About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2020)
LOCA^STATE The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Wednesday, February 19, 2020 7A Dawson authorities searching for hiker missing near Appalachian Trail BY JESSICA TAYLOR jtaylor@dawsonnews.com The multi-agency search for an Appa lachian Trail hiker who went missing in Dawson County late last week is now con tinuing into a third day, authorities said Tuesday, Feb. 18. During a press conference on Tues day morning, Dawson County Fire Chief Danny Thompson announced that the search for Eddie Noonkester, a North Carolina man who embarked on the Appalachian Trail on Friday, Feb. 14, will continue, with multiple agencies searching the trail in Dawson County and the surrounding areas. According to Thompson, the search for Noonkester began on Sunday after Dawson County authorities received a call expressing con cern for Noonkester’s health. Around 11:20 a.m. Sunday shortly after the call, Noonkester himself called Daw son County 911 and was interviewed by an on-duty battalion chief, Thompson said. “In speaking with Eddie, it did appear that he sounded confused initially,” Thompson said. Authorities believe that Noonkester became disoriented and may be suffering from a medical emergency. “We’ve spoken to the family. He doesn’t have any known medical issues, but he does have a family history of dementia,” Thompson said. “Family and friends have shared some information with us that they feel he may have been over the last several months exhibiting some signs or symptoms of early onset (dementia); how ever, please understand that has not been diagnosed.” Following the interview with Noonkester, authorities mobilized a search but were unable to find any sign of the hiker until approximately 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, when staff of Len Foote Hike Inn located some of Noonkester’s personal belongings near the Hike Inn trail. The items have since been verified by Noonkester’s family members, Thompson said. Efforts to find Noonkester continued into Monday night, with six K-9 teams searching a large grid area around the Approach Trail in Amicalola Falls State Park, and on through Tues day morning until the weather deteriorated. On Tuesday, Thompson said Dawson County Emergency Ser vices has called in the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to assist in the search. “Today, we have called in the assistance of GEMA, numerous law enforcement agencies, DNR, Dawson County Sheriff’s department, park staff here, numerous fire departments... Gilmer County, Union County, Fannin County are represented today,” Thompson said. At least 50 people from multiple state and local agencies are searching. “Right now our focus is a grid area of what’s called the Approach Trail down High Shoals Road, which is a service road that leads over to the Len Foote Hike Inn and then the Len Foote Hike Inn trail back down towards the visitor’s center and Cochran Falls,” Thompson said. “The search area where we’re looking for Mr. Noonkester is a very, very treacherous area. Terrain is very, very difficult, and couple that with the heavy downpours that we’ve had throughout the day and will con tinue to have over the next 72 hours, we’re going to continue to push for this search of Eddie and hope for a positive outcome.” Thompson said that those wishing to vol unteer in the search efforts may do so by contacting the official search and rescue Photo for The Times Eddie Noonkester. volunteer email, DCSAR@dawsoncounty. org. “What we’re asking the volunteers, when you email into that address, leave your name, contact telephone number, your availability and your experience level of hiking,” Thompson said. A BOLO is still issued for Noonkester. He is an approximately 60-year-old white man, standing at 5-feet and 10-inches tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds with gray hair and a gray goatee. Authorities ask that if you see someone matching Noonkester’s description to call the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office’s non emergency number 706-344-3636. “Our priority is to try to find him in these next 48 hours,” Thompson said. “We have a high focus of trying to locate him as quickly as we can.” Noonkester Man accused of locking girl in room, forcing sexual acts BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com A Flowery Branch man allegedly locked a girl in a room and then forced the girl to perform various sex acts on him, according to authorities. Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies met with the victim and an adult family member around 10:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 about an alleged assault that happened earlier that day. The victim, the family member and the suspect, Joshua Todd Allen, 34, had all left the home where the alleged assault happened before law enforce ment were notified. “According to the initial investiga tion, Allen assaulted a minor female child at his residence on Capitola Farm Road,” Sher iff’s Office spokesman Derreck Booth wrote in a news release. Booth said Allen threatened the girl and locked her in a room to prevent her from leaving. “He forced the victim to per form various sex acts on him,” Booth said of Allen. Investigators obtained warrants for Allen Feb. 10, and he was charged with aggravated sodomy, first-degree cruelty to children, false imprisonment, child molestation and aggravated assault. Allen turned himself in to the jail Feb. 12, and he is still being held at the jail without bond. No further details were released by authorities. Defense attorney Matt Leipold said he was unfamiliar with the circumstances in the case when reached for comment Tuesday, Feb. 18. Allen Voter registration deadline for March primary upcoming To be eligible to vote in the March 24 presi dential preference primary, voters need to be registered by Feb. 24. To register to vote, go to the Georgia Sec retary of State’s My Voter Page website, mvp. sos.ga.gov, or the elections office at the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville. Voters can also check their registration sta tus on the Secretary of State’s website. Items on the ballot March 24 include Repub lican and Democratic candidates for presi dent, bonds for local schools and E-SPLOST, a 1 % sales tax that school systems use for capi tal projects. Megan Reed Ga. special elections may not get party primaries until 2021 BY BEN NADLER Associated Press ATLANTA — A proposed change to Georgia election law to require party primaries before certain special elections has been amended so it wouldn’t take effect until 2021, assuring a special U.S. Senate election this year won’t be affected if it passes. That’s good news for recently appointed Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who is running to defend her seat in a free-for-all special elec tion on Nov. 3. House Bill 757 was approved by the state House Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday. It could soon go to the full House for a vote. Under current law, Loeffler’s race won’t be fil tered by party primaries and all candidates will share the ballot in November. A previous version of the bill would have applied to the race, requir ing party primaries in May. That setup could have helped Republican Rep. Doug Collins, who is challenging Loeffler for the seat, by shortening the time Loeffler has to build a record to run on. The effective date was added after Republi can Gov. Brian Kemp, who appointed Loeffler to the Senate, threatened to veto the proposal. Rep. Shaw Blackmon, a Republican from Bonaire that chairs that committee, said the effective date of Jan. 1, 2021 was added at the request of House members and that the Senate race was a consideration. The bill was also amended so that the party primary requirements would apply to special elections for state House and Senate seats in cer tain circumstances. Ryan Germany, general counsel for the Geor gia Secretary of State, said applying those provi sions to General Assembly races would require more elections to be held and that counties would be responsible for the costs. s (The (Times Micltael C1omb« MARCH 21, 2020 7:30 PM The Venue at Friendship Springs Purchase your Tickets at: gainesvilletimes.com/michaelcombs VOTE NOW THROUGH THE 24TH VOTING FOR OUR TEACHER OF THE MONTH CONTEST IS NOW OPEN. Be sure to give a shout-out to your favorite teacher. You can vote once per day. The selected teacher will receive a plaque and $200 in school supplies. Winner will be recognized in The Times. VOTE TODAY AT WWW.CAI N ES VILLETIM ES.COM/TEACH E R
