Severe weather sweeps area

A storm system wielding gusty winds, rain and lightning hit the Augusta area hard Friday night.

Tornadoes reportedly touched down on Browns Road near Harlem High School in Columbia County, in west Augusta near Bobby Jones Expressway and on Aiken-Augusta Highway in North Augusta and Clearwater, said Leonard Vaughn, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in West Columbia, S.C. The storm came through about 10:30 p.m. Friday.

"We believe the tornado began in Grovetown and moved to Augusta, then to Aiken," Mr. Vaughn said. "A lot of the damage we won't know about until Saturday."

In the Browns Road area of Harlam power lines and close to a dozen trees were down, according to Columbia County sheriff's Deputy Johnn Williams. There were no injuries, he said.

Deputy Williams said trees were down in a number of other areas, including Grovetown.

More than 11,000 homes were without power late Friday night in the Augusta area, said Georgia Power spokeswoman Lynn Wallace. More than 3,900 customers in Columbia County and 7,100 in Richmond County would not have power until early this morning.

Golf-ball-size hail, downed trees and power lines littered Grovetown, Appling and Evans, said Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker.

Authorities are looking for a man who robbed an Aiken credit union Friday.

Witnesses told police that a man entered the State Credit Union on Beaufort Street about 11:45 a.m., brandishing a handgun and demanding money, said Lt. David Turno of the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

The man left on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. Witnesses were unable to identify him.

Anyone with information leading to an arrest can call the Aiken Department of Public Safety at (803) 642-7620. A reward of up to $1,000 will be awarded to tipsters.

Two women in town for the Masters Tournament were injured Friday afternoon when an SUV crashed into a recreational vehicle not far from the Augusta National Golf Club.

The RV was leaving the tournament area via Boy Scout Road at 3:18 p.m. when an SUV going south ran a red light and struck the driver side of the RV, said Richmond County sheriff's Deputy Kyle Michau.

The SUV driver and passenger, both from Texas, were taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics, Deputy Michau said.

The passenger will require surgery for a thumb injury, but both women were in stable condition.

The driver and passengers in the RV, who were from California, were unharmed. Traffic was backed up for about an hour after the accident.

The driver of the SUV was charged with failure to obey a traffic-controlled device, police said.

Those concerned about health care are invited to attend a health fair in Augusta on Friday with U.S. Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christenberry Fieldhouse of Augusta State University, 3109 Wrightsboro Road. Mr. Barrow will hold similar events Monday in Savannah, Wednesday in Swainsboro and Thursday in Vidalia.

Mr. Barrow said he has invited health care organizations to come to the fairs to answer questions and provide free screenings on cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes, in addition to advice about fitness and nutrition.