Residents are waking up to fog this morning, which is expected to last until after 9 AM as per the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia. However, the week starts with the promise of sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Today we will see sunny skies with a high of 72 degrees and calm winds shifting southerly by 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, we have a 30 percent chance of showers after 1 AM, with temperatures dropping to around 54 degrees and southeast winds continuing gently. Tuesday is forecasted to have showers throughout the day with a high of 66 degrees and gusty south winds up to 15 mph, along with a 90 percent chance of precipitation. Tuesday evening there is a chance of thunderstorms before 10 PM, followed by showers with temperatures near 58 degrees. Wednesday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high near 68 degrees, followed by clear skies and temperatures around 37 degrees at night. Colder weather is expected as we head towards the weekend with highs only in the 50’s and lows overnight getting near freezing.

A shooting incident at the West Rome Walmart on Friday night has left one woman injured and a suspect in custody. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene just before 10:00 PM after reports of a firearm being discharged outside the retail store. Preliminary investigations reveal that the altercation stemmed from a domestic dispute among individuals outside the Walmart. During the confrontation, one female was struck by a bullet, prompting immediate action from law enforcement and medical personnel. The alleged shooter, identified as 31-year-old David Davis of Rome, attempted to flee the scene, narrowly missing a witness in the process. However, officers quickly apprehended him before he could escape further. The victim was promptly transported to a local hospital and is currently reported to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have charged Davis with multiple offenses, including three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, reckless conduct, discharge of a firearm on the property of another, reckless driving, and hit and run. Investigators believe this incident to be isolated, involving individuals known to each other. Law enforcement  is urging anyone with further information regarding the incident who has not already been contacted, to call 911.

After the report of a call over the weekend, Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader is warning members of the community about a scam where a caller claims to be from a local funeral home and asks for payment using a debit or credit card.  The sheriff said,  “It takes a special kind of lowlife thief to prey on someone at all, much less when they’ve lost a loved one. If you are going through the death of a loved one and receive a call claiming to be the funeral home, DO NOT pay them over the phone with a debit or credit card”.  Sheriff Schrader went on to say that all of the local funeral home directors and owners in Chattooga County would rather see families in person to help them through their time of need and will NOT call and ask you to pay over the phone with a credit card.  Sheriff Schrader adds that if you get a call asking you to pay for funeral expenses, go to the local funeral home and speak with someone there.

Three people were arrested on drug charges during a traffic stop last Thursday on Riverside Parkway in Rome; two of those arrested were from Chattooga County.

According to Floyd County Jail records, thirty-four-year-old Summer Dae Hamilton of Rome, thirty-three-year-old Amber Dawn Bryant of Summerville, and sixty-eight-year-old William Mose Walker Sr. of Lyerly were found with methamphetamine and a small amount of marijuana. They are charged with possession of meth and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

After transport to the jail, a bag containing meth and marijuana was found tucked in the back seat of the patrol vehicle where Bryant had been sitting. She was additionally charged with possession of drugs past the guard line at the jail.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriffs Office for Sunday, November 17, 2024:

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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.

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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.

A thirty-six-year-old Armuchee man was arrested last week after Floyd County Police say he used the debit card belonging to a used car dealer to make multiple purchases.  Cody Franklin McCollum was arrested on sixteen counts of financial transaction card fraud.  They say that McCollum used the card to obtain money, goods, and services by conducting fifteen transactions between August 7 and September 24.The transactions totaled $938.50. He also used the card to make a cash app transaction in the amount of $123.60.