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PAGE 6A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008 Questions about an item on this page? Contact Chris Bridges at 706-367-2745 or e-mail him at chris@mainstreetnews.com Crime/Fires/Wrecks Arrests Three arrested in undercover drug sting T he Banks County Sheriff’s Office made three arrests during a recent undercover drug operation. Eddie Ramirez, 26, 188 Porter Street, Alto, was arrested for selling marijuana following a purchase by undercover narcotics officers with the BCSO. Ramirez later bonded out of the Banks County jail. In addition, Jason Cleff Hoard, 34, 1383 Damascus Road, Homer, was arrested for the sale of methamphet- amine. Hoard was still in the Banks County jail late Monday morning but also faces a probation violation charge following his release from the drug sale. Henry Dillard Taylor, 49, 355 Taylor Road, Baldwin, was charged with illegal possession of a con trolled substance. Taylor later was released on bond. Also arrested last week by the BCSO were: •Stephanie Maria Anderson, 23, 266 Carson Circle, Maysville, pedestrian under the influence. •Joel Richard Ayers, 41, 342 Carson Road, Danielsville, criminal trespassing and theft. •Gordon Lawrence Barber, 38, 284 Barnes Circle, Commerce, loi tering. •Jesse Lewis Bonner, 17, 627 Foote McClellan Road, Colbert, open container violation and under age consumption. •James Henry Conway, 21, 849 Pritchett Road, Lula, excessive speeding and possession of alcohol by a minor. •Steve Donald Cox, 33, 336 North View Drive, Commerce, probation violation and failure to appear. •Stacy Brian Duffell, 39, 1206 Duffell Martin Road, Comer, theft and giving false statements. •Jody Boyd Fowler, 30, 176 Trout Lane, Commerce, hold for Cullam County, Alabama, authorities. •Kenny Fountain Gordon, 30, 314 Hamilton Park Drive, Athens, fail ure to appear. •William Edward Presley, 34, 4890 Hwy. 51 South, Lula, crimi nal attempt to injure a police dog and obstructing a law enforcement officer. •Billy Joe Tiller, 38, 2335 Campmichell Road, Grayson, giv ing false information. •Donald Ray Wells, 23, 1022 Level Hill Creek Road, Sugar Hill, probation violation. •Morgan Elizabeth Whitlock, 22, P.O. Box 1804, Danielsville, open container violation. •James Fayette Hoffner, 45, 2705 Kelser Road, Carnesville, probation violation. •Vanessa Ann Jackson, 21, address unknown, fraud. •Lee Kane Jaillett, 38, 30 Sparrow Lane, Jasper, failure to appear. •Judy Diane Martin, 37, 188 Porter Street, Alto, aggravated assault. •Cody James Minish, 41, 335 Water Plant Road, obstruction and intentionally inhaling fumes. •Phillip Eugene Nation, 49, 442 Webbs Creek Church Road, Commerce, weekend sentence (50 weeks). •Joseph Adam Ogles, 41, 2888 Hwy. 98, Maysville, battery (Family Violence Act) and obstruction. •Willie Thomas Paige, 21, 490 High Tower Trail, Jefferson, weav ing, driving with a suspended license and DUI (alcohol). •Robyn M. Parson, 47, 201 Granate Road, Homer, theft. Missing woman located, arrested for shoplifting BY CHRIS BRIDGES A missing Banks County woman has been found and is now known to law enforcement officials for more than just being reported as missing. Kimberly Regina Stinchcomb, 18, of 133 Ivey Street, Commerce, was reported missing by family mem bers March 10. After an investiga tion which lasted several days, the search ended when Stinchcomb was located last Friday. The following day, howev er, Stinchcomb was arrested and charged with theft by shoplifting following an incident at Wal-Mart. According to a BCSO report in the incident, Stinchcomb was arrested for “attempting to leave Wal-Mart without paying for a large amount of makeup products.” Stinchcomb was located at a Commerce address with her boy friend, Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman said. She had not been kid napped or forced to leave, the sheriff said. The day after family members reported her missing Stinchcomb reportedly sent a text message say ing she was in Florida but could not contact them by phone. Stinchcomb also recently turned 18. Emilie Leilani Pettus, 18, of the same 133 Ivey Street residence, was also arrested for shoplifting along with Stinchcomb. Maysville woman now facing additional charges Kimberly Faith Pierce was arrested less than a month ago by the Banks County Sheriff’s Office for sale of oxycodone. Now the Maysville woman faces even more charges stemming from a DUI-drug related charge. The 35-year-old, who resides at 180 Cross Street in Maysville, was transporting her three minor children to school March 13 when a BCSO deputy stopped her. Pierce was taken to BJC Hospital for blood work at the request of the officer. Pierce was then charged with DUI (drugs), possession of prescription drugs not in their original container, three counts of child endangerment and driving with no proof of insurance. She has since bonded out of the Banks County jail, according to sheriff Charles Chapman. ON PATROL The Banks County Sheriff's Office recently purchased a new patrol vehicle specially designed for its new K-9 officer. Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman, shown with the vehicle, said funds for the vehicle came from seized drug money. "This did not cost the taxpayers anything,” the sheriff said. The custom made patrol vehicle will give Officer Jo Jo additional room while on patrol, Chapman said. The BCSO purchased the vehicle from Wayne Neal Chevrolet in Commerce who presented the low bid. Photo by Chris Bridges Braselton police chase suspect to Banks Crossing Braselton police followed a driver who tried to flee during a traffic stop to Commerce, where he was later found hiding behind an outlet store. A Braselton officer said he tried to stop a 1995 Mazda Protege for a traf fic violation on Interstate 85 Sunday morning at about 3:30. Dispatchers told the officer that the vehicle was possibly stolen. The officer initiated a traffic stop after the driver exited the interstate at Ga. Hwy. 211. During the traffic stop, a passenger followed the offi cer’s commands to place his hands outside the window of the vehicle, but the driver didn’t follow instruc tions, police said. The driver then took off to the interstate, where he drove on the wrong side of an exit ramp, accord ing to the incident report. Braselton police asked the Georgia State Patrol to assist them as the driver continued north on I-85 but in the southbound lane. Police gave chase — but stayed in the north bound lane. The suspect’s vehicle drove reck lessly on the interstate and almost struck several vehicles head on, police said. Braselton police chief Terry Esco told the officers to end the pursuit after 16 miles on I-85, and continue at a safe distance, according to an incident report. At the Maysville Road exit, two Commerce officers attempted to deploy “stop sticks,” but the driver swerved to avoid them, nearly strik ing a Commerce officer. At the U.S. 441 exit, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office had the southbound lane of the interstate shut down, according to Braselton police. As the vehicle slowed near the exit, the driver executed a U-turn, the passenger jumped from the vehicle and was apprehended by Commerce police. The driver, later identified as James Weston Benoy, 36, of Shelby, N.C., drove up the embankment beside the Tanger Outlet Center, drove through a fence and stopped on Steven B. Tanger Blvd., behind the Nike outlet store. Benoy ran into a wooded area behind the store. A K-9 unit from the Lee Arrendale Correctional Institute later found Benoy hiding in a field behind the outlet mall. Braselton police charged Benoy with fleeing or attempting to elude police, failure to maintain lane, driv ing on the wrong side of the road, driving while license suspended or revoked, speeding, reckless driving, improper U-turn, failure to wear a seat belt, failure to signal when turn ing or changing lanes, possession of a stolen vehicle, theft by bringing stolen property into the state and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Commerce police added a felony charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. The passenger in the vehicle was not charged in the incident. Clarification Television sets stolen from RV dealership A Barbara Harris was included in the March 12 court listings for giv ing a false name and date of birth to law enforcement officers. This is not the Barbara Harris who lives at 546-B Wilson Road, Commerce. Someone broke into three campers at RV Lightnin’, located at the inter section of Hwy. 441 and Faulkner Drive, last week and left with three large screen television sets. Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman said no arrests have been made in the incident. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the BCSO at 706-677-2248. The Banks County News — your weekly source for local news and events Domestic-related incidents responded to in county The Banks County Sheriff’s Office responded to several domestic-relat ed disputes during the past week including the following: •dispute at a Nix Road, Alto, resi dence. •phone threats at a Damascus Road, Homer, address. •phone threats at a Ferguson Road, Baldwin, residence. •stalking at a Pottery Factory Road, Commerce, address. •assisted a woman in picking up belongings from a Loggins Road, Commerce, residence. •physical dispute at a Steven B. Tanger Boulevard address. •assisted a man in picking up belongings from a Westmoreland Road, Lula, residence. •dispute at a Hwy. 51 South, Lula, residence. •juvenile problem at a Pless Circle residence. •dispute at a Lewallen Road, Commerce, residence. •welfare check at a Patchwork Tree Drive, Homer, residence. •phone threats at a Historic Homer Highway address. •juvenile problem at a Hwy. 441 address. •physical dispute at a Hummingbird Lane residence. •welfare check at a Westmoreland Road, Lula, residence. of Commerce $ 00 5 OFF Ticket Of $20’° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 706-335-7458 La Hacienda Jefferson 605 Athens Street 706-367-5095 The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. 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