Across Georgia

Lightning sparks fire at storage building

BUFORD - Lightning sparked a fire at a storage building early Wednesday morning.

Gwinnett County firefighters were called to the scene around 3:52 a.m. and brought the fire under control about 4:30 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

Fire Department spokesman Thomas Rutledge said the fire was caused by a lightning strike.

But the fire did not damage the house the building sat behind, he said.

A strong thunderstorm moving through the area brought lightning and heavy rainfall.

Trucker dies in wreck with abandoned car

MACON - A Missouri man died Wednesday morning in a wreck on Interstate 75 in Monroe County.

Carl Green, 51, of Grandin, Mo., was driving south when his tractor-trailer sideswiped an abandoned car in the emergency lane, Monroe County officials said in a news release.

Mr. Green was thrown from his truck after running off the road and hitting several trees.

The cab of the truck and the trailer disconnected, dumping a load of car batteries onto the road and spilling diesel fuel, the release said.

Two people reported shot at warehouse

MARIETTA - Cobb County police were investigating a double shooting early Wednesday at a carpet warehouse.

Police answered a call to Fleming Carpet Distribution, police spokesman Dana Pierce said. He said two people had been shot.

One of the victims was taken to a local hospital, Mr. Pierce said.

Atlanta television stations reported that the other person is dead, but Mr. Pierce said he could not confirm those reports.

He said police plan to search the warehouse after getting a warrant.

The warehouse is near Cobb Parkway, north of Georgia Highway 5.

Judge on trial admits he had been arrested

AMERICUS - A Superior Court judge, on trial in his own courtroom for allegedly battering his girlfriend last year, admitted Wednesday that he misspoke when he told the jury he had never been arrested.

During his testimony, Judge Rucker Smith told the jury he was upset the night of his arrest because he had never been arrested before.

But Barry Morgan, a special prosecutor from Cobb County, produced a Georgia Crime Information Center report showing that Judge Smith had been arrested in May 1978 for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.

When questioned about the discrepancy, Judge Smith said he could only recall being charged with disorderly conduct after a party while he was a law student.

- Edited from wire reports