Across the area

Carrier deaths earn man prison

A man accused of gunning down two newspaper carriers more than two years ago was found guilty on all charges in an Aiken County courthouse Thursday night.

Judge Clifton Newman sentenced Cornell Tyler to 30 years in prison on a murder charge, 20 years on assault and battery with intent to kill and five years on possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The sentences are to be served consecutively.

Mr. Tyler was accused of killing Debra Dorch and injuring Joe Brewer in August 2005 after the pair, who were delivering The Aiken Standard to homes in the Union Academy Road area, backed up to a home they had missed on their route. Authorities have said they believe the two were mistaken for rival drug dealers.

Bus driver is honored for saving pedestrian

A Richmond County school bus driver was recognized Thursday for using a broom to beat two vicious dogs away from a pedestrian and some pupils on Thursday.

Carmen Bryant was picking up children on her route, Superintendent Dana Bedden said, when she made a stop and saw a pit bull and another dog attacking a pedestrian and her dog.

Ms. Bryant left her bus, armed with her "trusty" broom, and beat the dogs, while she ushered the woman, her dog and the pupils on to the bus, Dr. Bedden said.

She brought all of them, including the woman who was bleeding from the attack, back to the school to get help.

School board member injured in car wreck

Richmond County school board member Venus Cain was slightly injured Thursday afternoon in a two-vehicle wreck involving a tractor trailer.

Mrs. Cain was recuperating at her home late Thursday after being "shaken-up," she said. Mrs. Cain said the truck struck her rear bumper on Sand Bar Ferry Road. The accident happened between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m. near Sand Bar Ferry's entrance ramp to Bobby Jones Expressway. No other information was immediately available through the sheriff's office late Thursday.

Mrs. Cain is the District 9 representative for the Richmond County Board of Education.

Family members face drug, theft charges

Several members of a North Augusta family were arrested Thursday at a North Augusta residence on drug and theft charges.

Police charged the following people with manufacturing methamphetamine, burglary and possession of burglary tools: Oliver Harden Jr., 41; Donna Harden, 38; Justin Harden, 21; and Michael Canipe, 46, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office news release. Jessica Harden, 21, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.

Police said Oliver Harden, Donna Harden, Justin Harden and Mr. Canipe were arrested after being seen running from the Avondale Mills-Gregg Division in Graniteville. Police say they believe the four were trying to steal copper tubing from the former textile mill. Aiken County sheriff's Lt. Michael Hunt said police searched the family's home, finding equipment related to making and selling methamphetamine. A 10-month-old baby also was removed from the home and taken into emergency protective custody by the South Carolina Department of Social Services .

No charges yet in dog attack

Richmond County Animal Control continued to investigate on Thursday an incident involving a pit bull attack at an Augusta residence Wednesday.

Animal Services Director Diane Downs said her office had not yet filed any charges in the case.

Eighteen dogs were seized from the home of Marcus Tyrone Taylor, at 1933 Old Savannah Road, after someone reported seeing a pit bull being attacked by another pit bull, a Richmond County sheriff's report stated.

Five of the animals have been euthanized, Ms. Downs said.

Driver dies in crash after chase by police

A man died in a car crash Tuesday night as police attempted to stop him for speeding in Jefferson County.

Myron Richardson, 37, of Bartow, Ga., was traveling at a high rate of speed on Georgia Highway 78 when a Jefferson County sheriff's deputy passed his Pontiac Grand Am and turned around in the roadway, according to a Georgia State Patrol dispatcher.

Shortly after, Mr. Richardson lost control of his vehicle in a curve and crashed near Moxley-Bartow Road, the dispatcher said.

Jefferson County Sheriff Gary Hutchins said the deputy initiated the stop because Mr. Richardson was speeding.

GBI looks into case of inmate found dead

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the Tuesday death of an inmate at the Screven County Jail.

Ronald Congialdi, 42, of 450 Douglas Branch Road in Sylvania, Ga., was found dead in his cell by jail personnel about 12:45 p.m., according to GBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chuck Sullenger.

Authorities are not releasing the cause of death because of the ongoing investigation, Special Agent Sullenger said. Mr. Congialdi's body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab in Savannah for an autopsy, he said.

Canadian officers to train at Fort Gordon

A squadron from the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment will be visiting Fort Gordon for the first time to train with U.S. Army Signal soldiers next week.

Members of the 1 Line Squadron, based in Kingston, Ontario, will be at the base Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a news release from the fort.

About 45 personnel with the squadron will be involved in briefings and training exercises, and Canadian and U.S. linemen will also demonstrate pole climbing, rescue operations and fiber cable splicing, the release states.

The group also will tour the Signal Museum and visit the Fort Gordon Fisher House on Wednesday.

Educators may apply for teaching grants

The Washington Savannah River Company is now accepting applications from educators for its 2008 Excellence-In-Teaching Mini Grants program.

The program supports teaching by awarding grants to enhance science, mathematics and technology programs in the classroom.

Elementary and middle public school educators in Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Edgefield counties in South Carolina, and Columbia and Richmond counties in Georgia are eligible to receive grants of $500, $750 or $1,000.

Teachers may obtain applications from their school principal or WSRC Program Coordinator Angela P. Savoy, (803) 952-9120.

Applications are also available at www.srs.gov/general/outreach/edoutrch/ed_home.htm.

Applications must be received at SRS by Feb. 22.

Judge's workshop is for teens, parents

Columbia County Magistrate Judge Wade Padgett will offer a Teen Years 101 workshop for teens and their parents at 7 p.m. Monday.

The workshop will be at the Richmond County Board of Education central office, 864 Broad St.

Officers train to be better interviewers

Richmond County sheriff's authorities are in the process of completing weeklong training exercises designed to hone their interviewing skills.

Sheriff's Maj. Ken Autry said the program is focused on developing investigators' interviewing skills primarily used when questioning witnesses and suspects.

The five-day session ends today and is being held at the Richmond County Sheriff's Training Center in Blythe. Maj. Autry said the program is held locally for "cost-effective" reasons.

Trainers with the Institute of Police Technology & Management are brought to Augusta to provide classes for area officers, including North Augusta and Columbia County police agencies.

For more information about the institute, call (904) 620-4786.

-- From staff reports