While it is very sad that Gedera lost his life to a drunk driver, why in the world was a 12 year old out riding his bike at 3:00 am?
Early, extreme heat brings fish kill in pond
A weekend fish kill in a weed-choked Columbia County pond might be a harbinger of things to come as Georgia braces itself for another hot, dry summer.
"The way the weather and the heat are shaping up, the risk of this happening more often this year is greater," said fisheries biologist Ed Bettross of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division.
The fish kill occurred in a small retention pond in the Glenora subdivision off Columbia Road in Martinez, which was choked with aquatic vegetation.
"The cause was very likely oxygen depletion," he said. "When you have a lot of that vegetation on the surface, blocking out the sunlight, it doesn't allow for much oxygen in the water."
When hot weather makes the surface area hotter and oxygen levels decrease, it can cause fish kills.
The Department of Natural Resources does not plan to investigate the Glenora incident, but it will be watching for similar occurrences as hot, dry weather continues.
"A lot of ponds are already a little bit low and it is extremely hot for this time of year," he said. "It's already more like what we usually see in August."
FBI offers reward for help finding suspect
The FBI asked the public's help Monday in its search for Drew Jamal Pollard, a suspect in the Dec. 20 robbery of the Richmond Community Credit Union.
He is a black man in his mid-20s, about 150 pounds and 5 feet, 9 inches tall. A reward of up to $5,000 has been authorized for information that leads to his capture. Tipsters can contact the Augusta FBI Office or the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. He is believed to be armed and dangerous.
Jury hears evidence in trial of 2006 shooting
A jury began hearing evidence Monday about a hotel room shootout that left one man dead.
Eddie Lee Freeman Jr., 23, has pleaded not guilty in Richmond County Superior Court. His trial continues today.
Mr. Freeman and two other men are accused of murder in the Sept. 12, 2006, shooting death of 21-year-old Terrance D. Moore. In their opening statements Monday, attorneys on both sides told the jury they would hear evidence of a drug deal and multiple gunshots. Mr. Freeman was also shot that night but he recovered from his wounds.
Augusta man charged in Athens boy's death
ATHENS, GA. --- An Augusta man is charged in a fatal weekend accident that killed a 12-year-old boy.
Athens police said Joseph Patrick Armstrong, 22, a student at Gainesville State College, was charged with DUI and two felonies: first-degree homicide by vehicle and leaving the scene of a fatal wreck.
Gedera Thomas, was riding bikes with his brother about 3 a.m., when the accident happened, police said.
Power outage cancels city council meeting
AIKEN --- About 2,800 customers were without electricity for more than two hours Monday and the Aiken City Council meeting was canceled after a fast-moving storm swept through the northern part of town.
Power was restored to most homes about 7:30 p.m., a power company spokeswoman said.
-- From staff and wire reports
Comments
While it is very sad that Gedera lost his life to a drunk driver, why in the world was a 12 year old out riding his bike at 3:00 am?
debby you are partially correct! just because the little boy was riding his bike at that time, still didn't give joseph armstrong the right to take his lfe because of a bad choice he made by drinking and driving. armstrong could have called a friend,taken a cab, or something. he probably thought just this time i can make it home again. i bet this isn't the first time he's done that! that's what the college kids do when they go to college. drinking and partying til wee hours of the morning and then decides to drive. what a poor choice made by this young man. i know his parents are in disbelief of "lil joey", but that's what happens. an innocent life taken and the drunk driver never gets hurt. but i'm sure it's hitting him like a ton of bricks by now!
scooter, a kid out at 3:00am is not innocent. Furthermore, going to see the bros girlfriend stretches the imagination. As for the driver, he will have to live with his actions and the results.
Debby, once again the AC failed to report the whole story. He and his 16-year-old were riding their bicycles to a friend's house without parental knowledge.
As a parent I too was wondering why this child was out at 3 am. It is very unfortunate that this child was killed by a drunk driver. Mr.Armstrong (also very young) will have to live with this for the rest of his life.
i'm not condoning a drunken driver. he should go to jail for a very, very long time.
But I do agreee with the others - a 12 year-old should NOT be riding his bike around at 3 a.m. He should be in bed asleep.
now I think that we all need and want to know what was this child doing out at 3 am and where was his parents this time of the morning
This isn't Mr. Armstrong's first brush with drunk driving. Run a search on him and you will see that he's been picked up in Augusta for driving while drunk at a much younger age. Where were his parents then? Too many lives have been ruined by Mr. Armstrong's choices. I'm sadden for the families.
I can hardly read these posts! Who cares that the little boy was out late? He was hit by a drunk driver, killed, left to die on the side of the road. According to the Athens Herald, Mr. Armstrong thought he hit a dog... this after he passed the deceased's brother on another bike a few seconds earlier. I don't buy that he thought he hit a dog. Horrible.
Hiya, I understand your concern about the death of this young boy but the fact is, if this child had not been out riding his bicycle at 3:00 in the morning when he should have been home in bed he would still be alive today. Mr. Armstrong was definitely wrong when he choose to drive a vehicle after drinking and should be responsbile for his actions. I don't think anyone is blaming the young child, they are just questioning why he was out at that time.
The 12 year-old was a kid. Joseph Armstrong is the adult. He should have taken the more responsible role and not have driven drunk. He's an .....Most likely the parents were home ASLEEP unless they worked an overnight shift. I hate drunk drivers and I wish I saw more of them pulled over and arrested. It's safer for us all to be inside when the bars/clubs close.
I agree that he shouldn't have been out that late. But, what difference does it make? If he was going to deliver newspapers for a early morning paper route he would be considered a saint, but since he wasn't everyone in the previous posts seem to act like he was asking for it.
This drunk was arrested before for drunk driving before...And Mommy and Daddy probably just slapped him on his hand and said don't do that anymore....I can not believe the post on here. There is a 12 year old child dead do you hear me dead...He has no responsibility in this...yes he was out at an odd hour....but he was a child. The driver was and adult and he chose to drive drunk...He is a killer as if he had picked up the gun and shot this child....Wake up people drunk drivers need to be stopped.
This young man has a record. Where were his parents when he was out drinking when he was underage???? And he was using someone elses drivers license....His life and his families will never be the same but he will get a third chance... but the 12 year old is dead. When you are dead you got no more chances left... My heart hurts for the 12 yer olds family. and also for the young mans family... He needs help. He is a drunk....
drunk driving is drunk driving... repeat offenders should be punish harshly. Did yall read the story about the 14 year old killed when a drunk wench drove into his house and killed him while he was sleeping? The boy shouldn't have been out.. true.. but I have no sympathy for someone who is a repeat offender. That wench had 2 prior convictions, probably other arrests. Had been arrested 5 times on driving charges and never spent any time in jail. I am so mad at the judges who let this woman get away with those dui's I can't stand it. I hope those judges or judge can live with themselves knowing they contributed to the death of this child. I wonder how these judges would feel if thier child was killed by a repeat dui offender who never was punished. So many lives could be saved if they punished drunk drivers the way they should!!!!!!!!!!!
WAG: There are a lot of accusations flying here. I would suggest verifying facts before flying off the handle. Granted this is a terrible event for all parties involved. I would however be interested in what information you have to back up your suggestion that the driver has been arrested for drunk driving before?
hiya, what difference does it make????????????????? He would be alive if he didn't have his butt on the street at 3am. Lock the parents up too for child neglect. Again the girlfriend jibe, just don't float. By the way, I too have no sympathy for the driver! wag, no responsibility, are you that stupid. You are part of what is wrong with this country--the big dumb down!!
nightraider lock whose parents up for child neglect? The 12 yr old's brother is 17.Also, if a child is determined to slip out of the house at night, they will. I know, because I had one that would wait till we went to sleep, then would slip out. We had an alarm system installed, and she rigged the wiring so she could get out her window. If we had chained her up at night, we would have gone to jail. So get the facts before you blame the parents.
Rose: maybe you should have slept in the same room? You say if a child is determined to do something, they will. Shouldn't that be true of the parent? Or would that be too responsible? This kid is dead, his parents share the blame for not keeping him where he should be at 3am. The pain of losing their child is all the suffering they need, tis true. The guilt will last forever in their hearts.
Tall2, Unfortunately, Rose is an airhead. Rose, what difference does it make that his brother is 18???? Come on, quit having brain farts and pushing it out your mouth.
The 17 yr old should have been watching his brother more closely and not allowed him to be with him that time of night. Also, I slept with my husband, not a teenager. and don't say I should have stayed awake all night. Parents have to sleep sometimes. There are parents whose kids slip out at night, and those same parents will say their child would never do that.
nightraider you are a stupid idiot. You were born with no brains at all. I hate to stoop to name calling, but you an tall2 are idiots.I don't know what you been smoking.
casualobserver99: "Mr. Armstrong also was arrested in 2004 and sentenced to a year of probation for underage alcohol possession and using someone else's driver's license." See: http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_060908_augustadui.shtml
Remember the ol saying, Rose. Better to be quiet and be thought the fool-----------. You need to apply that saying.
Its a shame the kid was out that late, but Mr. Armstrong was wrong no matter what. He is the one who drank too much. He is the one who got behind the wheel. He is the one who killed Gedera. He is the one who left Gedera Thomas laying there as he ran from his crime. Gedera's parents will forever be in their own prison. Mr. Armstrong's parents will be in their own prison. They will wonder if there was something they should or could have done. Mr Armstrong will spend time in jail and then try to put his life together. Gedera Thomas, a little boy, will not have that chance.
point blank if the 12 year old kid was in bed at home where he was supposed to be at 3am he wouldnt have been killed to begin with. not that im taking up for the idiot who drove drunk.
Rose: You do NOT hate to stoop to name calling. You do so with each and every person who disagrees with you. A simple review of your posts confirm that fact. I do not engage people who, in place of facts or impassioned speech, resort to personal attacks. Feel free to ignore my "idiotic" posts as I will assuredly ignore you. (A dictionary may help you with my big words). The drunk driver is by no means absolved of responsibility, just as a parent who doesn't think it's their responsibility to do whatever is necessary for the benefit of their children is absolved of the acts of that child.
tall2you attack me every chance you get and you know it. I DO hate to resort to name calling, I know what I feel. You are just cruel and unfeeling.
tall2 -- Think you are attacking the wrong person -- Rose is easy to get along with, we have had our differences but we always get along -- read what she posted and she has her right to post just as much as you do!!! Live with it - it is called freedom of speech....
Poor fish........
Wow...aren't we being petty today. This incident was a tragedy all the way around. A young man dead, a young man messed up his life, and two sets of parents left wondering what they could have done to stop any or all of this from happening. Folks, have a little compassion.
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