Police blotter

Grovetown man convicted of molesting child

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A Columbia County jury convicted a Grovetown man Wednesday of 12 felonies for sexually assaulting a child.

After three days of testimony and deliberation, the jury found Arthur Clarence Williams Sr., 33, of Katherine Street, guilty of four counts of aggravated child molestation, four counts of child molestation, two counts of rape and two counts of incest.

A July 2008 indictment charged Williams with 12 counts of aggravated child molestation, four counts of child molestation, four counts of rape and four counts of incest.

Williams was accused of sexually assaulting a girl at four Grovetown addresses between April 2004 and April 2008. The girl was between 6 and 10 years old at the time.

A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, but Williams could receive life in prison without parole.

Man charged with kicking pregnant girlfriend

A Grovetown man was arrested, accused of kicking his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach and assaulting a police officer.

Juan Mejia Hernandez, 22, of the 200 block of Fifth Avenue, was charged June 13 with simple battery, battery on an unborn child, obstruction of a police officer and three counts of cruelty to children. He is being held in the Columbia County Detention Center without bond with a hold from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Grovetown Probation Department.

Police went to Hernandez's home about 5 p.m. June 12 in response to a domestic dispute. They were told he was throwing items into the road. An officer found Hernandez with blood on his face, hitting the windshield of a car.

Hernandez went into the house. When the officer reached the front porch, Hernandez went outside and threw beer bottles and stereo speakers at him.

Hernandez went back inside, the officer followed him and Hernandez ran out the back door. He was arrested the next day.

Hernandez's girlfriend told police he had come home intoxicated, became violent and damaged the house.

The girlfriend, who is more than three months pregnant, said he followed her outside and kicked her in the stomach.

Three witnesses told police they saw Hernandez kick her.

Appling man said he was robbed at gunpoint

An Appling man said he was robbed at gunpoint while at a friend's home.

The 22-year-old said he picked up a friend from his Appling home about 9 p.m. Monday to take him to a store when his friend needed to go back home to get his identification.

As his friend walked toward his home, two men wearing ski masks and red bandanas around their necks emerged from bushes, ran up to his car and pointed a gun at him.

The 22-year-old tried to drive away, but an attacker held up a bandana-covered gun, said he knew the 22-year-old had money and threatened to kill him if he didn't hand it over.

The gunman took $2,200, which the victim had received from the recent sale of his ATV. He went home and called the police.

He said that his friend knew he had recently sold the ATV and that he didn't see his friend after he went back inside.

Restaurant employee said customer stole tip jar

A Martinez restaurant reported Tuesday that someone had stolen the tip jar from the front counter.

An employee of Dino's Chicago Express, 500 Furys Ferry Road, said a man took the jar, containing $20, on Monday evening.

The employee discovered the theft the next day as she watched the video surveillance footage.