The Georgia State Patrol released an accident report on Wednesday regarding an accident that took place on January 3.  According to the report 20 year old Jeremiah Knowles of Summerville was driving a 1999 Chevy Blazer traveling south on Hartline Street and was attempting to turn onto Highway 114. 

The GSP report stated that Knowles failed to yield the right of way and pulled into the path of 54 year old Abigail Roan of Summerville who was driving a 2004 Chrysler Sebring.  Roan told troopers that she tried to avoid a collision but could not and struck Knowles’ Chevy Blazer.  The report said that Knowles’ vehicle rotated over 25 feet before turning over on it’s left side.  The two vehicles were still in contact for over 10 more feet before separating – at which point Knowles’ Blazer came to rest upright in the westbound lane of Highway 114 pointed south.  Roan’s vehicle continued to rotate another 44 feet before coming to rest in the eastbound lane of Highway 114. 

Redmond EMS transported Knowles and a passenger, identified as 23 year old Joshua Duncan of LaFayette, to Redmond Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.  Roan was taken to Redmond by private vehicle. 

The Georgia State Patrol Post in Rome said that the accident report released yesterday was not complete.

The Trion Town Council will welcome two new members at its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on January 26th. Tomas Venn will be welcomed to seat 4 while Tonya Abetnathy will officially take seat 5.

At some point this year, the council will have to decide to make up a difference in city tax revenue lost through voter approval of the freeport tax. The tax will will allow companies like Mount Vernon Mills a tax break.

The move gave Mount Vernon a $297,000 tax break. According to Trion’s Mayor before the election, it wasn’t about giving one company a tax break but attracting new industry to the county. However, that means about $297,000 less each year going into the town’s coffers.

In just over a week, the new `Drive Sober GA` smartphone app has debuted to impressive download numbers on the Android market. Current data shows the new app, which lets Georgia motorists find a free sober ride in their area, has been downloaded nearly 1,000 times on the Android market. `To know that 1,000 people will have an alternative to drinking and driving at their fingertips is great news for Georgia. This is the first time we have developed a product for the smart phone market and we are delighted with the response,` said Harris Blackwood, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). `I have had parents of college students tell me that their children have downloaded the app as a precaution. That`s why we have it available.`

GOHS debuted this lifesaving app, which is also available on the iPhone market, because despite Georgia experiencing an 11 percent reduction in impaired driving fatalities in 2010, the issue remains a problem throughout the state.

To address this problem, GOHS consulted with safety partners across the state to compile a list of free sober ride programs to make sure everyone gets home safely on one of the most notorious impaired driving nights of the year.

And with smartphones dominating the cell phone market, GOHS decided to make this valuable resource available where so many people can access it.

`We know that people are attached to their cell phones these days,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood. “So we made it as easy as possible by putting a free sober ride in the palm of their hands. But keep in mind that the app should not be used while driving. Texting while driving adds another element of danger we just don’t need.”

The application allows people in all corners of the state to have mobile access to organizations, like AAA’s Tow To Go, providing free rides home for those too impaired to drive home themselves. Whether you are an individual who needs a ride, a party host looking out for one of your guests or a bar or restaurant needing a ride for customers, this app will help you through the process.

The new Drive Sober GA app is part of Georgia’s annual Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign to reduce impaired driving crashes, injuries and fatalities. While the state’s zero tolerance policy for drunk driving is in effect 24/7/365, GOHS is using the travel period surrounding New Year’s to remind Georgia motorists that if they get pulled over for a DUI, they will get arrested and they will go to jail.

To learn more about the Drive Sober Georgia app, visit www.drivesobergeorgia.com and to learn more about Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

Coosa Valley News

Joseph Thomas Butts, age 32 of Rome, Charged with Failure to Appear

John Charles Agan, age 54 of Summerville, Charged with Public Drunkeness

In December the Walker County Sheriff’s Department named its "Employee of the Year".  This year’s honor went to Walker County Detective Sergeant Anthony Gilleland. 

Gilleland has worked for the Walker County Sheriff’s Department since 2002 and serves as an investigator for Sheriff Steve Wilson.

Gilleland graduated from Valley Head High School and lived for many years in Chattooga County.  Anthony is a former radio personality and news director, having worked for WGTA for many years. 

The Trion Board of Education will meet on Monday at 6:30 p.m.and welcome two new board members: Carrie Maddox in Seat 4 and Joe Middleton in Seat 5.

This year the board will make plans for a new gym for the schools as Chattooga coutians voted to continue paying a one-percent tax during 2012 to improve facilities at both the Trion and Chattooga school systems.

Chattooga will build a new highschool while Trion is expected to replace its old gymnasium.

AN INMATE AT THE DADE COUNTY JAIL WAS FOUND HANGED TO DEATH… JUST 14 MINUTES AFTER HIS ARREST FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.  29 YEAR OLD JOSEPH COCHRAN USED HIS THERMAL UNDERWEAR TO HANG HIMSELF IN A HOLDING CELL… ACCORDING TO DADE SHERIFF PATRICK CANNON.   AS A STANDARD MEASURE, THE GBI HAS BEEN CALLED TO INVESTIGATE THE DEATH.   COCHRAN WAS A MARINE AND HAD SERVED OVERSEAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

WQCH

One of the original tenants at Mt. Berry Square Mall in Rome will be closing its doors sometime this month. The Lane Bryant store has announced that it will be closing between January 16th and 25th; even sooner if the inventory is sold out.

The Mt. Berry shop currently has ten employees. A sign posted outside the entrance to the shop is encouraging customers to shop at the Kennesaw location, in the Town Center Mall. The Lane Bryant outlet store in the Calhoun Premium Outlets Shopping Center will also remain open.