Public Safety Archives

An owner of a former business in downtown Winder was arrested early this morning in connection with an Aug. 22 fire across the street from the historic courthouse.

The Winder Police Department has not announced the arrest of 30-year-old Brandy May Rowley, but the Barrow Journal received a tip over the weekend that she was being charged with arson. According to a booking report from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, she surrendered at the Barrow County Detention Center at 4:47 a.m. today.

The Rowley family operated Skip's Hawaiian Shaved Ice at 43 N. Broad St. The fire started in the basement of the business late at night, and the first clue that it had been intentionally set was when someone called Barrow County's E-911 Center to report the fire before smoke had become visible outside.

A source said the mother of five set the blaze in order to get out of a lease.

A state epidemiologist notified Barrow County Animal Control late Tuesday afternoon that a laboratory test confirmed rabies in a raccoon involved in an incident last week with a local man and his two dogs.
Animal control director Jimmy Terrell said the incident occurred on the morning of Nov. 27 in the yard of a home on Hickory Circle in Auburn.
“The victim heard a commotion out in the yard, and he found his two dogs entangled with a raccoon,” Terrell said. “He tried to break them up. He’s not really sure if the raccoon scratched or bit him, or if it was one of his dogs.”
The man began a long series of rabies shots that day and is expected to be OK. But both of his dogs have been quarantined at the animal shelter. Neither was up-to-date on its rabies vaccine.

Winder Mayor David Maynard on Wednesday morning released a statement about Tuesday’s personnel actions in the wake of the cheating scandal at the police department. The statement confirms the resignations of Chief Dennis Dorsey and Lt. Frank Farr, the patrol commander. It also says Sgt. Randel Michael and Officer Joel Lovinggood — the two officers who failed a recent physical agility test — were “released.”
However, city administrator Don Toms, who is out of the office today, said in a text message to the Barrow Journal minutes ago that Michael and Lovinggood were not fired but have left their employment due to medical disabilities. And Lovinggood confirmed that this morning.
“I will not be working for the city any more, but I have not been fired,” he said, explaining that he has the option of going on disability due to knee problems.
The mayor’s full statement reads as follows:
“On November 4th I met with Special Counsel David Archer and asked him to investigate allegations of improper testing procedures during a recent physical agility test at the Police Department and the response of senior officers to those allegations. This matter was of the utmost concern to me because it goes to the heart of the high standard of honesty, integrity and leadership the City expects from its Police employees and officers.
“The investigation of the Special Counsel has revealed that indeed improper testing procedures occurred and there was an insufficient response by senior command. While these acts and omissions do not rise to the level of criminal conduct, they are unacceptable. Therefore Chief Dennis Dorsey and Lieutenant Frank Farr have resigned. Sergeant Randel Michael and Officer Joel Lovinggood have been released from their employment.
“Lt. Rob Curott will remain as acting Chief until further notice. The City is exploring the hiring of an Interim Chief and will begin the process of hiring a new, permanent Chief immediately. The City remains committed to providing excellence in public safety, upholding the highest ethical and operational standards.”
The statement does not mention Major Jim Fullington, a former special agent in charge of the Athens office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, who joined the police department almost a year ago. He met with city officials well into the evening Tuesday but remains on paid administrative leave until a decision about his employment is made next week.
The personnel actions came during a marathon day of private meetings with the accused. Archer submitted his findings to the city attorney last Friday. The mayor and city council met Monday night for more than four hours in a closed session to discuss the findings and to decide what to do about them.
The mayor did not release Archer's report Wednesday but reportedly plans to do so next week.

The man found dead Nov. 19 in a house on Kirkland Circle was 24-year-old Lance Monroe Cole, according to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.
A family member returning home after working an overnight shift in Gwinnett County discovered the body.
The sheriff said the GBI crime lab would verify the cause and time of death, but he said that information would not be released to the public until a suspect is arrested. Investigators are pursuing leads concerning suspects. Smith said his staff spent 11 hours processing the crime scene.
"We are going to be very thorough in our investigation," he added.

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office is investigating the Nov. 19 death of a 24-year-old Statham man.

The victim had a severe head wound that appeared to have been caused by a gunshot, according to one source. However, Sheriff Jud Smith said the state crime lab would perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. The case is being investigated as a homicide.

The sheriff said a family member discovered the body after arriving at the house at 2000 Kirkland Cir. around 8 a.m.

The name of the victim has not been released. Investigators also have not named any suspects but are following leads regarding suspects, according to a press release.