Across the area

Woman arrested after children found at park

A Hephzibah woman has been arrested and charged with three counts of deprivation of a minor after authorities say she left three children unattended at a Hephzibah park Thursday.

According to a Richmond County Sheriff's Office report, 33-year-old Shantell Marie Oneal, of the 2100 block of Travis Road, dropped the children off at 8 a.m. at Diamond Lakes Park on 4335 Windsor Spring Road. She told the children she would be back to pick them up at 3:30 p.m. when she got off work.

An officer found the children unsupervised about 11 a.m. The children were without food and water and were exposed to an outdoor temperature of 90 degrees without shelter. There were also state prisoners doing grounds work at the park during that time, the report states.

The children were turned over to the Department of Family and Children Services. Ms. Oneal was later arrested at her house about 4:10 p.m. The three children left unsupervised included a 10-year-old girl, a 1-year-old girl, and a boy, either 5 or 6 years old. The woman's relationship to the children was not made available. She shares a last name with the oldest child.

17-year-old still critical after crash

A Greenbrier High School student seriously injured in a Wednesday wreck remained in critical condition Friday.

Haley Elise Van Pelt, 17, of Evans, was listed in critical condition in the Medical College of Georgia Hospital Intensive Care Unit, according to MCG spokeswoman Denise Parrish.

Ms. Van Pelt was injured in a single-vehicle wreck on Hardy McManus Road at about 8:30 a.m.

Police identify man wanted in shooting

Investigators have identified 22-year-old Gregory Maurice Humphrey as a suspect in a Thursday night shooting outside East Augusta Commons on East Boundary.

Mr. Humphrey, of the 1000 block of Reiser Court, is wanted for aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Richmond County Sgt. Ken Rogers said. One of the victims, 20-year-old Clifford Wright, was in the intensive care unit at University Hospital after being shot twice in the pelvis, authorities said. His wounds were not believed to be life-threatening.

Deputies said the second victim, 52-year-old Verna Williams, might have been caught in the middle of the altercation and not a target in the shooting. Ms. Williams was taken to University Hospital on Thursday night for a bullet wound to her left leg and has since been released.

Armed robber takes man's ringing phone

After denying he had anything of value to an armed robber Thursday, a 29-year-old victim's plan was foiled when his cell phone began ringing.

The victim said the robber approached him in the 1300 block of Laney Walker Boulevard, according to a Richmond County Sheriff's report. Once he heard the phone ring, the robber grabbed the phone and then fled the scene when a car drove by their location.

Police look for robber of Taco Bell register

Richmond County sheriff's deputies are looking for a man who robbed the drive-in window cash register at Taco Bell at 2850 Washington Road on Thursday.

An employee for the fast-food restaurant said the man, now identified as 30-year-old Rodney Brooks, approached the window on foot and asked for change, according to a sheriff's report.

When the employee opened the register, the man came through the window and took more than $442 from the cash drawer.

He then jumped in the bed of a nearby pickup truck occupied by three other men and left, the report states.

Augusta, Aiken will receive housing funds

Augusta will receive more than $4.1 million in federal funds for community development and to help build more affordable housing.

Of the money, $2.26 million will be in the form of Community Development Block Grants. The program distributes funds to communities based on factors such as population, poverty and extent of overcrowded housing.

Aiken will also be receiving nearly $217,000 intended for the Community Development Block Grants program.