Public Safety Archives
Lightning strike causes evacuation of homes
Wednesday, June 12. 2013
Around 9:30 p.m. Friday night a storm moving through Barrow County caused a lightning strike in the 1300 block of Beringer Drive. Communication officers received a 911 call reporting a gas leak at 9:36 p.m. “The lightning damaged an outdoor water sprinkler system and traveled under the sidewalk and damaged a gas line,” stated Battalion Chief Rob Nowakowski. “This caused a leak in the gas line and forced an evacuation of the immediate area.” In total, six homes were evacuated for several hours until the gas line could be repaired.
Updated: Sheriff’s ‘mock school’ a first in Georgia
Wednesday, June 12. 2013
Updated: 6 days ago
In an innovation new to Georgia, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office has built a “mock school” to teach law enforcement officers how to kill — quickly — school shooters. Sheriff Jud Smith and his training staff on June 7 hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the 5,500-square-foot facility built on an elevated area of the department’s 204-acre training site off Briscoe Mill Road.
For the full story, see the June 12 issue of the Barrow Journal.
For the full story, see the June 12 issue of the Barrow Journal.
17-year-old girl lands in hospital after drunken party
Wednesday, June 5. 2013
Winder police recently received a complaint of a loud party at a Gainesville Highway address that resulted in two arrests. The resident, Jessica Lily Andrade, 17, had to be transported to Barrow Regional Medical Center before her incarceration due to the high amounts of alcohol she had consumed, according to reports. Trevon D’Andre Shaw, 18, of Buford, was also arrested.
Officers arriving on scene could hear the sound of a party coming from the back of the building. Upon further investigation, the officers found what on later count turned out to be 20 people consuming what appeared to be alcoholic beverages both on the patio and inside the apartment.
According to the report, upon identifying themselves as Winder police, a black male wearing a backpack, later identified as Shaw, ran into the apartment. After the suspects refused to allow law enforcement entry, an officer entered the unlocked apartment, believing the suspects were destroying evidence. [Full Story »]
Officers arriving on scene could hear the sound of a party coming from the back of the building. Upon further investigation, the officers found what on later count turned out to be 20 people consuming what appeared to be alcoholic beverages both on the patio and inside the apartment.
According to the report, upon identifying themselves as Winder police, a black male wearing a backpack, later identified as Shaw, ran into the apartment. After the suspects refused to allow law enforcement entry, an officer entered the unlocked apartment, believing the suspects were destroying evidence. [Full Story »]
No charges in helicopter incident
Wednesday, May 22. 2013
No charges are being filed against a Barrow County property owner over his alleged threat to shoot down a helicopter on May 10. That chopper happened to be carrying former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue at the time. Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said the comments of Kenneth Joseph Shook, 65, to a Barrow County sheriff’s deputy did not support a charge of “terroristic threats” as the deputy’s initial report indicated, because the threat was not intended to be made to the alleged victims. Shook’s property is off Highway 82 and abuts the Barrow County Airport. According to records obtained by the newspaper, Shook did not file his first written complaint about low-flying helicopters until after the BOC denied his 2007 request to rezone 18 acres nearby for a small subdivision of about 20 homes. The board denied his request because of the property’s close proximity to the airport.
Father of BOC member could face charges in helicopter incident involving Sonny Perdue
Wednesday, May 15. 2013
The father of a Barrow County commissioner is under investigation for allegedly threatening to shoot down a helicopter last Friday that reportedly was carrying former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The incident happened around noon Friday, May 10, when the helicopter owned by a Lawrenceville company flew in circles around the Barrow County Airport. As it circled, it made several passes over the home of 65-year-old Ken Shook, who owns multiple parcels that abut the airport’s 358-acre site. Shook has filed similar complaints in the past, but this time, when a deputy responded to take the complaint, the Winder man allegedly made threatening comments.
Deputy Chris Jackson states in a report that Shook said the pilot was “deliberately trespassing” on his property, was polluting his air, and was “threatening” him.
He said the pilot could be “a Japanese” and he asked the deputy to write the pilot a citation “or let the National Guard shoot him down.”
Then Shook added: “I have a shooting range on my property. If he keeps threatening me he’s in trouble. I’ll make sure I keep all my bullets in my airspace.”
See complete story in May 15 print edition of Barrow Journal.
The incident happened around noon Friday, May 10, when the helicopter owned by a Lawrenceville company flew in circles around the Barrow County Airport. As it circled, it made several passes over the home of 65-year-old Ken Shook, who owns multiple parcels that abut the airport’s 358-acre site. Shook has filed similar complaints in the past, but this time, when a deputy responded to take the complaint, the Winder man allegedly made threatening comments.
Deputy Chris Jackson states in a report that Shook said the pilot was “deliberately trespassing” on his property, was polluting his air, and was “threatening” him.
He said the pilot could be “a Japanese” and he asked the deputy to write the pilot a citation “or let the National Guard shoot him down.”
Then Shook added: “I have a shooting range on my property. If he keeps threatening me he’s in trouble. I’ll make sure I keep all my bullets in my airspace.”
See complete story in May 15 print edition of Barrow Journal.
17-year-old charged with child molestation
Wednesday, May 1. 2013
Nathaniel Clack, 17, of Scott Drive, Winder, has been arrested and charged with child molestation, aggravated sodomy and enticing a child for indecent purposes and will now be facing those charges in Barrow County Superior Court as an adult, according to authorities. The February 22 report from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office lists an approximate incident date of January 4.
For the full story, see the May 1 issue of the Barrow Journal.
For the full story, see the May 1 issue of the Barrow Journal.
Gas line leaking at Hwy. 124/211 intersection
Thursday, April 18. 2013
Barrow County Emergency Services is advising citizens to avoid the intersection of Highway 124 and Highway 211.
"A gas line has been hit and is leaking," commented Lieutenant Scott Dakin. "We have closed the intersection and evacuated nearby businesses until the leak can be contained."
Firefighters will remain on scene until the area is safe. A gas company repair crew is responding at this time. It is unknown at this time how long the area will be closed.
"A gas line has been hit and is leaking," commented Lieutenant Scott Dakin. "We have closed the intersection and evacuated nearby businesses until the leak can be contained."
Firefighters will remain on scene until the area is safe. A gas company repair crew is responding at this time. It is unknown at this time how long the area will be closed.
Jury convicts Todd Orr of harassment, not terroristic threat
Wednesday, April 10. 2013
Former Barrow County firefighter Todd Orr will not spend another night in jail for telling his estranged wife in a 2011 phone call that he wished he had blown off her head in the Christmas Day 2010 shooting incident that cost their daughter part of an arm. A jury on April 4 found him guilty only of making harassing phone calls — which is a misdemeanor — rather than the felony count of making a terroristic threat. Immediately after the jury’s verdict late Thursday afternoon, Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff sentenced Orr to 12 months of probation and ordered him to pay a $500 fine, to undergo an evaluation for substance abuse or mental health problems, and to follow through with any counseling recommendations.
For the full story, see the April 10 issue of the Barrow Journal.
For the full story, see the April 10 issue of the Barrow Journal.
Barrow investigating arson fire
Friday, April 5. 2013
Barrow county officials are looking into an arson fire that burned down a two-story house Thursday evening on Downing Drive. The fire happened around 6:45 p.m. and several fire and emergency crews responded. The house had reportedly been vacant for over a year.
Suspect in serial wallet thefts arrested in Charlotte, N.C.
Thursday, April 4. 2013
Law enforcement officers in the Charlotte, N.C., area finally caught up with the suspect who allegedly stole wallets from employees at several businesses around Georgia, including in Winder. Antonio Hornsby, 54, was arrested April 3 and is behind bars in the Mecklinburg County Jail. After he is extradited to Georgia, he will face five charges in Winder alone. “Our investigator took five warrants on this individual last week,” said Winder Police Department officer Chris Cooper. “We have charged him with 3 counts of Theft by Taking and 2 counts of Burglary.” However, exactly when Hornsby will face a Barrow County judge remains to be seen. “With so many other agencies having also charged Hornsby, it will now be a decision for the courts and various jurisdictions to figure out what order he will have to appear in each jurisdiction’s court.”
The alleged serial wallet thief began his weeks-long crime spree in Athens, where he allegedly stole a relative’s car, then hit three Winder businesses en route to other Georgia cities. Because the additional thefts occurred far south of here, law enforcement officials originally thought the suspect was heading back to Florida, where he had previously resided. But he apparently did an about-face and headed north.
The alleged serial wallet thief began his weeks-long crime spree in Athens, where he allegedly stole a relative’s car, then hit three Winder businesses en route to other Georgia cities. Because the additional thefts occurred far south of here, law enforcement officials originally thought the suspect was heading back to Florida, where he had previously resided. But he apparently did an about-face and headed north.
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