Man arrested after deputy is run over

Authorities have arrested a man who is accused of running over an Emanuel County, Ga., sheriff's deputy with his truck Wednesday.

Patrick Kersey, 45, of Adrian, was arrested by U.S. marshals Thursday in Effingham County, according to an Emanuel County sheriff's dispatcher. Charges were not immediately available.

He was wanted for running over sheriff's Deputy Daniel Moxley during a DUI stop in Swainsboro. The deputy was hospitalized at Medical College of Georgia Hospital for a compound fracture, a broken nose and cuts, according to a sheriff's news release.

Deputies are looking for a woman who appeared to be pregnant and a man who were seen Thursday burglarizing a home on Sheffield Court in Hephzibah.

The man kicked in the back door of the home and opened the front for the woman, a Richmond County sheriff's report said. They stole $4,781 in jewelry, cash and DVDs and fled in a dark SUV, the report said.

The wife of South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson is recovering from swine flu.

A spokesman for Mr. Wilson said Friday that Roxanne Wilson is doing much better after being diagnosed with the H1N1 virus earlier in the week. Ryan Murphy said she was not hospitalized.

Mr. Wilson, who is to appear in Aiken today, has said he's willing to get the swine flu vaccine but wants Americans who are more susceptible to get it first.

The Republican whose 2nd District includes parts of Aiken County is scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. today at Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School, 3773 Charleston Highway. Mr. Wilson will discuss health care and other issues during the town hall meeting.

Savannah Riverkeeper Inc. is seeking volunteers for its annual Rivers Alive Community Waterway Cleanup, scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon today.

Waterways selected for litter removal include Betty's Branch, Butler Creek, Euchee Creek, Horse Creek, Jones Creek, Lake Olmstead, the Augusta Canal, Rae's Creek, Reed Creek, Rocky Creek, the Savannah River, Spirit Creek and others on request.

Volunteers will receive an official Rivers Alive T-shirt and a picnic lunch.

For information, or to volunteer, call Dr. Frank Carl at (706) 364-5253 or e-mail frankcarl@knology.net.

The next Gordon Highway litter cleanup has been rescheduled to its original date.

It will not be held this weekend, but rather on Nov. 7, according to Greater Augusta Progress Chairman and Empire Truck & Tractor owner Henry Frischknecht.

An Augusta murder suspect has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Antonio Jones, who was on trial for the murder of 23-year-old Eladio Gonzalez, waived his right to a jury trial this week in exchange for the state not seeking the death penalty, Richmond County District Attorney Ashley Wright wrote in an e-mail.

On Monday he pleaded guilty to all charges and was given a bench trial. Judge Michael N. Annis handed down a life sentence without the possibility of parole followed by life plus five years.

Investigators contend that Mr. Jones and Lacy J. Barnard lured the victim and another man to a remote area near Brickyard Pond Road and Gordon Highway on March 27, 2007, with the intention of robbing and killing them.

Both men were shot repeatedly with a shotgun, but Jose Mochica survived.

Ms. Wright said Mr. Mochica traveled to Augusta from his home in Mexico to testify this week through an interpreter.

Ms. Barnard will be given a separate death penalty trial.

A third suspect, 55-year-old Ronald Banks, died of liver cancer while incarcerated.

The CSRA Humane Society will hold its annual Pet-A-Fair at Julian Smith Casino on Sunday. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Doors open at noon, and pet contests will start at 2 p.m. Awards will be given in several categories. A silent auction, raffles, a bake sale, vendor tables and a microchip clinic are among the other attractions.

Aiken County schools will be closed Monday.

The days were initially scheduled as teacher workdays for parent conferences and report card distribution but are being used as furlough days for staff.

Graffiti drawn on most of South Aiken High School's campus were likely a prank, said Sgt. Aaron Dowdy, an Aiken Public Safety spokesman.

Three of the school district's maintenance staff were called in to sandblast and paint over offensive words before students return Tuesday. Friday and Monday are furlough days.

Sgt. Dowdy said the vandalism took place after dark Thursday and before sunrise Friday. Police are checking with local retailers on sales of spray paint. Surveillance cameras will be checked. Sgt. Dowdy said the graffiti was not gang related.

Those involved will face charges of malicious injury to real property, Sgt. Dowdy said. If they are students, they will be suspended with a recommendation for expulsion, he said.

TalkRadio 1230 WNRR will sponsor a debate for each of the three contested Augusta Commission seats at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Imperial Theatre.

There is no charge for the public event. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the debates will start with the District 5 race, followed by the District 3 race and then the District 1 race.

A panel is made up of radio show host Anthony Esposito, Johnny Edwards of The Augusta Chronicle and Barbara Gordon of The Metro Courier.

Election Day is Nov. 3.