Over the past four years, there have been a number of pedestrian deaths in Chattooga County.   The most recent, in November of this year, happened when a man was struck and killed on the Lyerly Highway in the pre-dawn hours the second weekend in November.  That death is still under investigation and as the year closes, no arrests have been made in connection with the fatality. The victim was identified as 27-year-old Austin Ryan Carnes of Lyerly. According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, 2022 saw the highest number of pedestrian deaths in Chattooga County in the past five years.  That year, four people lost their lives while walking along Chattooga County’s roadways.  Almost all of the pedestrian deaths recorded in the county over the past five years have happened in the nighttime or early morning hours.  The Georgia DOT says only 18% of the pedestrian fatalities in Georgia happen during daylight hours.

As the year ends, a New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show is set for this evening in Rome at 7:30 PM. Everyone is invited to enjoy over 800 fireworks lighting up the sky from Jackson Hill for a spectacular 15-minute display. The event, supported by Atrium Health Floyd, promises vibrant colors and stunning patterns, making it a memorable way to celebrate.  Georgia’s Rome is inviting everyone to kick off the New Year with fireworks this evening.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running for governor, is seeking help from the new U. S. administration to ease financial burdens on Georgia farmers facing increased wages for migrant agricultural workers. In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees, Carr emphasized the connection between farming health and national security.

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From the City of Summerville: The City of Summerville offices will close at noon on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, for the New Year’s Holiday. They will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. If you have an emergency, please call 911.

The Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office has released a preliminary report on a traffic accident that occurred on Sunday, around 6 PM, involving a 2007 Dodge Charger and a 2008 Kia Optima on Highway 27 in Summerville. The Dodge Charger was traveling south without its headlights on when it collided with the Kia, which was turning left onto Edmondson Street. The impact caused the Dodge to veer off the road and stop on the shoulder. Eyewitnesses confirmed the headlights were off during the accident, and the Trooper found the headlight dial set to off. Neither the driver nor passenger in the Dodge was wearing seat belts; the driver’s seat belt was buckled behind her, and the passenger’s belt was locked, but not on the passenger. The Dodge had been stopped the day before for a headlight issue, according to the investigating Trooper. The identities and conditions of those involved have not been released, and the accident is still under investigation.

Another traffic accident occurred at approximately 7:50 PM on Sunday evening at the intersection of Raccoon Creek Road and Georgia Highway 114, involving two vehicles—a 2020 Jeep Renegade and a 2014 Kia Optima. According to preliminary reports, the driver of the Jeep Renegade attempted to make a left turn from Raccoon Creek Road onto the eastbound lanes of Georgia Highway 114. The Jeep failed to yield to oncoming traffic. At that moment, the Kia Optima, was traveling westbound on Georgia Highway 114 when the two vehicles collided. The impact occurred when the Jeep struck the right rear of the Kia with its right front. Following the collision, the Kia Optima lost control and veered off the roadway to the right. While traveling along the shoulder, the Kia struck a standing tree with its right side before ultimately coming to a stop on the north shoulder of Georgia Highway 114, facing southwest. Meanwhile, the Jeep Renegade managed to come to a controlled stop on the south shoulder of Georgia Highway 114, facing northeast. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and both drivers were assessed for injuries. No names have been released at this time.  The accident is still under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Monday, December 30, 2024:

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The Georgia State Patrol worked two accidents with injuries on Sunday evening in Chattooga County.  There was an accident with entrapment on Highway 114 near Raccoon Creek Road and another accident where a vehicle was hit head-on near Maple Drive in Summerville.  WZQZ will have more information on both accidents when a report is released by the Georgia State Patrol Post in Rome.

Summerville Police were called to investigate a theft on Christmas Eve.  According to a report released late last week by the Summerville Police Department, Johnny Price, of a Northwest Congress Street address, reported that someone had stolen his green, Yamaha golf cart. Mr. Price told police that he returned home on Christmas Eve morning to find the golf cart missing, but reported that the vehicle had been at his house on the previous evening.  The incident was turned over to an investigator with the Summerville Police Department.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) received a grant of $2,778,558 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This partnership aims to enhance safety in Georgia, as stated by DPH Commissioner Kathleen E. Toomey.

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New Year’s Eve is approaching, bringing fireworks and celebrations. However, there are still thousands of firework-related injuries in America each year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here are some important points about Georgia’s fireworks laws.

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