with Talking Rock
Fire Chief Larry Keener and
see what they can do to rem
edy this situation working
with the county. Bryant
noted that he has served as
mayor pro tem for two years,
coming in during a con
tentious situation and has
had “zero transition.”
“We are trying to move
forward but I am learning on
the job,” he said. He said a
goal of his in a five-year pe
riod is to see the town build
See TALKING ROCK 11A
Jammin for Joy
raises funds
for local teen
ministry
Page 10B
JeepFest
Agenda for the
big Labor Day
weekend event
in Marble Hill
Page 2B
Obituaries - 8A
• Amy Clark
• Brandon Qualls
• Earl Towery
• Howard Schoen
• James Yount
• Jean Deal
• Jeani Guttery
• Leonard Dixon
• Linda Mundy
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