Aiken County officers make 12 arrests in drug inquiry

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office announced Saturday that 12 people have been arrested after a two-month investigation that led to the seizure of marijuana and crack cocaine.

All but one of the arrests occurred Friday afternoon in the 1600 block of Wagener Trail Road.

Authorities say those arrested on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia are: Kimberly A. Adkins, 43, of the 7700 block of Edmond Highway, Pelion, S.C.; Lewis F. Cushman Sr., 39, of the 200 block of Mount Beulah Road, Aiken; Ernest L. Elders, 42, of the 200 block of Britton Road, Barnwell, S.C.; Lorraine P. Hargrove, 34, of the 100 block of Honeysuckle Trail, Salley, S.C.; Andrew Z. Sabbagha, 44, of the 2700 block of Calks Ferry Road, Lexington, S.C.; and Deborah M. Wooden, 47, of the 400 block of Big Tree Road, Salley.

Those arrested on a charge of distribution of crack cocaine were: Kerry H. Papp, 60, and Loretta G. Johnson, 63, both of the 1600 block of Wagener Trail Road, Wagener; and Rodney M. James, 40, of the 100 block of Conestoga Way, Wagener.

Others arrested were: John L. Kitchings, 46, of the 100 block of Fox Young Road, Aiken, simple possession of marijuana; Kenneth L. Myers, 43, of the 3500 block of Old Indian Trail Road, Wagener, open container; and Alison E. Thomas, 27, of the 100 block of Snipes Pond Road, Aiken, arrested on a bench warrant by Aiken County Family Court.

Man arrested in Thomson shooting

Police arrested a 65-year-old Thomson man Saturday night following a shooting in which two men were injured in Thomson.

Joe Jackson, of the 800 block of A Street, will be charged with two counts of aggravated assault, said Thomson Police Department Lt. Scott Whittle.

The arrest came nearly two hours after authorities say two men, identified as Toney White, 40, of Thomson, and Jasper Burnett Jr., of Walnut Street in Thomson, were shot about 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Walnut and Mulberry streets.

One of the men was reportedly shot in the neck with a small-caliber handgun, and the other was shot in the upper arm or shoulder area, authorities said, adding that both men were taken to McDuffie Regional Medical Center and were in stable condition.

Deputies with the McDuffie County Sheriff's Department located Mr. Jackson at a nearby convenience store and reportedly seized a 38-caliber handgun and pocket knife from Mr. Jackson.

Woman killed in police chase

A police chase on Gordon Highway ended with a deadly car crash Saturday night.

An Augusta woman died at the scene after a Chevrolet Blazer being pursued by Richmond County deputies crashed into the Pontiac Bonneville she was a passenger in, said Richmond County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Bowen. The woman's name had not been released late Saturday.

Police had stopped the Blazer at the 1200 block of Broad Street about 9 p.m., Mr. Bowen said. Dispatchers were alerted to the chase going west on Gordon Highway about 9:20 p.m.

The Bonneville was headed eastbound on Gordon Highway turning left onto Old Savannah Road when the Blazer struck its passenger side, Mr. Bowen said.

The woman was pronounced dead at 10:10 p.m. Both drivers and a passenger in the Blazer were taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital . Police were still investigating at the scene as of 11:15 p.m. Saturday.

Were you there?

The Augusta Chronicle is trying to locate people who participated in the Poor People's Campaign in 1968.

The rally in Washington, D.C., from May 14 to June 24, 1968, was conceived by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to focus attention on poverty in America. After his assassination on April 4 that year, supporters carried through with Dr. King's plans, and the rally became one of the last major events of the civil rights movement.

Contact Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.