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HERE’S THE SCOOP Independence Day events set There will be plenty of opportunities to cel ebrate Independence Day here July 4 as multiple events are on tap. The chamber of com merce will host an Inde pendence Day version of its popular Chow Down Buggytown event from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the United Bank parking lot on Thomaston Street. SEE INDEPENDENCE DAY 3A 12U all-stars fall in tourney The 12U all-stars from the Lamar County Recreation Department traveled to Covington over the weekend for the state tournament and were quickly eliminated though they were a #1 seed going in. Newton County topped the locals 13-4 in the first game, send ing them to the losers’ bracket. In game two, La mar lost to Newnan 11-4, ending their postseason run. Early deadlines for July 4 Due to the July 4th holiday, The Herald Gazette will be mailed on Monday, July 3. The deadline for articles, letters, ads, classified and legal ads has been moved to Tuesday, June 27 at 5 p.m. for the July 4 edition. Subscribe. Your name goes on the label in this box 96852 78853 THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER First responders from Lamar and Upson County were on the scene Sunday on Willis Road where Roger G. Brooke, 71, was found dead beneath a tractor and bush hog mower. The large tractor pictured was used to lift Brooke’s tractor off his remains. The accident happened Friday evening and Brooke was not found until about noon Sunday. Tractor, bush hog accident kills 71-year-old Willis Road man Walter Geiger news@bamesville.com A Lamar County man was found dead near his Willis Road home around noon Sunday, the apparent victim of a tractor, bush hog mishap. Roger G. Brooke, 71, was found dead beneath a bush hog in a field adjacent to his home at 101 Willis Road which is near the intersection with The Rock Road. The field, though lo cated in Lamar County, was very near the county line and the first 911 calls went to Upson dispatch and Upson deputies and EMS were dispatched. Lamar deputies and coroner Clay Tillery were summoned once it was determined the field was in Lamar County. Tillery reported that Brooke somehow fell off his tractor and was hit by the bush hog mower. He was last seen mow ing Friday evening and his body had apparent ly been lying under the mower since that time. A neighbor with a large tractor lifted the equipment off Brooke’s body so it could be re moved from the scene. Funeral arrange ments for Brooke will be forthcoming from Moody-Daniel Funeral Home in Zebulon. THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER ywmT egg , IrskhIP Up Fire heavily damages Harris Drive home A Monday morning fire heavily damaged a home located at 124 Harris Drive in Barnesville. The residents, Melissa and Jody Burks, and their pets got out safely. Firefighters, EMS personnel and other first responders were out in force to battle the blaze despite the holiday. The home appeared to be a total loss. No firefighters were injured fighting the fire. A pickup truck was also damaged in the fire. At-fault driver in fatal crash arrested, charged WALTER GEIGER news@barnesville.com A 39-year-old Milner man was arrested last week on charges stemming from a fatal ac- cident which fl a occurred on I fj- Hwy. 36 East Ryan Scott r ) Saccucci, of ™ 109 Savannah SUCCUCCI Way in Milner was arrested June 13 and charged with second degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions and fol lowing too close. Second degree vehicular homicide is a misdemeanor charge as are the other two charges lodged against Saccucci. He was released on a $4500 bond. Saccucci was driving east on Hwy. 36 East near Chappell Mill Road when he struck a second vehicle driven by Wesley Wayne Hagwood, 42, of Jackson from behind. Hagwood’s car rotated into the westbound lane where it was hit by a pickup truck driven by Susan English Thompson of Milner. Hagwood succumbed to his injuries. Local man killed in Peach County crash WALTER GEIGER news@bamesville.com A 29-year-old Barnesville man was killed in a two ve hicle collision on Ga. Hwy. 49 near Byron in Peach County at about 7:45 a.m. June 12. According to the Geor gia State Patrol, Frederick Walker of 196 Mill Street was driving westbound on Hwy. 49 near its intersec tion with Peach Road when his 2010 Toyota Corolla crossed the centerline and hit an eastbound 2016 Volkswagen Passat nearly head-on. Walker’s vehicle rotated nearly 360 degrees but stayed in the westbound lane. The Volkswagen was driven by Kewena Revan- tha Booth, 46, of Augusta. Her vehicle ended up in a ditch on the eastbound side of the highway. Booth told troopers Walker’s vehicle crossed into her lane and she swerved to the right to avoid impact to no avail. Booth, who was wearing her seatbelt, had to be extricated from the Volk swagen. She was taken by ambulance to the Atrium Health trauma center in Macon with serious inju ries. Walker was not using his seatbelt. He also had to be cut from his vehicle. He was also taken to Atrium Health by ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival. A blood draw was done on Walker for routine drug and alcohol screening. The security cameras at a nearby business captured the crash on video. ©2023 THE HERALD GAZETTE, BARNESVILLE, LAMAR COUNTY, GA 30204, 770.358.NEWS