A 24-year-old man is in custody following a standoff with Floyd County Police and the SWAT team on Wednesday. In custody on criminal trespass charges is Michael R. Ellis of 10 Shade Tree, says Sgt. Chris Fincher. He’s also charged with theft by taking. Read more
From the Georgia State Patrol: On Sunday at 5:07 p.m., GSP Post 3 responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Ga. 20 at Roving Road. A U-Haul moving truck (15 feet unit) was traveling west on Ga. 20, approaching its intersection with Roving Road. The other vehicle, a red Chevrolet Camaro, was traveling east… Read more
Private funeral planned for Judge Jon Payne: Family, friends and colleagues continue to mourn Jon Payne, who died Tuesday just four days before his 72nd birthday and four months before he was set to retire after more than 40 years in office. His obituary follows: The Honorable Judge Jon M. Payne, age 71, of Martin… Read more
Media release: Michael Sean Conner has been sentenced for a violent carjacking he attempted in Adairsville during which he shot a young man asleep in his truck. Conner will serve this sentence consecutively to a seven-year sentence for a previous carjacking conviction in Tennessee, for a total sentence of 35 years of confinement. “Conner’s… Read more
New aerial drone footage of cleanup from J. Kirk of Friday’s CSX Train derailment in Kingston along Hall Station Road near Highway 293. Saturday update: CSX spokeswoman Cindy Schild reports the tracks have been cleared for trains to begin running through the area again as of 3:30 p.m. “All derailed cars are cleared from the… Read more
From the Georgia State Patrol: On Sunday, Aug. 9, at approximately 7:30 a.m., a 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was traveling north on Old Holland Road. It left the roadway, onto the east shoulder. The driver overcorrected the wheel, causing the vehicle to rotate counter-clockwise. It then traveled across the roadway, striking an embankment, and overturned,… Read more
By Natalie Simms nsimmshh@att.net While out on an early morning run in the summer of 2002, Denise Biersmith never expected to be confronted by a convicted sexual predator on the lake trail behind Georgia Highlands College. Her encounter with Billy Edgar Murrell continues to haunt her and now that he has been granted a tentative… Read more
From the Georgia State Patrol: On August 2, 2020, at 2:07 p.m., Cpl. Doug Shamblin was dispatched to a traffic crash on U.S. 27 near Lake Wanda Rieta Road. The crash involved a BMW motorcycle and a Pontiac Montana van. The Pontiac’s driver attempted to turn south onto 27 1 from a parking lot. … Read more
Rome Police confirm a female bicyclist was struck by a vehicle on Old Summerville Road near Stonebridge Golf Course on Saturday morning. According to Officer Brummit, the bicyclist, identified as Susan Mullis, 74, was traveling northbound on Old Summerville Road. Her husband’s Facebook post said she was in stable condition Saturday night in the… Read more
Media release: Officers on patrol have a new tool that will help our community in the battle against drugs thanks to x-ray imaging technology that was awarded at no cost to the Floyd County Police Department. The imaging device by Viken Detection was available through a grant to assist local police in drug enforcement. The Floyd… Read more
A gas leak at a construction site on Martha Berry below the Fifth Avenue intersection has traffic restricted and nearby buildings being evacuated this morning. Apparently a line has been hit near the new medical office construction site; the gas company is said to be on the way. Please avoid the area until the… Read more
In context: Here’s the latest on the suit filed against Christian Coomer, the former state representative from Bartow County who was named to the state Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Nathan Deal. The story comes from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The GBI continues to look into the case as does the state Judicial Qualifications Commission. For… Read more
From Rome Police: Beginning on Dec. 12, 2019, various locations within the City of Rome were victims of armed robberies. These armed robberies continued to occur through April 3, 2020. In each of the robberies, there was a consistent description of the suspect. The Rome Police Department Criminal Investigation Division in conjunction with the… Read more
Derry Richardson and most of the suspects in the Floyd County Schools’ theft/RICO case entered guilty pleas in superior court Monday morning. The surprising development means almost all suspects in the case have accepted plea deals — some with prison time, others with house arrest and two seeing charges dismissed. All gave up their rights… Read more
From the GBI: On Friday, July 24, 2020, Kerry Lamar Grier, age 30, of Rome, was arrested for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a felony amount of marijuana, aggravated assault on police officers, and numerous other traffic charges. The GBI Calhoun office was requested by Floyd County Police… Read more
Citing competition with other agencies, the Rome City Commission on Monday unanimously approved a pay hike for more than 250 police officers and firefighters. The above graphic breaks down the pay increases and the impact on the city budget. City Manager Sammy Rich pitched the increase, adding concerns about turnover (14 vacancies within Rome Police;… Read more
From the GBI: On Friday, July 24, 2020, the GBI arrested Fairmount Police Chief Chandler Walter, 31, of Calhoun, and Fairmount Police Officer Olan Mark Lowe, 48, of Calhoun, and charged each with False Official Certificates and Writings by Officers. On Thursday, June 11, 2020, the Gordon County District Attorney requested the GBI Region 1… Read more
THE LATEST Two more people have been charged in the expanding investigation into the May 12-13 murders of two Rome women. Nelly Miles, public affairs director for the GBI, confirms the arrest of two women Friday in charges stemming from the case. Floyd County Jail records show: Julie Ann Satterfield, 38, on charges of giving false… Read more