Across the area

Man is found dead in home

Authorities are investigating the shooting death of a 22-year-old North Augusta man, officials with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office said.

Robert Watson Jr., of the 600 block of Carolina Springs Road, was found by a relative and friend at 8:20 a.m. Saturday lying face up on his living room floor, Lt. Michael Frank said.

A preliminary investigation by Sheriff Michael Hunt has determined Mr. Watson apparently died of a gunshot wound to the head, Lt. Frank said.

He said investigators want to talk with anyone who saw Mr. Watson between midnight and 7 Saturday morning.

An autopsy is scheduled for 8:30 this morning in Newberry, Lt. Frank said.

He said anyone with information about the crime can call the sheriff's office at (800) 922-9709.

CSX crews clear train cars derailed in crash

Crews from CSX Transportation have removed the four empty train cars that derailed in a crash between locomotives in Grovetown early Friday.

CSX representatives said the cars were righted by 3 p.m. Friday and the track was reopened about three hours later.

At about 6:20 a.m. Friday, a northbound CSX train hit the front of a stationary southbound CSX train near Ford and Railroad streets, derailing four empty cars in the northbound train, CSX officials and Grovetown Department of Public Safety Capt. Gary Owens said.

The train blocked Robinson Avenue, a main thoroughfare through Grovetown, for about six hours. CSX is investigating the accident.

Police identify teen who was shot in hand

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office on Saturday released the name of a 15-year-old shot in the hand Friday evening in the Harrisburg neighborhood.

At about 9:20 p.m., Johnly Demario Wilcher was shot in the 1800 block of Hicks Street near where a shooting melee recently erupted in the neighborhood, according to a sheriff's report.

He was treated at Medical College of Georgia Hospital, police said.

Neighborhood design rules to be presented

A set of design guidelines for Augusta's Olde Town Pinched Gut neighborhood will be unveiled later this week.

The historical preservation rules help define what types of structures can be built in the neighborhood without disrupting the original historical pattern. It also guides changes to existing buildings.

Edwards-Pitman Environmental Inc. will present draft guidelines in a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Peter S. Knox Conference Center at 326 Greene St.

The final guidelines will be shown there at an Olde Town Neighborhood Association meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21.

Augustan beat brother with stick, police say

An Augusta man accused of attacking his brother with a stick was arrested and charged with battery Friday night, a Richmond County sheriff's report said.

A deputy found 46-year-old Russell McKenna pleading for help and covered in blood on the back porch of a Fox Trace apartment, the report said.

Mr. McKenna, who had multiple cuts on his head and face, told the deputy that his brother attacked him. According to the report, the officer found 47-year-old Gary McKenna sitting on the couch in the apartment's living room.

In the report, Gary McKenna told the officer, "I'll go to jail. He has been provoking me. So I beat him with the stick."

Russel McKenna was taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital, the report said.

Woman is charged in wreck that killed son

A Thomson woman has been charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide in a July 28 single-car wreck that killed her 4-year-old son.

Trista Jordan, 21, turned herself in to Columbia County authorities at 10 p.m. Friday and was also charged with several traffic citations, according to jailers at the Columbia County Detention Center. She was released at about 4 a.m. Saturday on $9,500 bond, they said.

Ms. Jordan was driving a 1991 Toyota Camry west on East White Oak Road near County Line Road when the vehicle left the roadway, overcorrected, went out of control and flipped, sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said. Her son, Jer'von, was ejected and crushed, the captain said.

He was not in a car seat or wearing a seat belt, Columbia County Deputy Coroner Vernon Collins said.

Ms. Jordan was also charged with driving with a suspended license, driving too fast for conditions, defective equipment and a safety belt violation, jailers said.

Woman tries to pay with counterfeit cash

A women tried to make a purchase Friday at a Hephzibah auto store with counterfeit money, according to a Richmond County sheriff's report.

An employee of MB Jones Oil Co., in the 3500 block of Deans Bridge Road, said a woman gave him $120 in fake bills that all had the same serial numbers.

When he questioned the woman, she told him she had received the bills from Wal-Mart, the report said. The woman then walked out and left in a four-door car, according to the report.

Humane Society plans pet microchip clinic

The CSRA Humane Society will offer a microchip clinic from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at 425 Wood Street. Chips cost $10.

Pets must be older than 3 months, healthy and current on all vaccinations.

For more information, call (706) 261-7387.