Police blotter
Man, 20, drowns while swimming
//
A 20-year-old Augusta man drowned at Thurmond Lake on Saturday evening.
Serrmaster Dozier, of Rosier Road, drowned about 7 p.m. while trying to swim to a sand bar at West Dam Recreation Area, said Columbia County Deputy Coroner Bonnie King.
Dozier was about 100 yards from shore when he apparently started cramping and went below the water, King said. Dozier was at the area with his fiancee and her family. An autopsy, which is routine for drownings, was scheduled to be performed Monday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Crime Lab in Atlanta, King said.
The following accounts were taken from reports from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Additional reports are available at www.columbiacountyso.org:
Police seek 2 men who robbed buffet
Police were looking for two men who robbed an Evans buffet restaurant at gunpoint.
The robbers entered the Grand China Buffet at 4368 Washington Road about 8:15 p.m. Thursday and asked to look at the buffet. The cashier said the men went to the restroom and returned to the counter, where one pointed a handgun at her and demanded money from the cash register. The other man pointed a handgun at customers and ordered them not to move.
The cashier said the man demanding money got impatient, went behind the counter and opened the register himself. The gunmen left on foot toward Pheasant Run subdivision with nearly $800.
Suspects sought in Walgreens theft
Police are looking for a man who stole money from a cash register at a Martinez Walgreens drugstore Thursday.
A cashier at the store at 3900 Washington Road found her register emptied of bills just after 9 p.m.. A review of the surveillance video tape showed a man, possibly working with others, taking cash from the register at the cosmetics counter while it was unattended.
The video showed the man approach the counter numerous times while the cashier was away and walk away when the cashier returned before he could open the register.
The man opened the cash drawer with what appeared to be a manager's master key, another employee told police. The man stuffed the bills into his pocket and went to the front counter, where he asked about phone cards and for directions before leaving.
He was seen talking to another man shortly before the theft and the pair left the store almost simultaneously.
The second employee told police the theft is consistent with other recent thefts from Columbia Walgreens stores.
Jewelry reported stolen from motel
A Washington woman called police Saturday after discovering that more than $6,000 in jewelry had been stolen from her motel room.
The 34-year-old was staying at the Ramada Inn at 4324 Frontage Road. She said between 7 a.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, someone stole two rings and a gold bracelet from her room.
Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue Activity Report for the week of May 11-17:
Wood/brush/grass fires, four; controlled/unauthorized burns, five; other fire, one; activated fire alarms, 13; medical incidents, 17; vehicle accidents, 20; electrical incidents, two; investigate various incidents, five; assist citizens, eight; mutual aid/public safety assistance, two; and other, one.