Across the area

Conviction for murder upheld

The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the second murder conviction of Mavin L. McWilliams, who strangled his wife in 1997 but almost got a third trial when no one could find a transcript of his second one.

Richmond County Superior Court Judge Carl Brown was ready to reverse Mr. McWilliams' second conviction in early 2005, until tape recordings of the 2000 trial turned up in the possession of a typist who once worked for a court reporter.

Mr. McWilliams again appealed to the state Supreme Court on grounds that an inflammatory post mortem photo was shown to jurors, that he wasn't allowed to introduce information about his wife's illegal drug use and prostitution, and that he wasn't allowed to introduce evidence of cocaine in his wife's system, which would have supported a lesser voluntary manslaughter conviction.

In a ruling Thursday, the Supreme Court said the exclusion of the evidence did not affect the outcome of the trial, and the jury did consider the lesser charge based on Mr. McWilliams' testimony.

2 Aiken men die in fiery head-on wreck

Two Aiken County men died in a fiery crash early Thursday morning, authorities say.

Melvin Wines Belcher, 48, of Salley, and Thomas J. Spires, 51, of Windsor, died at the scene of the crash, according to the Lexington County Coroner's Office.

According to the coroner's office, the men were headed north on South Carolina Highway 302 just inside the Lexington County line near Pelion in a 1997 Mazda pickup.

Howard McNair, of Wagener, feel asleep at the wheel of his 2000 GMC pickup as he was heading south on South Carolina 302, the coroner's office said. The GMC crossed into the path of Mazda.

Mr. McNair, the office said, was taken to Lexington Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Two injured in wreck on Wrightsboro Road

Two people were injured Thursday night in a two-car accident on Wrightsboro Road near the Augusta State University Athletic Complex.

Victor Bertucci, 24, of Blythe , was charged after he crashed his 2003 Toyota Celica into the back of a 1994 BMW driven by Veronica Faust, 38, of Augusta.

Both were traveling west in the 3100 block of Wrightsboro Road at about 8:50 p.m., said Richmond County sheriff's Cpl. Brandon Reeves.

Mr. Bertucci was charged with DUI, following too close, not wearing a seat belt and driving too fast for conditions, Cpl. Reeves said. The accident occurred during a light rain.

Both were taken to the Medical College of Georgia Hospital for observation, Cpl. Reeves said.

Man, 23, gets prison for kissing girl, 13

A Superior Court judge sentenced a 23-year-old man Thursday to prison after he pleaded guilty to having inappropriate relations with a 13-year-old girl.

Judge Duncan D. Wheale sentenced John Phillip Reilly to five years in prison after pleading guilty to felony sexual battery.

He was originally charged with child molestation.

According to prosecutors, Mr. Reilly met the girl while he was helping a local Girl Scout troop.

He later went to the girl's house while her mother was at work and kissed her while she sat on his lap, prosecutors said.

Katrina survivor gets probation for drugs

A man who fled New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to drug charges Thursday.

Judge Duncan D. Wheale sentenced Maurice Lamark Dunbar, 21, to six years on probation for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony M. Nicastro said that cash, baggies, scales and 137 grams of marijuana were found in Mr. Dunbar's Augusta hotel room.

Mr. Dunbar told the court that he wanted to move to Texas to live with family. Judge Wheale warned the defendant that Texas' probation services might not accept the transfer of his probation.

Neither Louisiana nor Mississippi, where the defendant has other relatives, are accepting out-of-state probation transfers because of continuing disruption in the aftermath of the hurricane.

Augusta man burned in fight with roommate

An Augusta man suffered second- and third-degree burns after his roommate threw a pot of boiling water on him Wednesday, according to a Richmond County Sheriff's Office incident report.

John Henry Ross, 21, of the 6000 block of Silverbirch Place, was taken to Doctors Hospital with burns on his chest, neck and arms.

In a separate report, the man's roommate, James Corey Birt, 21, accused Mr. Ross of punching him and hitting him with a piece of a broken table, resulting in a half-inch cut on his forearm. He said the two were arguing because of financial matters.

Robber hits store as employee is closing

A Hephzibah man was robbed while leaving his job at Advance Auto Parts in the 2500 block of Tobacco Road on Wednesday, according to a Richmond County sheriff's report.

The employee told deputies he had closed the store and was preparing to leave when a masked man armed with a revolver ordered him back inside.

The man ordered the clerk to open the safe and fled with an undisclosed amount of money, the report said.

Grovetown man found drowned in area pond

A Grovetown man was found drowned Thursday morning in a small pond near his home.

Columbia County Deputy Coroner Vernon Collins said Billy Harold Brunty Jr., 25, of the 200 block of North Old Belair Road, was found at about 10:30 a.m. by members of the Columbia County Emergency Management Agency Dive Rescue and Recovery Team, floating face down in eight feet of water.

Sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said Mr. Brunty's death is being treated as an accidental drowning pending an autopsy.

Deputies seek man in robbery of pool room

Aiken County sheriff's investigators are looking for a man they say robbed the Madison Pool Room late Wednesday.

According to the sheriff's office, the man walked into the bar on the 500 block of Bradleyville Road in North Augusta at about 11 p.m. and bought cigarettes.

When the owner turned to make change, the man pulled out a handgun, brandished it at the owner and demanded money, the agency reported.

Man gets probation for statutory rape

A Richmond County man was sentenced to probation after he pleaded guilty to a statutory rape charge Thursday.

Superior Court Judge Duncan D. Wheale sentenced Jason Lamont Hatcher, 20, to six years on probation for having sexual relations with a 14-year-old when he was 19.