Across the area

Man sought in theft of guns from home

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Police are looking for a Hephzibah man who is accused of stealing guns from a home.

Joseph Lemual Crawford, 19, of Cranbrook Drive, is wanted for the July 25 burglary of a Hephzibah residence in the 2000 block of Story Mill Estates, Richmond County sheriff's Investigator Horace Anderson said.

Mr. Crawford is accused of stealing four shotguns and four rifles from a home where his ex-girlfriend lives with her parents. The ex-girlfriend, Sherice McMillan, 18, was arrested July 28, Investigator Anderson said.

Anyone with information about Mr. Crawford's whereabouts is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriff's Office at (706) 821-1080.

Collision kills 11-year-old boy

An 11-year-old boy was killed in a two-vehicle accident in North Augusta on Thursday morning, according to Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton.

Deandre C. Williams, of Augusta, was unrestrained in the back seat of the Ford Taurus his mother was driving when a 16-seat bus struck the car, authorities said.

Mr. Carlton said the boy was pronounced dead of multiple body trauma at the scene at 8:40 a.m.

With her son, an infant, another child and two other adults, Angela Heggie turned onto U.S. Highway 1 from the Interstate 520 off ramp, authorities said. The bus struck the driver's side of the Taurus.

The only occupant of the bus was its driver, who was not hurt seriously, according to Lt. Tim Pearson of the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

The five surviving passengers in the Taurus were treated at Medical College of Georgia Hospital, he said. Charges against Ms. Heggie are pending, Lt. Pearson said.

Blocker-Adams seeks House District 120

The race for state House District 120 is officially on.

The Georgia Secretary of State's Office confirmed in a Tuesday letter that independent candidate Helen Blocker-Adams has enough valid signatures of registered voters in the district to seek the seat.

Ms. Blocker-Adams had to get 978 valid signatures from residents of the district who were registered to vote at least 30 days before the 2004 election, and she got verification on 1,163. She had 1,556 signatures on her petition.

She is challenging two-term incumbent Democrat Quincy Murphy in the Nov. 7 election.

Motorcyclist dies in early morning crash

A motorcyclist died Thursday morning after losing control of his Yamaha in the 1400 block of Brown Road, Richmond County Deputy Coroner Charlena Graham said.

Jasen Myers, 25, of Hephzibah, hit an embankment off the road and was thrown from the motorcycle, losing his helmet, she said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:14 a.m. of massive head trauma and skull fractures, Ms. Graham said.

Fire fills sandwich shop with smoke

A fire broke out Thursday evening at a North Augusta sandwich shop, authorities said.

North Augusta public safety Lt. Clay Swann said employees of the Subway on East Martintown Road called authorities at 6:10 p.m.

By the time firefighters got to the restaurant, the business was filled with smoke and the sprinkler system had activated.

The fire apparently started in a rear storage room near a water heater, but the exact cause is unknown, Lt. Swann said. There was no major damage to the business.

Doctor's Hospital pipe overheats, causes fire

A small oil fire sent clouds of black smoke above Doctor's Hospital after 4 p.m. Thursday in west Augusta, an official said.

The fire, which was put out easily with a pair of dry powder extinguishers, appeared more threatening than it was, Augusta-Richmond County Battalion Chief Ivan Bolgla said.

He said a pump that burns the hospital's waste failed, causing a pipe that carried fuel to overheat and catch fire.

The flame-up occurred in the maintenance facility behind the main hospital building. No one had to be evacuated.

21-year-old arrested in online sex solicitation

A 21-year-old Batesburg man was arrested Wednesday and charged with soliciting sex online from someone he thought was a young girl, but who was actually a police officer.

Zackery Aris Boley, of the 100 block of West Creek Road, was charged with criminal solicitation of a minor.

According to the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, Mr. Boley solicited sex in July from a 14-year-old girl, who was actually a SLED agent.

Boy is suspended in Chukker Creek attack

Police were called to Chukker Creek Elementary School on Wednesday after a 6-year-old pupil scratched and tried to stab his teacher with a pencil, then hit the assistant principal in the face and bit her, according to a police report.

The boy was suspended from school, and the report from the Aiken Department of Public Safety states that he will be recommended for expulsion.

Man charged in theft from burned house

An Augusta man remained in jail Thursday after being charged with stealing property from a burned house.

Antoine Cortes Brown, 32, of Royal Street, is charged with felony theft by receiving stolen property, Investigator Horace Anderson said. He was arrested Wednesday.

After a May 27 fire on Bransford Road, the owner of the house said she noticed items had been stolen, including a hot tub and a mahogany bedroom set.

On Monday, the owner discovered the items in a nearby carport and called police.

Interstate traffic to shift at Crane's Creek

Westbound traffic on Interstate 20 at Crane's Creek will be shifted to the eastbound lanes Saturday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The shift will allow crews to complete construction on the westbound lanes. Both lanes of traffic will stay on the eastbound side until the project is completed next year.

Board to discuss plans for sales tax

The Richmond County Board of Education will hold a retreat Saturday to discuss plans to ask residents to approve a sales tax in November.

The retreat, which is open to the public, will be at 9:30 a.m. in the board conference room of its administrative building, 864 Broad St.

- From staff reports