Across the area

Newspaper is cleared of libel

A judge has thrown out a libel lawsuit filed by a fired Richmond County teacher against The Augusta Chronicle.

Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet granted the newspaper summary judgment Friday, ruling that a March 1, 2005, report about Brenda C. Wynn was fair and accurate.

Ms. Wynn was fired by the Richmond County Board of Education in September 2003. After the Professional Standards Commission recommended a one-year suspension of her teaching certificate, Ms. Wynn appealed and an administrative law judge held a hearing Feb. 28, 2005. The Chronicle reported on that hearing.

"... If a newspaper article is based upon a judicial or courtroom proceeding, the article is fair and accurate, and no actual malice exists, then the defendant newspaper or reporter is entitled to summary judgment," according to Judge Overstreet's order in Ms. Wynn's Richmond County Superior Court lawsuit.

Woman must repay club's stolen money

A Martinez woman convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from the Lakeside High School band booster club was ordered Monday to pay back $15,000.

Superior Court Judge Neal Dickert ordered Sharon Schultz Nichols, 45, the former president of the booster club, to pay back the sum within the next two years.

In August, Judge Dickert sentenced Mrs. Nichols to serve 10 years on probation and to pay $4,500 in fines. In Monday's hearing, Judge Dickert suspended payment of Mrs. Nichols' fines until she can make restitution to the booster club.

Mrs. Nichols, of the 3700 block of Winchester Trial, was arrested in May 2005 after an audit of the booster account revealed more than $6,000 missing and 126 checks written to Mrs. Nichols or to cash.

Man robs wrecker driver at car wash

Richmond County Sheriff's Office is investigating an armed robbery Monday morning at Daniel's Car Wash in the 1800 block of Gordon Highway.

Frank Ross, a driver for Chancey's Wrecker Service, told police a man approached him from behind and pointed a gun at his head as he washed out the bed of the wrecker just after 1 a.m.

Mr. Ross said the man took $580 from his wallet, according to Lt. Jimmy Young.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call (706) 821-1080.

2 murder convictions upheld by high court

The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed two Burke County murder convictions Monday.

In a unanimous decision, the justices found Joseph Williams and Carlos Walker were fairly tried and convicted of the Jan. 13, 1998, murder of Terrance Griffin.

Evidence introduced at trial showed that Mr. Williams and Mr. Walker and four other men "broke into (Mr.) Griffin's home and stole a pair of pants that allegedly contained drugs," the opinion reads. Mr. Griffin was shot in the chest during the home invasion.

Work to close section of Skinner Mill Road

Beginning Monday, Skinner Mill Road will be closed where Cranes Creek runs under it, according to a news release from the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The road will remain closed for 45 days, and traffic will be detoured around the work site using Walton Way Extension and Wheeler and Boy Scout roads, the release states.

The closure is needed to add three extra culverts underneath Skinner Mill in conjunction with the Interstate 20 improvement project.

Pupils are arrested in Columbia County

Two Columbia County students were arrested in separate incidents Monday.

A 14-year-old Columbia Middle School pupil was charged with marijuana possession, and a 17-year-old Lakeside High School student was charged with possession of a knife at school, said Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris.

A public safety officer at Columbia Middle found 2.2 grams of marijuana in the 14-year-old's wallet Monday morning, Capt. Morris said. The boy, whose name wasn't released because of his age, was taken to the Augusta Regional Youth Detention Center pending a hearing.

Police booked Brittany Graves, 17, into the county jail after she was caught with a knife at Lakeside High, they said.

Man charged in sex assault is released

A 34-year-old Aiken man was released from jail Saturday, one day after being charged with sexually assaulting a girl.

Tibertus A. Samuels, of the 100 block of Mayfield Road, was charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the second degree and three counts of committing a lewd act on a minor. He was booked into the Aiken County Detention Center on Friday and released the next day on $30,000 bail.

Mr. Samuels is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl between August and December.

North Augusta man is charged with bigamy

A 38-year-old North Augusta man was arrested last week by Aiken County authorities and charged with bigamy.

David W. Kaney, of the 100 block of Briar Cliff Street, was booked into the Aiken County Detention Center on Friday and released a day later on a $5,000 bond.

According to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, Mr. Kaney presented a marriage license at the Aiken County Courthouse on Feb. 18 after marrying Salley Thigpen on Feb. 11.

Sheriff's investigators say that Mr. Kaney was married in 1989 to Karla Newsome but that no divorce decree has been found in the Aiken-Augusta area.

Man is charged with threatening neighbors

A 25-year-old Aiken man was arrested Saturday and charged with threatening his neighbors, who had repeatedly complained to police about his loud music, according to a report from the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

Saleem Asadi Screen, of Nancy Lane Southeast, was charged with intimidation of a witness.

A police report says his downstairs neighbors called police about loud music coming from his apartment.

An officer issued a ticket for the loud noise, then police were called back to the apartment because Mr. Screen was banging on his downstairs neighbors' door and making threats, the report states.

Mr. Screen was booked into the Aiken County Detention Center and released Sunday on a $10,000 bond.

McCormick man dies after truck hits house

An 18-year-old McCormick County man died Saturday night when he ran his pickup off South Main Street and crashed into a house, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Andy McNeil Andrews was driving a 1995 Nissan truck "at a high rate of speed" at about 9:40 p.m. when he ran off the road, struck a house in the 100 block of Spring Meadow Drive and overturned it, according to Lance Cpl. Steve Sluder.

Mr. Andrews was partly ejected and had not been wearing his seat belt, Lance Cpl. Sluder said.

The homeowner, Calvin Perrin, was in the bedroom when the car hit the house and was taken to a hospital, Lance Cpl. Sluder said.

Police seek man in assault on his sister

Aiken County authorities are investigating an incident Sunday night in which a woman told officers her brother threatened her with a knife, then tried to steal her truck.

According to a report from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, the 27-year-old Beech Island woman told deputies that her brother came to her home at about 6:45 p.m. "highly upset and intoxicated" and pulled a pocket knife, grabbed her and threatened to kill her, her stepfather and mother.

He drove off and she followed in her truck, calling 911 on her cell phone. At Rolling Hills Road, she said, he wrecked his truck, then tried to take hers by force.

When she resisted, he ran off, the woman said.

The Aiken County Bloodhound Team searched, but Lt. Michael Frank, a sheriff's office spokesman, said the office has not made an arrest.

Augustan reports lewd display outside home

A 69-year-old Augusta man told police a man masturbated outside his residence in the 1700 block of Sibley Road during the weekend.

According to a Richmond County Sheriff's Office report, the man said he saw a stranger walking down the street without shorts.

An hour later, the same man appeared outside his back window looking inside the residence and masturbating, according to the report.

No arrests have been made.

Technical College is planning open house

Augusta Technical College will highlight many of the majors it offers during an open house from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Displays and exhibits will be set up in Building 1300, and faculty members will be on hand to describe study programs and answer questions. Academic counseling will be provided.

Staffers will be available to discuss financial aid options, and career services employees will be available.

Prospective students can submit applications for summer and fall quarters.

Augusta committee OKs trade center site

An Augusta Commission committee gave tentative approval Monday for officials to pursue a preferred site on Reynolds Street for a proposed $25 million trade center.

Members of the city's engineering services committee voted to receive as information the report from Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Barry White recommending the property adjoining the city's conference center at the Marriott Hotel as the best location for the center.

City Administrator Fred Russell said that to keep the project on schedule, he and CVB officials needed at least an indication they should proceed with negotiations on that site.

Commissioner Betty Beard said she liked the proposed site but wanted a fair operating agreement.

- From staff reports