Police blotter
Grovetown man sent to prison for murder plot
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Joseph Anthony Capozzi, 50, of George Street in Grovetown, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder at a Columbia County sentencing hearing. Superior Court Judge Duncan Wheale sentenced Capozzi to five years in prison, followed by 15 years' probation.
Police say Capozzi tried to hire someone to kill Grovetown Department of Public Safety Capt. Gary Owens and another officer, then changed his mind and asked the would-be killer to target Owens and Mayor Dennis Trudeau.
Motorist is indicted in two-fatality wreck
A motorist who authorities said is responsible for a two-fatality wreck in Columbia County in May pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of felony vehicular homicide and driving under the influence.
Christopher Brandon Newman, 25, pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing to two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide and one count each of serious injury by vehicle, driving under the influence, driving with excessive blood alcohol concentration, reckless driving and an open container violation.
Newman, of the 6100 block of Harlem-Grovetown Road in Harlem, was driving on Harlem-Grovetown Road near Young Drive at about 3 a.m. May 13 when his Dodge pickup left the road and hit a pine tree.
Killed in the wreck were Mallory Jason, 19, of Martinez, and Newman's brother, Cameron Newman, 23. Sara Boykin, another passenger, was injured.
Evans businessman is charged in fraud scheme
An Evans man faces felony racketeering charges in an investment scheme that netted $275,000, police say.
A Columbia County grand jury indicted Harry Chadwick "Chad" Hill, 46, for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, theft by conversion and two counts of theft by deception, according to court documents released Thursday.
Hill is accused of using his home improvement and repair business, known as Realty Ready Inc., Realty Ready of Augusta Inc., and Fieldstar Corp., to bilk potential investors, customers and suppliers, according to the indictment.
Hill, of the 600 block of Tara Lane, is being held in the Columbia County Detention Center without bond.
Man charged in business theft
Authorities accused Richard Alan Rogers, of Peregrine Place in Martinez, of stealing about $100,000 over three years from a heavy equipment business he managed.
A Columbia County grand jury indicted Rogers for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and theft by taking, according to court documents released Thursday.
A co-owner of Martinez-based Construction Equipment Outlet LLC told deputies that Rogers, as the manager, defrauded or tried to steal proceeds from equipment sales and rentals.
The thefts, which occurred between 2003 and April 2007, totaled more than $115,000, according to the indictment.
The following account was taken from a report filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office:
Augustan is accused of passing counterfeit $20
An Augusta man was arrested Saturday, charged with using a bogus $20 bill at a Martinez restaurant.
Rayford Denorris Moss, 29, of Heathers Way, was charged with forgery and was being held in Columbia County Detention Center Monday on a $5,100 bond, according to jail personnel.
The manager of Burger King at 433 S. Belair Road called police about 9:30 p.m. after Moss used it to pay for two sandwiches. Moss told police he had gotten the bill from an ATM at a bank on Peach Orchard Road. After a deputy pointed out the bill's faults, Moss said his brother had given him the bill.