About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2018)
I2J OUR REGION Shannon Casas | Editor in Chief 770-718-3417 | news@gainesvilletimes.com The Times, Gainesville, Georgia Saturday, November 3, 2018 Rape charge dismissed in man’s plea BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Three out of five charges have been dismissed in a Braselton man’s plea agreement, including rape and aggravated assault. Emmanuel Kevin Harris, 28, took a negotiated plea deal under the First Offender Act on aggra vated battery, according to court documents. He was given a sen tence of 10 years, with the first two years in custody. Harris will receive credit for time previously served. An attempt to reach Harris’ attorney Dawn Taylor for com ment was unsuccessful. Harris was originally charged with rape by Braselton Police in September 2017. The woman and Harris were previously acquainted. “Sometimes the facts and cir cumstances of a particular case necessitate a negotiation on charges and an appropriate plea that still accomplishes justice for the victim,” Northeastern Judi cial Circuit District Lee Darragh said in a statement regarding the charges dismissed. Darragh did not elaborate on the specific circumstances on the case. Under the First Offender Act, Harris will be “discharged of said offense without court adjudication of guilt and shall be completely exonerated” if he fulfills all of the terms of his sentence. According to the special condi tions of the sentence, Harris must deal Harris provide verifica tion of evaluation and/or treatment for anger man agement and is subject to random drug screens at the direction of probation. Harris will be allowed to serve his custodial time in the Hall County work release program, according to court documents. Stories of survival told at regional trauma symposium Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times Booths are setup for attendees to learn more about organizations during the Northeast Georgia Regional Trauma Symposium at First Baptist Church of Gainesville on Friday, Nov. 2. Gov. Deal receives inaugural award for boosting level of care Attendees listen to Ashley Voss-Liebig of Travis Co. STAR Flight during the Northeast Georgia Regional Trauma Symposium. BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com When Christy Henderson first got the call in September 2016 about her son, Mitchell, being in a wreck, she assumed it was a fender bender. Two phone calls later, she found out her son, a Union County Sheriff’s Office deputy, was set to be taken by helicopter to Northeast Georgia Medi cal Center in Gainesville. “You can never, ever, ever be pre pared for that... to think that he’s not going to make it. There’s no describ ing it,” Christy Henderson said. Deputy Mitchell Henderson, who was seriously injured in a wreck while responding to a call, was the patient survivor story featured at the Regional Trauma Symposium that took place Friday, Nov. 2, at First Bap tist Church in Gainesville. Habersham County Emergency Ser vices Director Chad Black serves as the chairman of the Region 2 Regional Trauma Advisory Committee. “If you look at the list of injuries he had, very few people survive that. But because of the great care he got from start to finish, he’s back and at work and was able to stand up there ... and say, ‘Here I am.’ And that’s why we do this symposium and that’s why we do what we do, because of people like him. That’s what makes the dif ference,” Black said. Because of the dense fog, flight nurse Martin Nethery saw they were going to have to take Henderson on the ground from Union County to the Gainesville hospital. Nethery described it in a video as a roughly 75-minute drive over curvy mountain roads. “In 40 years of EMS, I did not hold out a lot of hope in this situation,” Nethery said. Henderson spent roughly a month in the intensive care unit before spending another month at the Shep herd Center. Gov. Nathan Deal was the inaugural recipient of the Nathan Deal Gover nor’s Award for Trauma Excellence. Black said the governor is largely responsible for the $1.5 million given to the “Stop the Bleed” campaign, which led to trauma training across the state through the regional trauma advisory committees. The award will go in future years to an individual who has “excelled in either trauma care research or prevention.” “Over these past eight years, it has been my goal to make Georgia not only the No. 1 state for business, but ultimately the greatest place to call home,” Deal in a a statement. “As our population continues to grow and our communities flourish, quality health care is crucial to ensuring the overall well-being of Georgia’s citizens.” Black lauded the medical center for its support and resources available to those in the region. “I can’t say enough about the care that they give our trauma patients now, being a Level II trauma center, and then how much they do for us in supporting us,” he said. Officers chase, arrest Casper on Halloween BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Authorities spent part of Halloween chasing someone named Casper, but it wasn’t the friendly ghost. A Gainesville man, Kyle Almon Casper, is accused of running away from state troopers twice, including once in hand cuffs, after a traffic stop Halloween night. A Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop a Ford Explorer around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday for speed ing on Limestone Parkway near Clarks Bridge Road. After the trooper pursued the driver for roughly a mile at a high speed, authorities said Casper, 25, abandoned his car at the intersection of Beverly Road and Lakev- iew Drive. “The trooper gave chase on foot not ing that the driver was armed with what appeared to be a holstered pistol,” Cpl. Major D. Patterson wrote in an email. Gainesville Police and Hall County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 units assisted in searching for Casper, who had fled into the woods. As the dogs were tracking Casper, state patrol and other local law enforcement patrol units established a perimeter. Other officers started patrolling the resi dential streets. Officers found Casper behind a resi dence on Nottingham Drive. “Once handcuffed and while being placed in the back of a Hall County patrol car, (Casper) managed to flee on foot again while still handcuffed,” Patterson said. Casper was apprehended at Brenau Point Drive. Patterson said Casper had multiple outstanding warrants. Casper was taken to the Hall County Jail. He was charged with speeding, reckless driving, driving without license on his person, failure to apply for a new license within 60 days of changing address, obstruction of a law enforce ment officer, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 1-85 express lanes extension opens today The Georgia Department of Transportation is opening the 1-85 express lanes extension to traf fic today, adding 10 miles to the existing express system. The newly constructed lanes in northern Gwinnett County extend from Old Peachtree Road to Hamilton Mill Road and run alongside general-purpose lanes. The extension creates a 26-mile network into Georgia’s northeast region. “We’re excited to open this extension of the 1-85 express lanes that will not only pro vide an additional choice for motorists that can reduce their travel times in the corri dor, but will also enhance the region’s transportation infra structure,” Georgia DOT Com missioner Russell R. McMurry said. According to GDOT, the lanes are engineered to ease congestion to and from Atlanta during the heaviest traffic hours. The lanes are HOT lanes, free to vehicles with three or more pas sengers, and allow transit and registered van- pool customers to travel in the lanes toll-free. Drivers traveling northbound can access the express lanes extension at four locations, while southbound drivers can access at six locations beginning at Hamilton Mill Road, the northern terminus. The system features dynamic pricing, with rates rising as demand increases. The mini mum rate is $0.10 per mile. During periods of very low demand, per mile toll rates on an express lane facility may be replaced with a fixed toll of $0.50 per trip, regardless of the length of the trip. Vehicles with no more than two axles or up to six wheels may use the express lanes with a valid Peach Pass. Public transit buses, regis tered vanpools and emergency response vehi cles also may use the lanes toll-free with a valid Peach Pass. All other vehicles, including motor cycles and electric vehicles, are required to pay a toll to use the express lanes. To open a Peach Pass account, visit SRTA’s website at PeachPass.com. From GDOT press release McMurry COUNCIL ■ Continued from 1A to the land. The money for the purchase will come from the city’s economic development fund, City Manager Bryan Lackey said. While that fund does include some taxpayer dollars, he said, it is largely funded by the city’s land sales. Lackey said because of the demand for indus try Gainesville is seeing, the city is not expect ing to hold on to the land for too long. Koch did not return a request for comment. Midtown Overlay Zone regulations The city may adapt its land development code to prohibit some uses in its Midtown Over lay Zone, which is bordered by the Norfolk Southern railroad, E.E. Butler Parkway and Jesse Jewell Parkway. The new ordinance would prohibit several uses in the area, including liquor stores, coin laundry facilities, homeless shelters, extended stay hotels and jails. Planning staff has also recommended lim iting where gas stations can go in the overlay zone, and details are under discussion. Existing uses that would be prohibited under the new ordinance are allowed to stay, accord ing to Planning Manager Matt Tate. Hydro Extruder expansion Hydro’s extrusion plant on Old Oakwood Road may be expanding, if the council approves the company’s request to annex about 22 acres of land adjacent to the current Hydro property. Hydro employs about 400 people locally. The two properties included in the request are on either side of the plant, which was built in 1986. Attorney Donnie Hunt, who spoke on behalf of the company at an Oct. 9 planning board meeting, said the company has been interested in the land for a while. Hydro is buying the land now that it is on the market but does not have immediate plans for expansion, he said. No one spoke in opposition to the proposal. Hydro would submit plans to the city when they do decide to develop the land. The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board recommended approval of the request. Business park on Allen Creek Road Gainesville wants to build a 1,300-acre busi ness park on land the city has owned since 1990, and on Tuesday, councilmembers will vote to start the permitting process for the land. The land is on Allen Creek Road near the Allen Creek Soccer Complex. The business park will be divided into 20 lots, and the city wants to use one for equipment storage. Gainesville needs permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop the land because it has flood plains and ponds. The city also wants to build a trail through the business park, connecting to the soccer complex.
