Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, March 31,2021 — Page 7
^FOR THE RECORD
Columbia County divorces Augusta Circuit
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Gov. Brian Kemp signed
Senate Bill 9 into law March
25, giving Columbia County its
own judicial circuit and district
attorney. The decision leaves
Richmond and Burke Counties
in the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
The new Columbia County
circuit will have three judges.
The remaining Augusta circuit
will keep five Superior Court
judicial posts.
Previously, the Burke
County Commissioners and
Waynesboro City Council
asked the general assembly for
a delay in the process pending
a cost analysis. Burke County
Administrator Merv Waldrop
said the abruptness of the de
cision without a thorough cost
analysis makes it hard for the
county to formulate a budget
for the remainder of the fiscal
year and next year. The split
raises the county’s portion of
expenses that cover the District
Attorney’s Office, Juvenile
Court, Superior Court and the
Public Defender’s Office.
The split takes place while
there is a backlog of cases due
to COVID. However, staff
reduction may be necessary
as cases are split between the
Columbia County and Augusta
circuits.
Earlier, Burke County Com
missioners brought up the idea
of the county forming a sepa
rate judicial circuit; however,
the commissioners have never
formally proposed a resolution
to that effect.
Waldrop said that option is
not on the table.
“There is not a chance of that
happening,” he said.
District Attorney Jared Wil
liams said his office has been
preparing for the split that
officially takes place in July,
since the start of the year. An
appointee from Gov. Brian
Kemp’s office is working with
the office to ensure a smooth
transition.
“We have a plan to ensure
that this community’s needs
are served,” Williams said.
BURKE COUNTY JAIL BOOKINGS
MAR. 22-28
David Eugene
Clayton, 37
McClain-Bell
Roaad, Sardis
BCSO, March 22
Contempt of State
Court
Gerald Benard
Dukes, 29
East 7th St,
Waynesboro
WPD, March 22
Jailsanction order
Willie Bernard
Herndon, 46
Dahlia Drive,
Augusta
BCSO, March 23
Probation violation-
felony
Jeremy Terrel
Usery, 34
Lincoln Park, Wadley
BCSO, March 25
Safekeeping for Jef
ferson County Jail
Bernard Ward, 53
Dowell Ave.,
Waynesboro
WPD, March 27
Bench warrant-
misdemeanor;
simple battery-family
violence
Horace Eugene
Wesby, 36
GA Hwy. 23 South,
Waynesboro
BCSO, March 24
Aggravated child
molestation; child
molestation (2
counts)
Sean Steven
Powless, 31
Highway 56 North,
Waynesboro
BCSO, March 27
Speeding 74/55;
DUO-a/cohol 0.08
gm or more, 21 or
over
Anthony Lee
Amerson, 41
Hephzibah-McBean
Road, Hephzibah
BCSO, March 23
Trafficking in
methamphetamine;
safekeeping for GA.
Department of Com
munity Supervision
Kawan Jamal
Scurry, 20
Corn Road, Girard
BCSO, March 25
Headlight require
ments; driving with
out a valid license-
misdemeanor;
failure to appear in
court as summoned
Tommie RaQuest
Tennyson, 19
Winesap Way,
Augusta
Murder; armed
robbery; kidnapping;
possession of a
firearm during the
commission of a
crime
Javarron Tamassi
Walker, 18
Screven Street,
Sardis
BCSO, March 26
A ggra vated assauit-
FVA; possession
of firearm or knife
during commission
of or attempt to
commit felonies
Thaddeus Lamont
Kirkland, 42
Royai St., Augusta
WPD March 25
DUt-driving under
the influence (al
cohol); speeding
48/25MPH zone;
open container
violation; reckless
driving; safekeeping
Ga. Department of
Community Super
vision
0
Tammy Marie
Williamson, 49
Wilson Road,
Waynesboro
BCSO, March 23
Trafficking in meth
amphetamine; use
of license plate with
intent to conceal
or misrepresent
the identification of
vehicle or its owner;
safekeeping for Ga
Department of Com
munity Supervision
(Augusta)
Latia Destiny Sade
Harris, 19
Pilgrim Way,
Waynesboro
WPD, March 25
Violation of condi
tions on limited driv
ing permit; refusing
to sign a citation;
disorderly conduct-
city ordinance;
housing for WPD**
AGENCIES
BCSO: Burke County Sheriff’s Office;
WPD: Waynesboro Police Department;
GSP: Georgia State Patrol;
MPD: Midville Police Department;
SPD: Sardis Police Department;
DOC: Department of Corrections
DNR: Department of Natural Resources
DISCLAIMER NOTICE: ALL ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW
BURKE EMA REPORT
The Burke County Emergency Management Agency
responded to 115 patients’ calls during the week ending
March 28.
Of those, 87 resulted in transports, including 56 to Augusta
hospitals and two to other out-of-county hospitals. Forty five
of the transports were determined to be emergencies and 42
were non-emergent.
The agency also answered 14 fire calls during the week.
They included seven rescues, one brush/grass fire, one power
line down, two public service calls and three unspecified
calls.
Woman
in racing
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
A woman was seriously
injured when she wrecked her
car while racing on Barnhart
Drive Saturday night.
Kendra Jeffers, age 33, was
ejected from a Chevrolet Up-
lander she was driving. Ac
cording to reports, Jeffers and
Nakandra Dukes, 23, who was
driving a Nissan Altima, were
racing up and down Barnhart
Drive when the accident oc
curred. There were two chil
dren, ages 14 and 15, also in the
Uplander but were not injured.
Jeffers was ejected from
the vehicle and was taken to
Augusta University Medical
Center where she was listed in
critical condition the night of
Coroners
topsies are performed outside
of Burke County. All of the
women work part-time and
hold other jobs. They alternate
shifts.
Powell pointed out that
working for the coroner’s of
fice is a ministry-type position
that often requires more time
consoling and working with
grieving and shocked loved
ones than actually dealing with
the deceased. Coroners wear
multiple hats including, in
vestigator, nurse and therapist,
she said.
“In their darkest moment, I
am trying to bring them some
kind of peace,” she said. “I feel
that God put me in this role and
opened the door for ministry.”
Evans emphasized that a
coroner becomes a representa
tive for the deceased.
“They can’t speak for them
selves anymore,” she said, and
added that often times she is
the only one who can provide
answers for family members
seeking internal resolution and
closure.
Sometimes relatives inhibit
investigations in an attempt to
hold on to family secrets, the
women said.
All three ladies agree that
empathy and compassion for
family members dealing with
unexpected death is what fe
males bring to the table.
Additionally, each woman
brings a different perspective
to the job that often leads to
them bouncing ideas off of
each other.
Powell said she does not feel
job-related pressure connected
to her gender. She said she is
treated with respect.
“I would say that our police
injured
accident
the accident.
Burke County Deputy Sher
iff Michael Murphy, who re
sponded to the incident a little
after 9:30 p.m., reported that
Dukes initially said that she
was not driving at the time of
the accident, and said that her
cousin, who had allegedly left
the scene, was the actual driver.
Murphy observed that Dukes
was just over five feet tall and
the seat was adjusted for her
height. When the cousin, who
was six feet tall, arrived back
on the scene, he was obviously
unable to fit under the wheel.
He was advised to leave the
scene.
No additional information
concerning Jeffers’ condition
was available at press time.
Continued from 2
here locally are very protec
tive of us,” she said. “I’ve
never gone into any situation
or any area, even when it was
a homicide or anything, and
felt unsafe.”
Bennett said younger fe
males considering a career in
coroner work must carry love
for people in their hearts.
The position requires a lot of
on-call time and does not nec
essarily offer a lot of pay, es
pecially in smaller counties. It
requires passion for the work.
“If they have a love for the
sciences, it is a wonderful
held,” Evans said. “It really is.”
DUI
CONVICTION
Name: Brett Franklin Rothenberg
Address: Waynesboro,GA 30830
Burke County
Date of Arrest: Feb. 17, 2020
Place of Arrest: Cox Road
Meadow Lane
Disposition: Pled guilty + 12
months probation + $1545.00 fine,
240 hours community service
Ml Tilloiwo
bail bonds
1022 N. Liberty St., Waynesboro - 706-551-0876
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