About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2023)
Gainesville man charged with meth trafficking, inside, 3a Thursday, December 28,20231 GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA I gainesvilletimes.com Thousands flee widening Israeli assault in central Gaza, inside,4a Honestly Local Man gets time served for high-speed chase BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com A Sautee Nacoochee man accused of leading law enforce ment on a chase reaching 100 mph was sentenced to time served and probation, according to court documents. Clyde Davis Broadway Jr., 43, pleaded guilty Dec. 6 to felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, felony obstruction and misdemeanor marijuana pos session. He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Kathlene Gosselin to 11 years with the first 12 months in confinement. Gosselin deemed the custodial time served, and the remainder of the sentence is on probation. Georgia State Patrol said the chase started around 8:38 p.m. July 27 in White County with offi cers trying to serve Broadway with a 1013 order. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Dis abilities defines a 1013 order as a way to “initiate an involuntary mental health evaluation” for a person who represents a risk to themselves or others. Broadway's truck was spotted on Duncan Bridge Road in Haber sham County heading toward Ga. 365. After passing Lanier Tech Drive, the trooper wrote Broadway struck the front right of the patrol car. The truck then started driv ing southbound in the northbound lane, according to the report. “Mr. Broadway began to push my patrol vehicle from the rear,” according to the report. “As I was being pushed, my vehicle was going into the direction of the median and cable barriers on 1-985. As I fought to keep my patrol car from going into the median, Mr. Broadway's vehicle lost contract with my rear end and began to sideswipe the passenger side of my patrol car.” The chase continued all the way to Calvary Church Road, where state patrol said Broadway got out at a business and ran to a nearby excavator machine. Broadway was taken into cus tody without injuries to himself or the officers. Defense attorney Zachary Tumlin said he always expected to prove at trial that police struck Broadway first. See Chase 13A Broadway Jr. Photo submitted to The Times Gainesville High School baseball player Jeremy Medina died earlier this month after a tragic batting cage accident on campus. 2023 in review Times stories that impacted readers most this year BY BEN ANDERSON banderson@gainesvilletimes.com As 2023 draws to a close, here are the top five stories of the year in The Times based on online traffic, local impact and community engagement. Gainesville High baseball player dies after tragic batting cage accident Gainesville High School baseball player Jeremy Medina died earlier this month after a tragic batting cage accident on campus, prompting an outpouring of grief in Gainesville and beyond. The 17-year- old senior was struck in the head when he accidentally leaned into the swing of a teammate who was hitting from the tee. After about two weeks in a coma, his sur geon declared him brain dead. His heart stopped beating a week later and on Dec. 11 he was pronounced dead and taken off life support. Medina's family described him as a young man of mature faith who had dreams of being a youth minister and playing baseball professionally. Fiery wreck on Ga. 365 kills five Five people — including the wife and two children of a Hall County Sheriff's Office deputy — were killed in a fiery car wreck on Ga. 365 after a Corvette going more than 150 mph crashed into the side of the car of the deputy's fam ily. In the wake of the crash, The Times, See Top 13A Photo provided by Hall County Sheriff’s Office Avonlea Holtzclaw and her two children were killed in a crash on Ga. 365 Sunday, July 16. Holtzclaw was married to Hall County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Patrick Neil Holtzclaw, top left. Crosses are erected Friday, July 21, along Ga. 365 in Habersham County where five people, including two children, were killed when a Corvette crashed into an SUV at the intersection of Ga. 365 south bound and Mt. Zion Road. Scott Rogers The Times Housing near UNG eyes ’25 completion BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Work could begin soon on a 229-unit apart ment complex off Interstate 985's Exit 17 and near the University of North Georgia's Gaines ville campus. Ground has been broken on the project at 2800 Frontage Road, near Atlanta Highway/ Ga. 13, with completion projected in sum mer 2025, according to a press release on the development. “The project's strategic location ensures easy accessibility to major employment centers in Metro Atlanta, nearby universities and the rec reational haven of Lake Lanier and Northeast Georgia,” the release states. The nearly 8-acre complex will feature 132 one-bedroom apartments, 80 two-bedroom apartments and 17 three-bedroom apartments, said Greg Power of Atlanta-based Imperium Development, an Atlanta-based multifamily real estate development company. Imperium has teamed up with BCDC, a real estate development investment firm, on the 189,875-square-foot project. The complex will feature a two-story clubhouse, a resort-style swimming pool, a coworking area and fitness center, among other amenities. Highlands to Islands, a network of pedes trian/bicycling trails throughout Hall, would run through the property. “Rents will be determined closer to comple tion and will be competitive with the market,” Power told The Times. The project was initially approved by Oak- wood City Council in February 2019 with plans for a 488-bedroom complex — or 122 four- bedroom “pods” spread over four five-story buildings. It evolved over time, with plans showing a smaller development approved in September 2022. At the time, then-developer bSide Partners of Johns Creek noted declining enrollment at UNG as one reason for the changes. Also, “stu dents and their families are seeking increased privacy due to increased (COVID-19) transmis sion risks in large shared units,” bSide said. Rendering submitted by Imperium Development and BCDC A 229-unit apartment complex is set for construction off Frontage Road and Atlanta Highway/Ga. 13 in Oakwood. Piedmont University creates first forensics academy in Georgia BY BRIAN WELLMEIER bwellmeier@ gainesvilletimes.com Piedmont University has launched Georgia's first offi cial academy for the field of forensics. Creation of the new academy comes after the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council in Milledgeville voted to modify a POST rule creating a “limited purpose academy,” according to a press release Wednesday, which now allows Piedmont University to offer three forensic science certifications at its campus in Demorest. Accreditations through the new program include crime scene investigation, latent print analysis and advanced crime scene certifi cations. The academy will serve as the central forensic training academy for basic and advanced forensic certifications for the state of Georgia, the release said. The university says Piedmont remains “committed to create an informed and advanced foren sic workforce that is currently needed throughout the State of Georgia and nationally.” “The advanced certifications delivered by Piedmont University will enable a higher level of func tionality within the law enforce ment community throughout the State of Georgia,” Piedmont's Vice President of Academic Affairs Bruce Willis said. “The association ... provides all vested entities with forensic profes sionals with basic and advanced forensic skills and knowledge that shape the next generation of service to Georgia.” Piedmont University President Marshall Criser appointed John Lanneau, a retired Warner Robins Police Department lab director and division commander, as the academy's first director. “John comes to Piedmont with ISO 17025 accreditations in blood-alcohol and firearms and certifications in imprint and fin gerprint analysis, digital foren sics and crime scene analysis,” Criser said. “John is an example of the expert level of field exper tise Piedmont employs to address the societal needs currently fac ing our state.”
