Newspaper Page Text
Drive-by madness:
Sgt. Michael Ranier of the Barnesville Police Department (left) rushes to control a distraught woman who burst through the tape securing the crime
scene on Carey J. Buckner Street. Yasmine (Mena) Wright, 33, died in a home after a drive-by shooting. Two others were wounded. The shooter, Eric Sprad-
ley, 33, was later found dead behind a building in Atlanta after shooting himself. A large, emotional crowd gathered at the scene in the aftermath of the triple
shooting.
Man who killed woman and wounded two others
found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Atlanta
WALTER GEIGER
news@barnesville.com
A bizarre drive-by
shooting left a Barnes
ville woman dead and
two others wounded
June 20. The shooter,
who did not know his
victims, was later found
dead of a self-inflicted
gunshot wound behind a
building in Atlanta.
According to Chief
Belinda Penamon of the
BPD, Yasmine (Mena)
Wright, 33, ran out of
gas and pulled her car
into a parking place on
Carey J. Buckner Street
in Barnesville. She
called the father of her
children, Andra Byrd,
to bring her some
gas.
As Byrd was
filling the tank
from a container,
Eric Spradley, 33,
left his home on
Buckner Street in
a vehicle. When
he passed by, he
opened up on Wright
and Byrd, firing multiple
rounds.
Wright died at a home
at 107 Buckner St. across
the road from where her
car was parked. Byrd
was badly wounded and
taken to a hospital by
ambulance. Also hit was
another female Courtney
Francis. “The last 1 heard
they were both stable
and resting,” Pena
mon said.
The shoot
ing took place
very near police
headquarters and
video surveil
lance cameras
there captured
Spradley’s vehicle
turning left on Mill Street
and headed toward 1-75.
A lookout was issued
and Atlanta police later
found him dead behind
a building there.
“Spradley had moved
to Buckner Street. Byrd
was putting gas in the
car. Spradley left his
home and as he drove
past he began shooting
at them. He just started
shooting. Spradley
had no connection to
Wright and she was not
a target at all. He didn’t
know them and they
didn’t know him. Sprad
ley was alone. There
was no one else in the
vehicle,” Penamon said.
Despite ominous
lightning and thunder,
a very large, emotional
crowd gathered in the
area as police waited
for a GB1 team to arrive
and work the crime
scene.
Kandavious Makell
Greene who lived in the
home at 107 Buckner
St. was briefly jailed.
“1 had him temporarily
detained due to him
sending photographs
of the crime scene
and coming inside the
restricted area. His
photos were shared
on social media so he
needed to be removed
from the area. He was
released when we
finished up,” Penamon
said.
The shooting is still
under investigation.
Penamon met with GB1
agents Monday as part
of the ongoing probe.
Funeral arrange
ments for Wright will
be announced by Bur
den Funeral Home in
Griffin. Monitor barnes
ville.com for updates.
WRIGHT
Deadline
is today
Due to the July 4th
holiday, The Herald
Gazette will be mailed
on Monday, July 3. The
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moved to today at 5 p.m.
Subscribe. Your name goes
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96852
78853
Officer William Perdue of the Barnesville Police Department questions a witness along the perimeter of the crime
scene after a drive-by shooting on Carey J. Buckner Street June 20. The shooting, which left one dead and two wounded,
was apparently a random act of violence as the shooter and the victims were not connected in any way, chief Belinda
Penamon reported.
Convicted
abusers file
motions
seeking
new trials
WALTER GEIGER
news@barnesville.com
Convicted child abus
ers Jessica Miranda Coffey
and Phillip
Fuke Nor
man have
filed mo
tions for
new trials.
Those mo
tions will
be heard in
Famar su
perior court
Sept. 24.
Coffey,
32, and
Norman, 31,
were found
guilty in a
jury trial
April 27 of
all counts
against
them and sentenced by
Judge Bill Fears to 60
years in prison and 60
years probation. The jury
deliberated less than four
hours.
Each was convicted of
three counts first degree
cruelty to children, one
count second degree cru
elty to children and three
counts of aggravated bat
tery.
The pair beat Coffey’s
two-month old daughter
so severely she suffered
multiple bruises and
abrasions to her body as
well as 27 fractures/bone
injuries.
The abuse occurred at
Milner Creek Apartments.
Three other children were
removed from the apart
ment by DFCS in the wake
of the beatings.
NORMAN
Independence
Day events set
Food, fun and fireworks
are on tap this week as
the community celebrates
Independence Day.
The local VFW Post will
host its annual celebra
tion Saturday, July 1 from
4 p.m.-midnight at the
post home on Old Hwy.
41. It will include games
for kids, entertainment,
food and fireworks.
The Chamber of Com
merce will host a July
4 version of its popular
Chow Down Buggytown
event from 10 a.m. - 6
p.m. at the United Bank
parking lot on Thomaston
Street. It will feature food
trucks, games, inflatables,
local vendors and a free
water park for kids spon
sored by Advanced Roof
ing and Interiors.
©2023 THE HERALD GAZETTE, BARNESVILLE, LAMAR COUNTY, GA 30204, 770.358.NEWS
