Police Blotter
Interstate 20 operation gets speed, drug suspects
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An effort by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office on Sunday to reduce speeding on Interstate 20 resulted in 76 citations and three arrests, sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.
Morris said deputies were posted on I-20 near the Grovetown exit for four hours Sunday morning and early afternoon.
"The objective is not to write a ticket, but to reduce the number of accidents and accident-related injuries," Morris said. "Sometimes, a ticket is the only tool for that."
Morris said that of the 76 citations, 46 were written for speeds 16 to 19 mph over the posted 70 mph speed limit; 16 for 20-24 mph over the limit; three for 25-29 mph over the limit; and two for speeding 30 or more mph over the limit.
Three people were arrested, one for having about five pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle, and two for driving on suspended licenses, Morris said.
More of the special speed control details are planned, Morris said.
Judge denies bond to two held in meth-lab case
A judge denied bond Monday to two of three people arrested Jan. 2 and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.
Superior Court Judge James G. Blanchard Jr. denied bond for Wayne Scott Fernandez, 43, and Cheree Renee Granade, 29.
Fernandez, of the 3100 block of Scenic Drive, Augusta, and Granade, of the 100 Block of Kaschwina Court, Grovetown, were arrested along with Jamie Cloud Brosious, 37. Fernandez and Granade were arrested after leaving Brosious' home in the 100 block of Pond View Drive, Evans, where investigators found a meth lab in the garage, police said.
Blanchard said he denied bond for Fernandez and Granade because he believed them to be threats to the community. Fernandez was to appear for trial in a Richmond County court Monday on a separate charge of manufacturing methamphetamine.
Granade is on probation for a 2004 conviction for felony possession of marijuana and faced a probation revocation hearing Tueday.
Brosious faces charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine in the presence of children, possession of meth and possession of a Schedule III drug. A judge granted a $50,000 bond to Brosious on Jan. 22, but she still has not posted bond and remained at the Columbia County Detention Center on Tuesday morning, according to jail personnel.
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office:
Motorist reports finding injured woman in road
An Appling man called police early Friday after finding an injured woman in the middle of the road.
He told police he was driving to work along Appling-Harlem Highway near Interstate 20 at about 3:30 a.m. Friday when he saw the woman, according to a sheriff's office incident report. After calling police, he moved her to the side of the road.
The woman told police that she had been riding with a truck driver she didn't know and that he had pulled over, made her get out and beat her.
The woman, who police say smelled of alcohol, had a cut on her forehead. She refused to give information other than her name and phone number to police. She was taken to Doctors Hospital, the report stated.
Equipment is found damaged at subdivision
A deputy found several pieces of large grading equipment damaged or moved at an Evans subdivision undergoing construction early Friday.
Deputy Randall Chambers said he was on patrol in High Meadows subdivision at about 3 a.m. when he discovered a road surface compactor on its side and a backhoe in a ditch with its engine running,. The equipment belonged to Robertson Grading Inc. in Evans.
A foreman from the company arrived and estimated that $3,000 in damage was done to the compactor. The foreman found no damage to the backhoe.
Martinez Fire Department activity for Jan. 21-27:
Structure fires, three; grass fire, one; vehicle fires, two; controlled burns, six; natural gas leak, one; fire alarms, 11; carbon monoxide alarm, one; medical calls, 21; rescue calls, two; investigations, five; and other one.