Across the area

Inmate dies in cell in Aiken

An inmate at the Aiken County Detention Center died Tuesday in his cell.

William F. Ayers, 65, of the 5000 block of Reynolds Street in Blackville, was discovered at about 5:30 p.m., sweating profusely and struggling to breathe, Capt. Barney Eagerton of the Aiken County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Results from an autopsy weren't complete Wednesday, Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton said. Foul play isn't suspected.

Mr. Ayers had been incarcerated since April 29. He'd already completed a longer jail term in state prison for a sex -

related crime and was awaiting a release hearing, when it would have been determined whether he should be placed on the state's sexual predator list, Lt. Michael Frank said.

Foul play ruled out in death near tracks

Richmond County sheriff's investigators said they no longer believe foul play was involved in last week's death of a homeless man.

The man was found lying on the ground at 10th and Fenwick streets. Richmond County sheriff's Sgt. Richard Roundtree said Wednesday that toxicology reports are pending but that authorities think alcohol played a role in the death of Kenneth Jefferson Hunter, 45.

A CSX Railroad employee saw Mr. Hunter and friend Ebbie Floyd Doolittle, 46, lying near the railroad tracks at the intersection at about 3 p.m.

Friday , Sgt. Roundtree said.

Mr. Hunter had no signs of injury and was pronounced dead at the scene, he said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Atlanta is handling the toxicology report, he said, but he did not know when the results would be available.

Mr. Doolittle, who authorities believe is homeless, was taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital.

According to Sgt. Roundtree, Mr. Doolittle told authorities he and Mr. Hunter were drinking by the railroad tracks when Mr. Hunter passed out. Mr. Doolittle then fell and hit his head.

An MCG spokeswoman could not provide any information about Mr. Doolittle on Wednesday.

Customer throws tube at bank teller window

Employees at a North Augusta credit union office called police after a customer got angry and threw a container at a drive- through teller's window Tuesday, a police report states.

Employees at the SRP Federal Credit Union office in the 400 block of West Martintown Road said that at

4:18 p.m., a man came through a drive- through lane and asked the teller to cash a check for a friend on the man's account.

The report states that neither the man nor his friend could provide proper identification, so the teller said he could not cash the check. The customer started to drive away, and threw a drive- through tube container at the window.

14-year-old has been missing since May 3

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office is looking for a south Augusta teenager who has been missing since May 3.

Jasmine Channell Moten, 14, of Sadie Court, has been missing since leaving her home at about 12:30 p.m., said Richmond County sheriff's Maj. Ken Autry.

Jasmine is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has brown eyes and long black hair , and likes to wear a pony tail or braids, family members said. She last attended the Richmond County Alternative School and was to enter the sophomore class at Cross Creek High School in the fall. She's also known by her nicknames: "Jaz" or "Unique."

Anyone with information about Jasmine is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriff's Office at 821-1080.

Bar fight escalates into shoving, shooting

Richmond County sheriff's deputies investigated a shooting incident at a Gordon Highway bar early Wednesday , a police report states.

According to the report, the shooting happened at Honky Tonk in the 1600 block of Gordon Highway, where two men got into an argument and shoved each other around.

The report states one of the men pulled out a gun and fired it at the other man and the ceiling, before pointing it at the crowd and then running away.

No one was injured in the shooting and no charges were immediately filed.

Student charged with having knife at school

Richmond County authorities charged a n Academy of Richmond County student with having a knife while on school property Tuesday, a police report states.

Charles Randolph Radke, 17, of Hillsview Court, was charged with carrying a weapon within a school safety zone and was held without bond early Wednesday afternoon at the Richmond County jail, officials said.

A police report states that a student, whose identity was not disclosed in the report, informed a board of education public safety officer that Mr. Radke had a knife in his left front pants pocket.

The public safety officer searched the teenager, found the knife and called the Rich¤mond County Sheriff's Office.

ASU endowment will honor representative

An endowment honoring former state Rep. Jack Connell has been established at Augusta State University.

Family and friends have established a $50,000 scholarship endowment in Mr. Connell's name that will give more non traditional students a chance to attend Augusta State.

The scholarships will be available to people who have been out of school for more than three years before beginning college. Many ASU students are non traditional and often work and support families.

Mr. Connell was elected speaker pro tem of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1977 and became the longest- serving speaker pro tem in the nation before retiring in 2002.