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OUR REGION
Shannon Casas | Editor in Chief
770-718-3417 | news@gainesvilletimes.com
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Man accused of kidnapping, rape, fraud
A man is accused of kidnapping,
rape and using a woman’s credit
card to rent a motel room, accord
ing to court documents.
Gainesville Police said Gabriel
Robles allegedly committed a rape
between Feb. 25 and Feb. 26.
Warrants for Robles’ arrest were
issued on Dec. 18 for kidnapping
and transaction card fraud, and
the warrant for rape was issued
Dec. 21.
Police said some of the time
delay before an arrest came from
awaiting forensics and other tests
to be performed.
Holbrook said part of the inci
dent took place at the Motel 6 on
Monroe Drive.
“Upon arrival at the (hotel),
the victim was incoherent, and
that’s when the suspect utilized her
credit card to obtain the room. And
while at the room that night, the
suspect had sexual relations with
the victim, who stated at the time
that she was unconscious. She had
no recollection of the sexual con
tact,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook said the woman woke
up the next morning at the motel
and soon after reported it to law
enforcement.
“It is believed that he took her
from one location, put her in the
car, drove her to the Motel 6, and
that’s where the kidnap
ping charge comes into
play. She was allegedly in
no state of mind — to give
authority to be taken from
one location to the other
and/or to consent to sexual
relations,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook said Robles
and the woman are both
adults, though he was
unsure of their ages.
The two were previ
ously acquainted with one
another, Holbrook said.
Robles was booked
Thursday, Dec. 20, in
to the Hall County Jail,
where he remains.
His attorney Scott
Tolbert did not return
a request for comment
Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Compiled by Nick Watson
Robles
Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
County Commissioner Scott Gibbs receives a commemorative plaque for his service on the board during a County
Commissioner meeting on Thursday, Dec. 13.
GIBBS
County Commissioner Scott Gibbs speaks with Hall County attorney Bill
Blalock during a send off party for Gibbs on Thursday, Dec. 13.
■ Continued from 1A
announcement of an “inland port” or
regional terminal to serve the Port
of Savannah), Gibbs said managing
growth in the area has been the most
satisfying and most difficult part of
his job as an elected official.
Lanier Technical College’s new
campus at Howard Road and Ga. 365,
though located in the district repre
sented by commissioner Jeff Stowe,
also has helped push new growth
toward North Hall.
“If I’ve got to pick one thing I’m so
proud of, it’s industrial development
along Ga. 365,” Gibbs said.
Zoning issues, however, can be
some of the most contested and bitter
disputes that come before the county
board of commissioners, Gibbs said.
Just a few years ago, there might
be 200 or so building permits issued.
Now, there are more than 1,000
annually.
“If you’re for it, there’s one win
ner,” he said.
And that means a lot of losers.
The best outcome, as is often the
case when it comes to politics, is
when a compromise can be made,
Gibbs said.
For example, a recent 275-lot pro
posal was reduced in density before
receiving the board of commission
er’s approval.
And, sometimes, commissioners
will require more traffic-reduction
measures, or additional setback
requirements, before approving a
development plan.
“It reached a point where a suc
cessful zoning was where both sides
left unhappy,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs, who has served two terms
over eight years, lost his re-election
bid in the Republican primary last
spring to Shelly Echols, who ran
unopposed in the general election
and will be seated on the county com
mission in January.
The result came as almost a relief
to Gibbs, who had considered not
running, but was encouraged by
friends and colleagues to seek one
more term.
Two terms “tends to be the life of
a county commissioner,” Gibbs said.
“It was time for a change. ”
Gibbs said he’s been helping
Echols with the transition any way
he can.
“I try to make sure she’s included,”
he said. “I do want to see her suc
ceed. I still live in that district.”
Though he hasn’t given up on poli
tics entirely, Gibbs said he’s happy to
get back to a life less public, spend
more time with his family and focus
on his business, Gibbs Grading &
Utilities, Inc.
“It’s been a good experience,” he
said. “It’s just time for somebody else
to do it.”
One project that remained elusive
during Gibbs’ tenure is the proposed
Glades Reservoir in North Hall.
The county has sunk about $16
million into the project, which lost
state support as Georgia fought a pro
tracted legal battle over water rights
with Florida and Alabama.
And the rains returned, too, wash
ing away a prolonged drought.
But, “I don’t think Glades is dead,”
Gibbs said, adding that he expects
it back on the table when the next
drought hits as support for it could
ebb and flow on the climate.
“What people lose sight of is (Lake)
Lanier was supposed to be a chain
of about 14 lakes, but only four got
built,” Gibbs said.
He added that he expects state and
local governments to pursue more
regional reservoirs such as Glades in
the years to come.
Gibbs said the county commission
also was tested in recent years by
new funding mandates handed down
by state legislators, such as approxi
mately half a million dollars in new
annual spending on juvenile justice
reform measures.
So, while Gibbs said it’s the right
time to leave the limelight, he knows
he’ll miss the people of Hall County
and their trust in his service over
eight years.
“If you’re not doing this to help
people, you’re doing it for the wrong
reasons,” he said of elected office.
Even more rain
forecast for
Hall County
BY KELSEY RICHARDSON
krichardson@gainesvilletimes.com
The gray days, which have dominated December weather
in Hall County, aren’t over yet.
Three waves of rainfall are predicted by the National
Weather Service to wash over the county from Thursday,
Dec. 27 to New Year’s Day.
The weather service also released a flash flood watch
from Thursday evening through Saturday morning for Hall
County and other portions of North and Central Georgia.
Kyle Thiem, meteorologist at the weather service’s
Atlanta office, said the first wave of rainfall will start Thurs
day morning and end Friday night. The chance of precipita
tion for Hall County is 80 percent on Thursday.
The National Weather Service predicted that the worst
of the rain would encompass late Thursday and Friday
morning.
Thiem said Hall County, on average, will receive 2-3
inches of rain by the end of the first wave.
He said the second round will bring less than an inch of
rain, taking place Saturday and Sunday. He expects that Hall
County may receive a short break from the rain on Saturday.
The third wave is anticipated for Monday, Dec. 31 and
Tuesday, Jan.l with 1-2.5 inches of rain.
“This round will be a little heavier than the weekend,”
Thiem said. “If we haven’t quite recovered from saturation
of the first round, you could have problems around streams
and rivers.”
He said this year has received an anomalous amount of
rainfall around North Georgia, especially within the last sev
eral months.
Thiem encourages people to pay attention to their sur
roundings when driving during the storms, and not to cross
roads that are covered with flowing water.
“That’s one of the biggest causes of fatalities due to
weather events, people driving through flooded roads,” he
said. “If you find yourself in areas prone to flood, make prep
arations for another round of rain.”
Updates can be found on the National Weather Service’s website.
Photo of Angela Marie Ramsey courtesy of Gainesville Police Department
Missing woman
believed to be
homeless, diabetic
Gainesville Police are looking for a woman, who was last
seen earlier this month and is believed to be homeless.
Angela Marie Ramsey, 34, drives a white 2001 Toyota
Camry with black markings. The car’s tag reads PAP2724.
“She is believed to be homeless. She is diabetic and depen
dent upon medication,” Sgt. Kevin Holbrook wrote in an
email.
Gainesville Police are asking for assistance. Anyone with
information is asked to call 911.
Compiled by Nick Watson
BAR
■ Continued from 1A
broadcasters and athletes.
“We want to offer something different to the
community,” Mills said. “We want to be an event
center for coaches and fans alike.”
Working with a team of chefs, Mills created
a menu inspired from stadium food around the
country.
Mills said he grew up as a Navy brat, and had
the opportunity to try the staple foods from differ
ent sports stadiums.
Some dishes that will be on the menu include
a Chicago dog, New York pastrami burger, San
Francisco fried squid and New Orleans seafood
nachos. Other food options entail burgers, steak
and wings.
Having decades worth of restaurant man
agement experience, Mills said he is excited
to become a part of the great businesses on the
Gainesville Square.
Out of 30 potential locations for ChopBLOCK, he
said downtown Gainesville was his No. 1 choice.
“We just want people to come in, relax, have
good food and watch sports,” Mills said.
KELSEY RICHARDSON I The Times
When people walk through the doors of ChopBLOCK, they will be greeted with a chunk of 10-yard-line turf.
