About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2020)
LOCA^STATE The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - September 2-3, 2020 3A Man captured within an hour after police post BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com A 35-year-old kidnapping suspect was arrested within an hour of a Gainesville Police social media post asking to find him, police said. Michael Wayne Burgess, who Gainesville Police described as transient, was also charged with aggra vated battery, aggravated sodomy and robbery by intimidation. Cpl. Jessica Van said Bur gess met with a woman Sun day, Aug. 23, at a business, and the alleged assault hap pened at a city residence “over a span of a couple days.” Van did not release further information on the case, including specifics on the business or residence. “There may be more charges forthcoming, but I’m not certain right now,” Van wrote in an email. “It’s still under active investigation. I believe an undisclosed amount of money was stolen.” Police put out a social media post around 4 p.m. Friday, Aug 28, and Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Burgess within the hour in the Sardis area. Flowery Branch girl dies in 3-car crash BY KELSEY P0D0 kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com A 5-year-old from Flowery Branch died Saturday night in a three-vehicle crash near Smallwood Road and Athens Highway in South Hall, accord ing to the Georgia State Patrol. Five adults in the wreck received minor injuries. The girl was identified as Tania Sanchez-Fierros, a pas senger in a Honda Odyssey minivan that crashed around 10 p.m. Aug. 29 and was driven by Sandra Fierros Nunez, 42, of Flowery Branch, Cpl. Josh Hedden, assistant post commander of GSP Post 6 in Gainesville, said. She was pronounced dead in the early hours of Sunday, deputy coro ner Kevin Wetzel told The Times, adding that the driver was the girl’s grandmother. Samanth Sanchez Fierros, 22, of Flowery Branch was also a passenger. Tania was a kindergarten student at World Language Academy. In response to the 5-year-old’s death, Hall County Schools offered a statement to The Times on Monday, Aug. 31. “We are deeply saddened over the loss of one of our kin dergarten students over the weekend,” the statement read. “The district is providing extra support and counseling to our students and staff in the days ahead as they deal with this tremendous loss. And with out question our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this very difficult time. ” Charges against the driver are pending the completion of the investigation. Hedden reported that the minivan was on Smallwood Road, attempting to drive straight across Athens High way. At the time, two pickup trucks were traveling south bound on Athens Highway. When a 2017 Dodge Ram had changed from the left to the right lane, Hedden said the minivan “failed to yield after stopping at the stop sign and continued on Athens Highway.” The truck struck the mini- van on the driver’s side with its front. Hedden said the minivan rotated counterclockwise and hit the rear of the passenger side of the third vehicle, a 2015 Dodge Ram. Hedden said the 2017 Dodge Ram was driven by Alberto Gomez Rivas, 20, of Gaines ville, with passenger Jasmine Gomez, 22, of Gainesville. The 2015 Dodge Ram was driven by Luis Caudillo, 20, of Gainesville. Nathan Berg, Times education reporter, contributed to this report. Police: Woman jumps from car with 1-year-old child to escape kidnapping DULUTH — A woman jumped out of a moving car with her 1-year-old child to escape being kidnapped by a man who carjacked her vehicle, according to authorities in Georgia. The man first approached the woman when she was eating by her car at a Law- renceville gas station on Aug. 18, the Gwin nett County Police Department said in a statement posted Tuesday on Facebook. Authorities said the man punched the victim multiple times on her face and reached for what she believed to be a gun. He then told her to get in the backseat of the car, where her child was sleeping, according to police. She obeyed, and police say the man drove off with the vehicle. During the drive, officials said he demanded money from the woman and threatened to kill her. That’s when she grabbed her child and jumped out of the car. The man continued to drive, and the victim’s car was found abandoned the next day in Duluth, a city located about 12 miles northwest of Lawrenceville. The victim was treated for injuries she sustained during the fall when police arrived. The child was not injured. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the police department. Associated Press Authorities: Alcohol, drugs suspected factors in crash death of Buford woman EARLY DEADLINES FOR LABOR DAY Because of the upcoming Labor Day holiday The Times will alter its advertising and legals deadline to the following: BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes. com Investigators say drugs and alcohol are suspected factors in the Thursday, Aug. 27, single-vehicle crash in South Hall that killed the driver and seriously injured the passenger, according to Georgia State Patrol. An accident report also shows the passenger told authorities the two had been drinking alcoholic bever ages during the day and that police found unopened alcohol bottles, prescription medication and “illegal nar cotics” in the vehicle. It wasn’t immediately clear what kinds of drugs were found or in what quan tity. Authorities also did not say whether the driver had drugs or alcohol in her sys tem at the time of the crash. Julie O’Heir, 35, of Snell- ville, was the front-seat pas senger who was hospitalized with serious injuries, GSP Cpl. Josh Hedden wrote in an email on Tuesday. Hospital and state patrol officials did not immediately provide an update on O’Heir’s condition. The driver, Mary Amber Moore, 39, of Buford, died Sat urday, Aug. 29, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center from injuries sustained in the crash on Blackjack Road two days earlier, according to GSP. O’Heir was interviewed Friday, Aug. 28, at the hospi tal, telling officers she didn’t know what caused Moore to crash, according to the acci dent report. In addition to the prescrip tions and narcotics found in Moore’s purse, three unopened 50 mL bottles of peach Smirnoff vodka and an unopened liter of Grey Goose vodka were found inside the car, authorities say. O’Heir said in her inter view with police that she and Moore had been drinking alcoholic beverages at a pool during the day but that she didn’t know whether Moore had taken any medications or illegal drugs before the crash, the report says. Hall County Coroner Mar ion Merck said the medical examiner still had the case, and toxicology information would likely take 14 to 16 weeks. Police say Moore was driving on a curve eastbound Secure your savings. Lock in your rate today. Competitive checking and savings offerings and great customer service from the #1 capitalized major bank in the U.S. 1 13-Month CD or IRA CD Special 0.90%' 24-Month CD or IRA CD Special 0.90% AP BankOZK Open an account at ozk.com or one of our local branches.’ ""Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective as of the publication date. Offer applies to new CDs only. $1,000 minimum deposit is required to open CD and to earn stated APY. Penalty for early withdrawal. IRA CD is subject to eligibility requirements. 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Retail Display/Classified / Legal/Obit & Death Notices: The Times - Midweek Edition - 9/9 Deadlines Retail Display Ads Classified Line Ads Classified Display Ads Legals Legal Display Obit & Death Notices Friday, 9/4 at 3pm Friday, 9/4 at 3pm Thursday, 9/3 at 3pm Friday, 9/4 at 3pm Friday, 9/4, at 3pm Friday, 9/4, at 3pm gainesvilletimes •com will be CLOSED Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day. Tire Repair-Balance • 2 & 4 Wheel Alignments • Truck Lift Kits Available Plus! Oil Change - Brakes - Front End & Suspension Work 2816 Cleveland Hwy., Gainesville, Ga www.northhalltire.com i
