Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriffs Office for Sunday, November 17, 2024:
Georgia counties facing a shortage of firefighters are utilizing state prison inmates trained through the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Firefighter Program to respond to fire calls. The program, established in 1963, trains inmates to become certified firefighters who can then respond to fires outside of prison facilities. A new report from UGA shows that currently, the program operates 19 fire stations in state prisons and six in county prisons, covering a total of 35 counties in the state – including Chattooga County.
Inmates in the program work for free, live on the fire station’s property, and are on call 24/7. To qualify for the program, offenders must be minimum to medium security and not serving time for arson or sexual offenses. The inmates in the program respond to approximately 3,000 calls per year, providing essential services like emergency response, medical assistance, and fire response in several Georgia communities.
Despite its benefits, some counties have refused to participate in the program due to safety concerns or criticisms about the exploitation of unpaid inmate labor. However, a recent change in Georgia state code now allows participating inmates to be hired as firefighters outside of prison after completing their time in the program.
Hays State Prison Fire Services houses 10 inmates who respond to fire calls throughout the county.
A Venezuelan man named Jose Ibarra is accused of murdering nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia’s campus earlier this year. A prosecutor stated that Ibarra went looking for women and killed Riley after she resisted his attack. Ibarra, who entered the U. S. illegally two years ago, faces multiple charges, including murder. He opted for a trial without a jury, and his case will be overseen by Judge H. Patrick Haggard.
A man from Rossville named Jarred Hosch was sentenced to 60 years in prison for creating a pornographic image of his intellectually disabled child. Hosch pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child, soliciting child molestation, and soliciting sexual exploitation of a child. Evidence found on his phones by Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents included child sexual abuse materials and disturbing chat logs where Hosch fantasized about raping and torturing a young girl. Judge Chris Arnt sentenced him to 66 years, with 60 to be served in prison. The prosecution team, led by Deanna Reisman and Zachary Trippe, worked with law enforcement partners to secure the conviction. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller praised the relentless efforts of the investigative team in protecting children from sexual predators and thanked Judge Arnt for the severe sentence.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, November 16, 2024:
Just before 10:00 pm on Friday, emergency responders were called to the West Rome Walmart due to reports of a shooting incident.
According to the preliminary investigation, a domestic dispute was taking place outside of the Walmart store which led to one female being struck by a bullet. The alleged shooter attempted to flee from the scene, nearly striking a witness to the incident, but was quickly apprehended by officers. The victim has been transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
This incident is believed to isolated between familiar parties. Anyone with information that has not already been contacted by Rome Police Department investigators is encouraged to call 9-1-1.
UPDATE 7:15 AM – THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL SAYS HIGHWAY 48 HAS REOPENED
Highway 48 between Menlo and Cloudland is closed this morning due to an overturned tractor trailer. Law enforcement has the road closed until further notice. If you are going towards Cloudland or Mentone, you will want to find an alternate route. WZQZ will have more information as it becomes available.
In the first round of GHSA playoff action on Friday night, the Chattooga Indians traveled over three hours to Dodge County to take on the Dodge County Indians but were unable to bring home the win with a final score of Dodge County 40 to Chattooga’s 14.
The Trion Bulldogs will also be making a four hour drive south to Ellaville, GA today to take on the Schley County Wildcats. It will be the second time these two teams have played each other. They met in the second round of the playoffs back in 2018 when Schley County eliminated the Bulldogs 40-13. The winner of tonight’s game will advance to the second round to play the winner of ECI vs Telfair County.
WZQZ will have the game on the radio with kickoff at 6 PM. You can also listen to the game on our Facebook Page. Due to GHSA rules, there will be audio only on our Facebook broadcast.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the first detection of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula or SLF), an invasive planthopper that poses a serious risk to the state’s agriculture, was made in Fulton County, Georgia on October 22, 2024, and confirmed by USDA APHIS on November 14, 2024. The first confirmed detection of the Spotted Lanternfly was made in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has spread to 17 states, including Tennessee and North Carolina.
Georgia Department of Corrections officials are seeking an increase in state funding to address staffing shortages, aging infrastructure, and improve inmate health care. The state saw a significant decline in correctional officers during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a turnover rate increasing to 40% at one point. The Commissioner of Corrections, Tyrone Oliver, highlighted recruitment challenges in retaining correctional officers, citing better-paying jobs in other industries as a factor. Deteriorating infrastructure in prisons poses safety risks, with inmates using it to create weapons. The department aims to add more single-bunk cells to reduce inmate assaults. Funding would also help address the issue of contraband weapons and cellphones reaching inmates, potentially through drones. The aging prison population has led to increased healthcare needs, including chronic illnesses. Self-help programs for inmates, such as substance abuse and cognitive issue programs, have shown positive outcomes in reducing criminal behavior. Lawmakers are expected to prioritize funding for the prison system in the upcoming legislative session.