Natasha Amanda Terry, 27, of 15 Maryland Dr. in Summerville, was arrested early Sunday morning just after midnight by the Rome Police Department and charged with disorderly conduct. She was booked and released from jail by Monday morning.

Linda Louise Lawson, 34, of 5445 Summer Place Rd. in Cedar Bluff, Alabama, was arrested Sunday at 7:20 p.m. by the Rome Police Department and charged with felony false statements and writings, along with one misdemeanor count each of theft by shoplifting, giving false name or address to law enforcement officers and obstruction of hindering law enforcement officers. She remained in jail Monday morning.

Last week both local high schools received visits from law enforcement who brought along drug dogs to look for drugs on the school campuses.

Trion Police Chief Chad Spraggins said that no drugs were found at Trion High School and that his department made a thorough search of the campus and all of the vehicles at the school.  Trion School Superintendent said "I’m very proud of the kids. The dogs didn’t even hit on a car. We went through the high school, the middle school and the gym . . . They had four dogs total and they searched every vehicle.”

The Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department also brought drug dogs to Chattooga High School last week which resulted in the questioning of two students, although no drugs were found.  Officers did find some seeds and a pipe which lead to the questioning of the students.  Sheriff John Everett told The Summerville News he is glad to see both schools take a stance against drugs by proactively allowing drug dogs reign at the schools.

A look at the arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department from last Saturday shows several people who were listed for crossing jail lines with contraband or cell phones.  Chief Investigator Larry Kellett told AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio on Monday that these were inmates from Hays State Prison in Pennville that were arraigned in court and were listed on the arrest report.  Kellett said the majority of the people listed on the report were already inmates at Hays Prison and were charged with crossing guardlines with drugs and communication devices.

AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio spoke with County Commissioner Jason Winters late Monday evening regarding the closure of Lyerly Dam Road on Monday.  Winters said that the road should be re-opened sometime Tuesday morning as the waters from the Chattooga River recede.

Chattooga County received between 2 and 3 inches of rain in a brief period on Saturday night and Sunday which lead to flood warnings being issued by the National Weather Service for the river on Monday.  According to the US Geological Survey the river crested Monday afternoon just under 15′.  14′ is considered "minor floodstage" for the Chattooga River.

Commissioner Winters said that while there was standing water on several roads throughout the county, the Lyerly Dam Bridge Road was the only road that was closed due to flood waters.

AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio reported last week on the shooting of Tony Gilley of an old Highway 337 address in Menlo.  Gilley was shot by his former son-in-law, 27 year old Matthew Christol.  Christol was charged with aggravated assault in the incident.

Gilley escaped any life-threatning injury, despite being shot in the forearm by Christol.  The incident is still under investigation by the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department and the Lookout Mountain District Attorney’s office.  Investigator Larry Kellett told AM 1180 on Monday that the district attorney’s office may file charges against Gilley who was at the home of his daughter and ex-son – in – law when the incident took place.  Family members of Christol told AM 1180 that Gilley had broken out a glass door at the home before the shooting took place and that, according to Christol, he was simply defending his home.  Christol and his ex-wife have been living together for several weeks prior to the incident.

Kellett told AM 1180 that he had explained to Gilley that charges might be forthcoming against him after the district attorney’s office reviewed the case.

Also, Kellett said that there had been reports from Cherokee County, Alabama that a "retaliation" incident may have taken place against some of Christol’s family members across the state line below Menlo.  Kellett said that he has forwarded his report on the incident to Cherokee County authorities and that investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department are sharing information with him regarding the case.

In the end it will be up to the Lookout Mountain District Attorney’s office to sort through the domestic incident and decide what final charges might be brought for indictment.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources recommended that State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, his two sons and Witt Cunningham attend a Georgia Hunter Education Course after a Jan. 17 shooting incident in Walker County on property owned by Rome’s Delos Yancey III.

The DNR issued a final report on the shooting Monday.

Oxendine’s 13-year-old son shot Russell M. Robertson Jr. of Chickamauga by accident after a quail flew between Robertson and the party of hunters at the preserve in Cloudland, the DNR reported.

Robertson was taken to Redmond Regional Medical Center where doctors were reported to have said that “everything looked fine and that the wounds were superficial,” the report stated.

Bird shot was removed from his right leg and right hand, the report stated.

Investigators were able to determine the hunters took four shots at the quail that flew in between the party and Robertson from his left to right on the roadway next to a field where he was observing the party.

A witness to the event, Jimmy Asher, told investigators that while he was unsure of who shot Robertson, he did say the bird survived the four hunters’ attempts to kill it.

The final recommendation that Oxendine, his sons and Cunningham take a Hunter Education course is a requirement by state law. Title 27 of the Georgia code says that it is “unlawful for any person born on or after Jan. 1, 1961, to procure a hunting license or to hunt by any means of weapons in this state unless that person has been issued a certificate or other evidence the department deems acceptable which indicates satisfactory completion of a hunter education course as prescribed by the board.”

Robertson declined to comment for this story.

Oxendine issued the following statement:

“Today the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released results of an investigation regarding a January 17 incident involving my hunting party. The investigation findings concluded that a close friend who was part of our hunting party was peppered in the leg by bird shot from my 13-years-old son’s gun. This was an unfortunate accident and we all are thankful that his injuries were minor. I would like to thank the investigators at DNR for their hard work to give us all a clear picture on what transpired on January 17. I also want to thank everyone who contacted me with their concerns and support for my son. Finally, I would like for everyone to know that my dear friend is recovering just fine and has told me that he is looking forward to us hunting again soon.”

RNT

Chattooga County Public Works is closing Lyerly Dam Bridge Road this afternoon due to high water from the Chattooga River.  This will mean the dumpster station will not be accessible from the Lyerly side of the river.

It appears that the river has crested at 14.93 feet according to the latest US Geological Survey Real Time Data.  The computerized guage for the river is located on the Chattooga River bridge close to The Summerville News on Highway 27.

Marion Kay Boyd, age 47 of Summerville, Charged with Weekend Superior Court Sentence

Bryant Richardson Longshore III, age 35 of Summerville, Charged with Weekend Superior Court Sentence

Danny Ray Newton, age 45 of Armuchee, Charged with Weekend Superior Court Sentence

James Melvin Bentley, age 41 of Lyerly, Charged with Open Container, No Proof of Insurance, DUI / Alcohol, No Tag, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Maintain a Single Lane

Martin Ramos, age 29 of LaFayette, Hold for Detention

Issued by The National Weather Service
Atlanta, GA
1:30 am EST, Mon., Jan. 25, 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WARNING FOR THE CHATTOOGA RIVER NEAR SUMMERVILLE * UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. * AT 115 AM MONDAY THE STAGE WAS 14.1 FEET AND RISING. * FLOOD STAGE IS 14.0 FEET.

More Information

… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN GEORGIA…

CHATTOOGA RIVER NEAR SUMMERVILLE AFFECTING CHATTOOGA COUNTY

.RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF INTO STREAMS AND RIVERS… CAUSING THE RIVERS TO RISE. SOME POINTS ALONG THE RIVER SYSTEM WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

ALL PERSONS WITH INTERESTS ALONG THE RIVER SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS… AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT DRIVE CARS THROUGH FLOODED AREAS. IF YOU SEE FLOOD WATERS… REMEMBER TO TURN AROUND AND DO NOT DROWN.