Across the area

Brown statue won't go up yet

A construction mistake has postponed the reappearance to Broad Street's James Brown statue atop a newly constructed stage.

According to Rick Acree, the assistant director of facility management for Augusta Public Services, builders attempted to add a slight curvature to the top of the statue's new pedestal to allow water to drain off the sides. However, too much of a curve was added and the statue wouldn't sit flat.

The curve wouldn't visibly affect the 16-inch stage's height, Mr. Acree said. The stage should be finished by next week, he said.

Slaying suspect will be in court today

A man wanted by Aiken authorities for murder in connection with the death of his 83-year-old mother last month, is scheduled to appear before a North Carolina judge today to face possible extradition.

Police say Craig Baldwin left Aiken after killing his mother, Dale Baldwin, and was later found in Asheville, N.C., where he's been held since June 29.

Mr. Baldwin will appear before a North Carolina district court judge some time after 9:30 a.m., said Capt. Glen Matayabas of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office where Mr. Baldwin is being held.

If he accepts extradition, Mr. Baldwin could be back in Aiken within days. Otherwise, it could take several weeks.

Deputy clerk of court is put on paid leave

In lieu of a three-week investigation and accompanying financial audits, a county employee in the Augusta Municipal building has been placed on paid leave.

The unnamed employee is a deputy clerk in the Richmond County Magistrate Court.

Gaynell Bonner, clerk of Civil and Magistrate Court and the employee's supervisor, said Thursday that the deputy clerk was placed on leave after recent audits revealed that funds were missing from the Magistrate Court.

Magistrate Court is responsible for handling civil and magistrate complaints along with enforcing county ordinances, Ms. Bonner said.

She would not identify the employee.

"It's an ongoing investigation and I'm not at liberty to provide any other information," she said.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office has been called in to investigate the matter, she said.

Qualifying for seat on commission is slated

Qualifying for the Nov. 7 special election to fill the District 4 seat on the Augusta Commission will begin Aug. 9 and end at noon Aug. 11 at the Richmond County Board of Elections, the elections board decided Thursday. The board office opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.

The District 4 seat was vacated in April by the resignation of Commissioner Richard Colclough whose term ends Dec. 31, 2007. Augusta commissioners appointed Keith Brown to fill the seat until the special election.

Woman convicted in fatal stabbing freed

The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has granted release to a woman who pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing her live-in boyfriend in 1992.

Ruby Dee Williams, 50, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the May 1992 death of Jonny Louis McCain, also known as Johnny Lee, 43. According to court records, the two had a history of domestic violence.

Judge William M. Fleming Jr. sentenced her to 20 years in prison. She was paroled July 10. According to the parole board's Web site, Ms. Williams now resides in southeast Atlanta. If she successfully abides by regulations, her parole will end in 2012.

Warren, Washington intersection closed

Warren Road's intersection with Washington Road will remain closed through Aug. 4, according to the Augusta Engineering Department.

Drivers should continue to use Pleasant Home, Kings Chapel or Cranes Ferry roads.

Augusta firefighter charged with assault

An Augusta firefighter was booked into the Edgefield County jail Tuesday.

Jeremiah Rupert, 28, was charged with entering a premises without permission and simple assault, according to Cpl. Robbie Harter of the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office.

Cpl. Harter said Mr. Rupert was released from jail Wednesday after posting bond.

Richmond County Fire Chief Carl Scott confirmed Thursday that Mr. Rupert is employed with the fire department.

Police say men fled in stolen vehicle

Aiken County authorities arrested two Richmond County men Thursday afternoon after they lost control of a stolen Ford Mustang on Whiskey Road.

Charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, reckless driving, failure to stop for a traffic control device and unlawful possession of a firearm were:

- Tareal D. Stevens-Jones, 17, of the 4600 block of Hunters Mill Court in Hephzibah;

- And Lafiamma Bates, 18, of the 3500 block of Jonathon Circle in Augusta.

According to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, authorities received a call at 9:22 a.m. from someone reporting that two men were in front of a home on the 900 block of Mockingbird Lane in Aiken. One was armed with a handgun, but they drove away.

Officers with the Aiken Department of Public Safety spotted the car later at the Aiken Mall, the sheriff's office reported, but they sped off after officers tried to stop them.

They lost control of the car, and one man was arrested immediately, the agency reported. The other was captured within 30 minutes.

Both men are being held at the Aiken County Detention Center.

Firefighters remove roof to put out blaze

Richmond County firefighters responded to a house fire in Highland Park subdivision Thursday afternoon.

At about 5:15 p.m., firefighters were called to the 2000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue and successfully put out a blaze located in the home of Robert King, 79.

Battalion Chief Cary Russell said extensive damage occurred in the attic and smoke damage occurred throughout the structure.

Firefighters were forced to remove parts of the roof to douse the blaze.

Chief Russell couldn't provide a cause for the fire, but said an investigator was en route to the scene.

Mr. King said the brick house was constructed in 1948 and in recent years, he added on to the rear of the building. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters from Engine Co. 8 were on the scene within three minutes, Chief Russell said.

4 injured in one-car crash on interstate

Four people were injured in a one-vehicle wreck Thursday afternoon on Interstate 20 near the Wheeler Road exit in Columbia County.

The wreck occurred at about 6 p.m. when a gold Mazda pickup traveling westbound swerved left to avoid a blown tire from a tractor-trailer, said Columbia County sheriff's Deputy Ted Powers.

Deputy Powers said the Mazda drove off the road to the median side, the driver overcorrected and reentered the roadway.

He said the vehicle then crossed over three lanes of traffic, the driver overcorrected again and the Mazda rolled over four times before coming to rest in the median.

The driver and front passenger were ejected from the truck.

None of the four occupants of the vehicle were wearing seat belts and one was air-lifted to the Medical College of Georgia Hospital. The other three were taken to MCG by ambulance.

Eastbound traffic was halted for about 30 minutes as the helicopter landed.

Deputy Powers said the driver of the Mazda will be charged with driving too fast for conditions.

17-year-old charged in armed robbery

An Augusta man armed with a handgun robbed a barber shop Wednesday night, Richmond County sheriff's Sgt. Richard Roundtree said.

Tyrone Wesby, 17, entered Jamaal's Barber Shop at the 1400 block of Swanee Quintet Boulevard and demanded money from an employee and a customer, before taking an undisclosed amount of cash, Sgt. Roundtree said.

Mr. Wesby was arrested and charged with armed robbery.

Burning debris spreads to sheds

Two sheds burned down Thursday in the 300 block of Sudlow Lake Road in North Augusta.

Langley Volunteer Fire Department Chief Darryl Ryals said the two structures caught on fire after a blaze spread from a pile of burning debris.

No one was injured. However, Chief Ryals said, a home that was about 15 yards from one of the sheds was in danger of catching on fire.

The fire chief advised against outdoor burning in the area until it receives more rain.

"It don't take much, and you can lose a house in a minute," he said.

North Augusta store robbed at gunpoint

A North Augusta convenience store was robbed by a man armed with a silver semi-automatic handgun Wednesday night, according to a North Augusta Department of Public Safety report.

After taking an undisclosed amount of money from the Friendly Mini Mart at the 600 block of East Buena Vista Avenue, a man believed to be between 19 to 25 years old fled the scene in a dark color vehicle, according to the report.

He was last seen heading toward Georgia Avenue, the report said.

Home is robbed, jewelry is taken

More than $10,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from the bedroom of a Hephzibah home Wednesday night, according to a Richmond County sheriff's report.

In the report, Probie Kearse said a Jacob and Company watch valued at $8,000 and a Rolex were stolen from his Spanish Trace Drive house.

A 40-inch gold necklace and three diamond earrings were also stolen, Mr. Kearse said in the report.

Authorities observed marks from where Mr. Kearse's front door was pried open and found the door to his bedroom kicked in.

Mr. Kearse does wish to prosecute.

Donations will send Jewish kids to camp

The Augusta Jewish Federation is collecting funds to send Israeli children, including Arab, Druze and Jews, to summer camps out of the range of rockets.

Camps are run by the Jewish Agency For Israel, based in Israel.

Contributions should be sent to: Augusta Jewish Federation, 898 Weinberger Way, Evans, GA 30809.

They are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of contributions will be forwarded.

Call (706) 228-3636 and see the agency's Web site, jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Home/.

Woman to be charged in fatal collision

An Evans woman who will face a second-degree vehicular homicide charge as the result of a Monday wreck that killed another Evans woman was released from the hospital Thursday.

Kelli O'Quinn, 30, of the 300 block of Thoroughbred Drive, who was ruled at fault in the two-car wreck that killed Peggy Elizabeth Taylor, 50, of the 4700 block of Walnut Hill Drive, had not yet been formally charged Thursday morning, according to jailors at the Columbia County Detention Center.

Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said Thursday that Ms. O'Quinn is still recovering from her injuries and will be charged in the "near future."

An autopsy performed Wednesday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Atlanta determined Mrs. Taylor died of massive multiple blunt force trauma, Columbia County Deputy Coroner Vernon Collins said.

Fort Gordon Fun Run scheduled for Aug. 5

The Family Readiness Group for Fort Gordon's 93rd Signal Brigade will hold a Fun Run on post Aug. 5, a post news release states.

The run will be held at Gym 3 on Brainard Avenue.

Registration starts at 7 a.m. The 10K run starts at 8:45 a.m. and the 5K run will start at 9 a.m.

Event proceeds will be used to support activities for Army families, especially during the deployment of soldiers.

Fox Creek High will hold registration

Fox Creek High School's Expo and Registration will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the school, 1297 W. Martintown Road, North Augusta.

Faculty, students and Principal Tim Murph will be on hand to discuss the school.

There will be karaoke, an animal show and free hot dogs, popcorn and drinks.

For more information, call (803) 613-9435.

Dark Corner will perform at museum

Dark Corner will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Morris Museum of Art, 1 10th St., as part of the free Southern Roots Music Series.

The free concert will feature traditional and contemporary bluegrass, old-time country, rock and gospel music.

Call (706) 724-7501 for more information.

- From staff reports