LOCATSOUTHEAST
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Friday, November 9, 2018 9A
COLUMBIA, S.C
Lawyers: Cops had no key as
women drowned in police van
BY JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press
Two women drowned in
the back of a locked cage
while being taken for involun
tary commitment to a mental
hospital because the police
van they were in took an
unsafe route and rolled over,
and deputies lacked a key or
bolt cutters to get them out, a
lawyer for one of the wom
en’s families told South Caro
lina lawmakers Thursday.
The deputies, who drove
around barricades and a
manned checkpoint and
ignored the safer route they
had been given to avoid
floodwaters from Hurricane
Florence, bear plenty of
responsibility for the deaths
of Wendy Newton and Nico-
lette Green, said Tommy
Brittain, a lawyer for New
ton’s family. They have been
fired and a criminal inves
tigation into their actions is
coming to an end.
Neither woman was vio
lent, their advocates said dur
ing a Senate subcommittee
hearing. Newton was only
seeking medicine for her
fear and anxiety the day she
died, the attorney said, while
Green’s family said she was
committed at a regular men
tal health appointment by a
councilor she had never seen
before.
A system in South Caro
lina that treats nonviolent
mental health patients more
like criminals also contrib
uted greatly to the women’s
deaths, Brittain told a state
Senate panel Thursday.
“They did wrong, seri
ous wrong,” Brittain said of
the deputies. “But if she had
never been in that cage, she’d
be out of that van, she’d be
alive today. The people who
made those decisions with
indifference to her rights
are also responsible for her
death.”
Sheriff’s offices don’t like
the system either because it
too often pulls deputies off
the street to take people who
are safe enough to be trans
ported by ambulances or
other means, South Carolina
Sheriff’s Association Execu
tive Director Jarrod Bruder
said.
A survey of about a third
of the state’s counties showed
4,200 mental patients have
been transported by officers
so far this year. Hospitals
and doctors often demand
deputies to take patients
even though the law allows
family members or friends
to take responsibility for
patients who aren’t immedi
ate threats to themselves or
the community.
The hospitals are trying
to avoid legal responsibility,
said psychiatrist Christina
Lynn.
“Then I spend my first day
with them telling them they
didn’t get arrested,” Lynn
said.
The Senate subcommittee
plans to keep hearing testi
mony as the General Assem
bly’s session approaches in
January.
The three members
agreed the law needs to be
changed, and the Depart
ment of Mental Health may
need more funds.
Democratic state Sen. Mar
lon Kimpson said he wanted
to call the hearings as soon as
possible after the September
deaths because they were so
horrible.
A criminal investigation
into the deputies is coming
to an end and a report will
be given to prosecutors, State
Law Enforcement Division
Chief Mark Keel said.
Keel refused to give details
on the conversation between
the deputies and the National
Guard troops blocking the
highway, the depth of the
water the officers were trying
to drive through and what the
deputies did to try to rescue
the women, saying it was part
of his agency’s investigation.
But Brittain and Green’s
sister, Donnela Green-John
son, filled in some of the
details Thursday.
Brittain told how what
should have been a less than
two-hour drive for the women
inside the “tiny cage” from
Horry County to Darlington
had already been delayed by
“coffee breaks and detours”
when the van drove around
a barricade and a manned
checkpoint and into a hole
in the highway covered with
water.
The van rolled to its side,
blocking one door.
The deputies didn’t have
the key to open the other,
Brittain said.
“No key, no combination,
no bolt cutters. No nothing,”
Brittain said. “He climbed
on top to save himself and
the other officer and listened
as water engulfed the van
moment, after moment after
moment as each woman saw
her death rise in the water.”
LUMBERTON, N.C.
FBI: SUV stolen in kidnapping
of 13-year-old girl found
Authorities say they have found the SUV stolen during
the kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl at a
North Carolina mobile home park, and
now hope to identify a person seen in a
surveillance video.
The FBI said in a statement that the
green Ford Expedition was found Thurs
day in the Lumberton area, about eight
miles from the mobile home park where
Hania Noelia Aguilar was abducted
Monday.
Investigators are also seeking help
in identifying a person seen on surveil
lance video walking near the kidnapping scene.
Relatives say the eighth-grader went outside Monday
morning to start a relative’s SUV to prepare to leave for
the bus stop. Police say a man then forced her into the
SUV and drove off. The FBI is offering a $15,000 reward.
MONTGOMERY ALA.
Former attorney sentenced to three
years prison for fraud scheme
A former Alabama attorney has been sentenced to
three years in prison for defrauding the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development out of more than $1
million.
The Justice Department said in a news release that
48-year-old Christopher Pitts was sentenced for a wire
fraud scheme that operated between 2005 and 2008.
An indictment says the Montgomery lawyer had been
hired by HUD to handle the closings on sales of all homes
owned by the agency in 20 counties in northern and cen
tral Alabama.
The Justice Department said Pitts was responsible for
receiving purchase funds, paying closing costs and trans
mitting the remaining money to HUD.
He had pleaded guilty to not turning over payments to
HUD.
Pitts has been ordered to make full restitution when
he’s released from prison.
Associated Press
Aguilar
OBITUARIES
JoAnn McNeil Dyer
Sept. 4, 1931-Nov. 7, 2018
JoAnn McNeil Dyer, 87,
died Wednesday, Nov. 7,
201,8 in
Gaines
ville. Born
Sept. 4,
1931, in
Benton,
Arkansas,
she was
the daugh
ter of the
late Lee
Romine and Lois Antonia
Rye McNeil.
She was a 1949 gradu
ate of Amory High School
in Amory, Mississippi. She
married Donald Dyer in
1953 and they were mar
ried until his death in 2001.
She worked at BellSouth
until her retirement in 1985.
She was of the Baptist faith,
having joined the Pearce
Chapel Baptist Church at
the age of 8. She was an avid
reader and loved knitting,
sewing, painting, all des
serts, animals, and country
music. But most of all, she
loved spending time with
her grandchildren and great
grandchildren.
Survivors include her
daughter and son-in-law
Lana Nix (Charley) of
Gainesville, Ga.; grand
daughter, Ashley Simmons
(Scott) of Roswell, Georgia;
granddaughter, Rachel
Barry (Bennett) of Mt. Pleas
ant, S.C.; four precious great
grandchildren, Kate, Callie,
Ben, and Charlie; 2 nephews,
Neil Hilliard (Tammy); Lee
McNeil.
She was preceded in
death by her parents, her
husband, three sisters and
two brother’s-in-law; Anto
nia Lee McNeil, Louise
McNeil Stockton (Locke);
Juanita McNeil Hilliard
(Albert); one Brother and
Sister-in-law, Lee Romine
McNeil Jr. (Ruby); one
nephew, Mike McNeil; one
niece Lisa McNeil.
Services will be 11 a.m.
on Saturday, Nov. 10, at
Memorial Park Cemetery,
2030 Memorial Park Drive,
Gainesville. Visitation will
be 10 a.m. until service time
on Saturday at the funeral
home.
The family would like to
thank our friends at the Bee
hive Personal Care Home in
Gainesville and at Kindred
Hospice in Gainesville for
the loving care and support
they provided to Mother and
to all of us.
The love and care we
have received from our fam
ily and wonderful friends is
really all we need. Should
you choose to honor Mother
further please consider a
donation of your time or
money to a charity of your
choice.
Memorial Park North Riv
erside Chapel, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 9,2018
Ann Geraldine
Bland Hinton
Oct. 28, 1933-Nov. 8, 2018
Mrs. Ann Geraldine Bland
Hinton, 85, of Gainesville
passed away Thursday,
Nov. 8, 2018, following an
extended illness.
Services will be held at
I p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, 2018,
in the chapel of Memorial
Park North Riverside Cha
pel. Interment will follow at
Memorial Park Cemetery.
Family will receive friends
at the funeral home from 6
p.m. till 8 p.m. She was born
in North Carolina on Oct. 28,
1933. She lived in Gaines
ville since 1958, retiring
from Jackson EMC.
She was a past president
of the Paul E. Bolding Amer
ican Legion Auxiliary Unit 7
in Gainesville, Georgia. She
was also a member of the
40&8 La Femmes.
She is a member of Riv-
erbend Baptist Church and
a member of the Combo
Sunday school class at Riv-
erbend Baptist church
She was preceded in death
by her parents, Charles H
Bland and Bessie Thrower
Bland, her husband Joseph
Herman Hinton, Past Com
mander of the Paul E. Bold
ing American Legion Post 7,
and her sons Barry Charles
Hinton and Thomas Herman
Hinton.
Ann Geraldine Bland
Hinton is survived by her
grandson - Andrew Hinton,
daughter-in-law - Lauren
Hinton of Dawsonville, GA,
sister - Sara Mitchum (John)
of Warrenville, SC, nephew -
Lynn Williams (Kim) of Port
Orange Florida.
Memorial Park North Riv
erside Chapel, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 9, 2018
Bobby Cleo Lawson
June 11, 1947-
Nov. 4, 2018
Bobby Cleo Lawson, 71,
went to be with the Lord
on Nov. 4, 2018. He was
born on June 11, 1947, to
the late Jack and Lola Law-
son. Bobby graduated from
Gainesville High School and
the University of Georgia
at Athens. He retired from
BellSouth telecommunica
tions, was a member of Pis-
gah Forest Baptist Church
and was a huge fan of the
Georgia Bulldogs and NAS
CAR racing.
Bobby is survived by his
wife of 25 years, Glenda
Hudgins Lawson, two sons,
Bobby C. Lawson of Buford,
GA; William Matthew Law-
son of Austin, TX; step-sons
Ron (Kristie)Buell of Pisgah
Forest, NC; Greg (Sherri)
Buell of Buford, GA; step
daughter Christa Downing
of Lawrenceville, GA and
their children. Also left
behind to cherish his mem
ory are two brothers, Billy
(Kathy) Lawson of Greens
boro, NC; Bradley (Barbara)
Lawson of Gainesville, GA;
12 grandchildren and 4
great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on
Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, at
II a.m. at the Pisgah Forest
Baptist Church with Pas
tor David Spray officiating.
Family will receive friends
30 minutes prior to the ser
vice. The family requests in
lieu of flowers memorials
be made to the American
Cancer Society in honor of
Bobby.
Asheville Mortuary Ser
vices, Asheville, NC
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 9,2018
Deborah Strickland
Shumake
June 7, 1954-Nov. 6, 2018
Deborah Strickland Shu
make of Hall County, Ga.,
was born
on June
7, 1954, to
William D.
Strickland
and Opal
Grogan
Strickland.
She was
preceded
in death by her father and
survived by her mother
Opal Strickland, husband,
Keith D. Shumake, children
Lex and Casey Goff, Mat
thew and Whitney Shumake,
grandchildren, Nolan, Rylin,
Paxton, Jace, Avery, and
Hartlyn. Brothers, Mike
Strickland (Stephanie) and
Mark Strickland. Nephews;
Andrew and Max Strickland.
Deborah was preceded in
death by her father-in-law,
John Shumake and is sur
vived by her mother-in-law,
Claira Shumake. In-laws,
Bryan and Beth Shumake,
Doug and Melanie Crum
ley. Nieces and Nephews;
Whitney Mote and Rebecca
Mendez.
She went to be with our
Lord and Savior on Nov.
6, 2018. Her faith in Him
remained strong through
out her journey here on
Earth. She was a vibrant,
tenacious spirit who loved
her family, friends and her
grandchildren fiercely. She
was so strong and she loved
life with perpetual joy. She
enjoyed painting, reading,
and spending time with her
loved ones. She will forever
be missed by all who love
her.
We invite you to celebrate
Deborah’s beautiful life with
us at 3:30 p.m., Saturday
Nov. 10, 2018 in the chapel
of Hillside Chapel Funeral
Home. The Rev. Terry Jones
will officiate.
Interment will follow in
Hillside Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive
friends at the funeral home
Saturday from 2:45 p.m.
until 3:30 p.m.
Those wishing to send
online condolences to the
family may do so at hill-
sidechapelfuneralhome.
com
Hillside Chapel Funeral
Home and Cremation Ser
vices, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book
at gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Nov. 9,2018
DEATH
NOTICES
Carol Adkins
Died Nov. 1, 2018
Carol Adkins, 78, of
Gainesville died Thursday,
Nov. 1. Memorial Park
Funeral Home, Gainesville.
James Ned Beatty Sr.
Died Nov. 5,2018
James Ned Beatty Sr.,
of Oakwood died Monday.
Memorial service, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, First
Baptist Church of Oakwood.
Little & Davenport Funeral
Home, Gainesville.
Genevieve Pace Burke
Died Nov. 8,2018
Genevieve Pace Burke,
96, died Thursday. Funeral
service, 3 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 10, funeral home cha
pel. Little-Ward Funeral
Home, Commerce.
Charles Emerson Crane Jr.
Died Nov. 1,2018
Charles “Joe” Emerson
Crane Jr., 74, of Rockmart
died Thursday, Nov. 1. Cel
ebration of life, 12 p.m. Sun
day, Nov. 11, funeral home
chapel. Little & Davenport
Funeral Home, Gainesville.
Elsie Crane
Died Nov. 6,2018
Elsie Crane, 76, of
Dahlonega died Tuesday.
Memorial Park Funeral
Home, Gainesville.
Patricia Gail
Tiidor Frederick
Jan. 29, 1942-Nov. 8,2018
Patricia Gail Tudor Fred
erick, 76, of Buford died
Thursday. Celebration of
life, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10,
United Methodist Church.
Flanigan Funeral Home and
Crematory, Buford.
Louie Hamm
Died Nov. 6,2018
Louie Hamm, 71, of
Alpharetta died Tuesday.
Funeral service, 1 p.m. Fri
day, Nov. 9, funeral home
chapel. McDonald and Son
Funeral Home, Cumming.
Johnny L. Holtzclaw
Died Nov. 8,2018
Johnny L. Holtzclaw, 63,
of Dawsonville died Thurs
day. Funeral service, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 11, funeral
home chapel. Bearden
Funeral Home, Dawsonville.
David Malcom Jackson
Died Nov. 7,2018
David Malcom Jack-
son, 74, of Cumming died
Wednesday. Funeral ser
vice, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov.
10, funeral home chapel.
Ingram Funeral Home &
Crematory, Cumming.
Nancy A. Marlowe
Died Oct. 31,2018
Nancy A. Marlowe, 76, of
Gainesville died Wednes
day, Oct. 31. Celebration of
life, 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov.
10, Harbour Point Club
House. Little & Davenport
Funeral Home, Gainesville
Norma
Allison Martin
Died Nov. 6,2018
Norma Allison Martin, 80.
of Baldwin died Tuesday.
Hamilton Mill Memorial
Chapel, Buford.
Claudia Purgason
Died Nov, 7,2018
Claudia Purgason, 51, of
Gillsville died Wednesday.
Memorial Park Funeral
Home, Gainesville.
Jimmy Reynolds
May 7, 1938-Nov. 7, 2018
Jimmy Reynolds, 80,
of Cornelia died Wednes
day. Graveside service, 2
p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, Airline
Baptist Church Cemetery.
Whitfield Funeral Homes &
Crematory, Baldwin.
Myra T. Sorrow
Died Nov. 2,2018
Myra T. Sorrow, 86, of Big
Canoe died Friday, Nov. 2.
Homecoming Celebration,
11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10,
funeral home chapel. Little
& Davenport Funeral Home,
Gainesville.
Carolyn S. Stacey
Died Nov. 7, 2018
Carolyn S. Stacey, 76, of
Hoschton died Wednesday.
Celebration of life, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, funeral
home chapel. Memorial
Park South Funeral Home,
Flowery Branch.
Regina Wofford-Rosales
Died Nov. 3, 2018
Regina Wofford-Rosales,
36, of Jefferson died Satur
day. Funeral service, 6 p.m.,
Saturday, Nov. 10, Restora
tion Church. Memorial Park
Funeral Home, Gainesville.
F. Robert Zimmer Jr.
Died Nov. 7, 2018
F. Robert “Bob” Zimmer
Jr., 69, of Flowery Branch
died Wednesday. Funeral
service, 2 p.m. Monday,
Nov. 12, funeral home cha
pel. Memorial Park South
Funeral Home, Flowery
Branch.
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information
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INTRODUCING
Little & Davenport
Funeral Home
To inquire about pricing packages available to
memorialize a pet in print, please contact Megan Lewis
at 770-535-6371 or mlewis@gainesvilletimes.com
Pets at Peace will appear in The Times
the last Sunday of each month.
