Davidson Road closed near Lower Roswell due to damaged electric pole; reported power outages

Davidson Road closed
Cobb Police photos

Cobb Police said around 1 p.m. that a portion of Davidson Road near Lower Roswell Road is closed, and could be for a while, after a semi truck knocked out a power pole.

The police alert said Georgia Power crews were on the scene to make repairs to the pole and electrical lines, which are located near the Goodwill store.

That’s on Davidson Road, right behind Parkaire Landing Shopping Center, and a number of businesses there and in the surrounding area are without power for now.Davidson Road closed

Police said the closure could last as long as eight hours, and traffic is being diverted through parking lots.

UPDATED, 3:33 P.M.: Cobb DOT says Davidson Road will be closed through the Tuesday afternoon rush hour. They’ve got the area of the road around the truck blocked off by cones and barricades.

This story will be updated.

 

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Cobb Civil Air Patrol cadets take to the sky at McCollum Airport

Cobb Civil Air Patrol

Thanks to Major Joshua Stultz, the Deputy Commander for Cadets of the Cobb County Composite Squadron Georgia Wing Group 1, for the photo and information about a cadet flight exercise Saturday at McCollum Airport, and the Cobb Civil Air Patrol’s open house there on March 21:

The cadet orientation flight program shares with cadets the thrill of flying. Every CAP cadet under age 18 is eligible for five flights in a powered aircraft (usually a single-engine Cessna), five flights in a glider aircraft. Pictured here is Cadet Airman Garrett Neal at the controls of one of CAP’s Cesena 182 aircraft.
The open house on March 21 goes from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at McCollum Airport (1901 McCollum Pkwy NW, Kennesaw):

Since Civil Air Patrol’s formation during the earliest days of World War II, this vigilant organization of citizen Airmen has been committed to service to America. Founded on Dec. 1, 1941, to mobilize the nation’s civilian aviation resources for national defense service, CAP has evolved into a premier public service organization that still carries out emergency service missions when needed — in the air and on the ground.

As a Total Force partner and Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol is there to search for and find the lost, provide comfort in times of disaster and work to keep the homeland safe. Its 60,000 members selflessly devote their time, energy and expertise toward the well-being of their communities, while also promoting aviation and related fields through aerospace/STEM education and helping shape future leaders through CAP’s cadet program.
Civil Air Patrol’s missions for America are many, and today’s adults and cadets perform their duties with the same vigilance as its founding members — preserving CAP’s 75-year legacy of service while maintaining its commitment to nearly 1,500 communities nationwide.

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Windy Hill Road motel sued in sex trafficking case by Cobb DA’s office

The Masters Inn, Windy Hill Road motel sued
Source: OpenStreetMap

Cobb District Attorney Vic Reynolds said Friday his office has filed a lawsuit to force a Windy Hill Road motel to address sex trafficking and drug activity on its premises or be subject to forfeiting its property.

A release by the DA’s office said the “public nuisance” measure was being applied to The Masters Inn, 2682 Windy Hill Road, located near the Windy Hill Hospital, the junction of Interstate 75 and SunTrust Park.

UPDATED, Wed., Jan. 9, 11:55 a.m.: The AJC is reporting the motel has closed temporarily for renovations, and that the owner has reached an agreement with the DA’s office to address the crime issues.

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES:

Authorities say the motel has been a haven for drug and sex trafficking and was the scene of a deadly shooting in 2015. In late 2017 Cobb Police arrested a man there on felony drug charges and discovered he had been holding a female against her well and using her for sex trafficking, according to the release.

The DA’s office said it was approached earlier last year by a lawyers’ group, Civil Lawyers Against World Sex Slavery, and along with Cobb Police compiled data on hotels in the county with high levels of arrests, especially for drugs, prostitution and trafficking.

RELATED STORY

According to the lawsuit, filed in Cobb Superior Court, The Masters Inn was known to police as “notorious hotbed of criminal activity that has been the subject of countless investigations.”

The release said The Masters Inn ownership must take the following steps:

  • contact and cooperate with police about suspected criminal activity;
  • require valid photo identification of all guests;
  • maintain complete guest rosters and a list of those previously arrested there;
  • require staff training to recognize and prevent human trafficking;
  • hire a licensed and armed security guard;
  • install outdoor lighting, video surveillance and fencing;
  • ban loitering.

According to the release, the first of several compliance hearings will be held before Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs on March 14.

The DA’s office said the suit is believed to be one of the first in Georgia aimed at curbing sex trafficking activity.

The announcement of the lawsuit comes at the end of a week of public events in the state about sex trafficking. Georgia is regarded as one of the busiest states in the nation for sex trafficking, and January is National Sex Trafficking Awareness Month.

Earlier this week, dozens of school buses formed a caravan to reflect the estimated 3,600 children authorities say are used for sex trafficking in Georgia.

Among those taking part were Attorney General Chris Carr and Governor-elect Brian Kemp. The faith-based group Street Grace also has been leading the charge.

The upcoming session of the Georgia General Assembly is expected to include sex trafficking legislation, and efforts are underway to crack down on sex trafficking ahead of the Super Bowl, which takes place in Atlanta in early February.

 

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Land acquisition for new Cobb Fire Station 12 site on commissioners’ agenda

Cobb Fire Station 12

The purchase of three parcels of land on Canton Road for a new Cobb Fire Station 12 is on the Cobb Board of Commissioners agenda next Tuesday.

The current station, located at 810 Brackett Road in the Shaw Park area, is 55 years old. It’s one of four stations in the Northeast Cobb area but the only one serving the Canton Road corridor.

On the agenda is a request to purchase property located at 3852, 3592, and 3686 Canton Road owned by Chastain, LLC, and to be assembled with a parcel at 3587 Centerview Drive, which also is on the agenda.

According to the agenda item, the total purchase price for the three Canton Road properties is $1.1 million. They are located on the east side of Canton Road, between Kensington Drive and Chastain Corners Road.

The purchase price for the Centerview Drive property, currently owned by the Cochran Family Trust, is $263,000.

The cost to construct a new facility is estimated to be $4.1 million.

Also on Tuesday’s meeting agenda is a request from Cobb DOT to condemn four parcels of land for the planned Windy Hill-Terrell Mill Connector. DOT says that while negotiations continue with property owners, condemnation is needed for right of way acquisition if talks fall through.

The four parcels are 1.4 acres at 1557 Terrell Mill Road (Forest Ridge at Terrell Mill Apartments), and 1,206 square feet each at three townhomes located at 1631 Turnberry Lane, 1617 Turnberry Lane and 1613 Turnberry Lane.

The land is located near the northern portion of the road project, close to its intersection with Terrell Mill Road.

It would be the second such condemnation of property in the path of the Connector, an 0.8-mile stretch. Commissioners voted in November to condemn portions of apartment complexes near Windy Hill Road.

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the second floor board room at the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta. The full meeting agenda can be found here.

 

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Top East Cobb stories for 2018: Johnson Ferry Road accidents claim two teenagers; 2014 murder conviction

Johnson Ferry Road accidents
An 18-year-old motorcyclist died in March after crashing into a landscaping truck on Johnson Ferry Road. (ECN file).

Two 18-year-olds from East Cobb were tragically killed in Johnson Ferry Road accidents in 2018.

Alexander Seidnitzer, who worked at Zeal Kitchen & Bar and was planning to attend culinary school, was heading southbound on Johnson Ferry near Bishop Lake Road on the morning of March 26 when he slammed into a landscaping truck that was pulling out of a subdivision.

After being rushed to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, Seidnitzer was pronounced dead. No charges were filed in the accident.

Friends, family and work colleagues held a celebration of life event in his memory at Zeal.

On the July 4 weekend, a recent graduate of Pope High School was traveling in a vehicle further up on Johnson Ferry when she rolled down a window and began yelling and screaming before falling out and hitting the road.

Alyssa Prindle, who was planning to attend Georgia Southern University, never left intensive care at Kennestone and died of her injuries on July 25.

The driver of the SUV, 17-year-old Abigail Cook, also of East Cobb, was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, DUI and other charges. In November, she was indicted by a Cobb grand jury.

Other major public safety stories for 2018 in East Cobb include the August conviction of a man for the murder of Jerry Moore, who was found stabbed to death in his home off Holly Springs Road in January 2014.

Johnathan Allen Wheeler worked at a Woodstock bakery that Moore financed and that was run by Ross Byrne, who was Moore’s roommate. Byrne was charged with homicide two weeks after Wheeler was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Former Pope volunteer wrestling coach Ron Gorman received long sentences for sexually abusing young athletes, both in East Cobb and in Pennsylvania, where he coached previously.

A former Kell High School teacher of the year is facing charges of sexually assaulting a student from 2016 and 2018.

Robert New, a former officer at Cobb Police Precinct 4 in East Cobb, was arrested for aggravated assault of a woman, solicitation of a minor girl, possession of computer pornography and other charges. He resigned shortly after that in June.

Crime

Traffic

Courts and trials

 

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Walton High School fire breaks out at construction site; no injuries or significant damage reported

Walton High School fire
Photo: Cobb Fire Department

A fire broke out Tuesday at the construction site at Walton High School, where a new gymnasium and fine arts building are being built.

James Kapish, public information officer for the Cobb Fire Department, said the call came in around 4:48 p.m., stating that there was a fire on the roof of the construction area, and that no students nor staff were on scene at the time.

https://twitter.com/SydneeRae4/status/1075147833408438272

Cobb Fire arrived around 5:55 p.m., according to Kapish, who added that there were no injuries. He said fire crews had the remaining workers safely evacuate.

The superintendent of the construction project said that a section of insulation caught fire, Kapish said, but the reason hasn’t been determined.

Firefighters kept the blaze from spreading and it was contained at 5:22 p.m., he said.

Kapish said the  fire was confined to the construction area, and that classes at Walton will operate as normal on Wednesday.

The $31.7 million construction project is taking place on the site of the former Walton classroom building. The new gym and fine arts/theater building, which totals around 151,000 square feet, is scheduled to open for the 2019-20 school year in August.

Cobb schools said preliminary information indicates that the damage from the fire is not significant.

This story will be updated.

More East Cobb school stories

 

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Breaking News: Cobb Police Precinct 4 receives bomb threat; all-clear issued

The Cobb Police Precinct 4 headquarters on Lower Roswell Road was among the county government entities that received a bomb threat today.

Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said that e-mail threats were sent to Precinct 4 and Precinct 1 in North Cobb, Cobb Police Headquarters, Cobb Superior Court and Cobb 911.

Cavitt said the threats were not deemed to be credible and those buildings were given the all-clear. While Cobb Superior Court was evacuated, Cobb Police Sgt. Wayne Delk said none of the police facilities receiving threats were.

“We did conduct thorough security checks and determined the threat to be unfounded,” he said.

Precinct 4 is located at the East Cobb Government Service Center, which also houses Cobb Fire Station 21 and a tag office.

A number of e-mailed bomb threats were sent elsewhere in metro on Thursday, including schools and businesses, as well as around the country.

Several lockdowns took place at schools in the Dunwoody area, and another bomb threat was made at Columbine High School near Denver. That’s where a 1999 mass shooting killed 13 students and teachers.

The threats at Columbine and other schools in the Denver area were also not deemed to be credible and lockdowns there were lifted.

Some of the e-mail threats demanded payment in Bitcoin, but it’s not clear now if the messages sent to Cobb agencies were that specific.

Also getting threats across the country were universities, media organizations and even the opera house in Boston.

Cavitt said the Cobb threats have been turned over to the FBI for investigation.

We’ll be updating this story as new information becomes available.

 

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Canadian man who tried to lure Cobb teenage girl into sex gets 16 years

A Canadian man who had flown to Atlanta to have sex with a Cobb teenage girl last year has been sentenced by a federal judge.Cobb teenage girl, Kell High School teacher indicted

Yves Joseph Legault, 54, from Toronto, will serve 16 years in prison for a variety of sexual exploitation charges that include his attempt to meet a 13-year-old Cobb County girl last year. He also will be on supervised release for life and will be deported to Canada upon his release from prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta.

Legault pleaded guilty in September to several charges, including coercing and enticing the production of child sexual exploitation images over the Internet. Federal prosecutors said he preyed on victims in Georgia and Mississippi at the same time.

He was arrested last August at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after getting off a plane for what federal prosecutors was a trip to have sex with the Marietta girl, whom he met via Omegle, an anonymous online text and video chat tool.

During Legault’s trial, prosecutors said Legault and the girl moved their chats to Google Hangouts, where he asked her to perform sex acts for him on a live video stream. Later, he arranged to travel to Georgia to meet her for in-person sex acts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the girl’s mother alerted the FBI after her daughter received a package from Canada, and after intercepting messages between Legault and the girl.

While Legault was facing charges in Georgia, prosecutors also said he had engaged in similar behavior with an eight-year-old girl in Pascagoula, Miss. He was charged there with one count of coercing and enticing the production of child pornography, and also pleaded guilty to that charge in federal court in Atlanta.

“Predators like Legault are always lurking on line, and a threat to our children. Hopefully his sentencing will serve as a warning to all parents to monitor what their children are doing on the internet and on their cell phones,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a statement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said both the Georgia and Mississippi cases are part of the U.S. Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.

 

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Deadly crash, chain reaction shuts down I-75 near Loop exits for hours

One person was killed after a collision on I-75 between North and South Marietta Parkway early Wednesday morning that triggered a chain reaction and shut down traffic for more than five hours in that area.Marietta Police

Marietta Police have not identified the victim, a 54-year-old male who lived in metro Atlanta, because they are still notifying his family.

Police said he was riding in a silver 2010 Chevy Silverado truck traveling southbound on I-75 between the Loop exits around 1:30 a.m. when it collided with a black 2008 Infinity G37.

The truck hit a guardrail, then spun back into the interstate and struck two tractor-trailers, according to police, who said the victim was ejected from the truck, which caught on fire.

No one else was transported by ambulance, according to police, who said all southbound lanes of I-75 were closed until around 7 a.m., to clean up liquids from the vehicles involved in the accident.

Marietta Police said anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Ofc. St. Onge at 770-794-5352.

 

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Murdock Elementary lockdown extends voting time

 

A brief lockdown at Murdock Elementary School has resulted in extended voting time at the polling station located there in today’s runoff elections.cobb advance voting, Cobb voter registration deadline, Walton and Dickerson PTSA candidates forum

The extra time is only brief—11 minutes, to match the period of a Code Yellow lockdown, according to Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt.

He said Cobb County Senior Judge George Kreeger signed an order to keep the precinct open there longer this afternoon.

So if you vote at Murdock (2320 Murdock Road), that precinct will now close at 7:11 p.m. instead of the usual 7 p.m.

We’re seeking further information about the Murdock lockdown from the Cobb County School District.

It was the second such lockdown in Cobb schools today, and that also affected voting times.

Earlier this morning, Teasley Elementary School in Vinings was locked down for around 20 minutes after reports of a man with a gun in the vicinity of the school.

Those reports turned out to be false, but the polling station at Teasley will stay open until 7:20, also after Kreeger issued an order, according to Cavitt.

 

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Former East Cobb wrestling coach pleads guilty to child molestation

Ron Gorman, who served as a volunteer coach with the Pope wrestling teams, pleaded guilty in Cobb Superior Court on Tuesday to two counts of child molestation.Ron Gorman, former East Cobb wrestling coach

Gorman, 53, was given a 25-year sentence by Judge Gregory Poole, with 20 to serve without parole, according to the Cobb District Attorney’s Office.

Gorman was to have gone on trial after being charged with abusing a 14-year-old boy in Cobb County in 2010, according to prosecutors, who said the victim disclosed the abuse last year to authorities in Monroe County, Pa.

That’s where Gorman had been sentenced to 20-40 years in February for sexually assaulting boys there, including the boy prosecutors said was also victimized in Cobb.

According to the Cobb DA’s office, Gorman was extradited to Cobb to face the charges here and will be returned to Pennsylvania, where he will serve his sentences concurrently.

“This is a prime example of how child predators can work their way into positions of trust and authority, and then turn that trust into a weapon against children,” said Chuck Boring, Cobb deputy chief assistant district attorney and head of the Cobb DA’s special victims unit.

Gorman moved to Cobb in 2009 and was a volunteer with Pope Junior Wrestling, which feeds into the highly successful Pope High School program, where he also was a parent volunteer. He also was a coach at Life College in Marietta.

Gorman was arrested at his East Cobb home in March 2017 and eventually was charged by Pennsylvania authorities with a total of 513 counts, including child rape and statutory sexual assault.

His accusers in Pennsylvania claimed Gorman subjected them to frequent and continuous assaults, sometimes on a weekly basis, for several years, including in Georgia.

News reports last March and earlier this year quoted a Cobb woman who became concerned about Gorman in 2011. That’s when she saw a crude, sexually themed Facebook message sent by him to her son, then 12, and a member of the Pope junior wrestling program.

She said she was told by then-Pope principal Rick Beaulieu not to go to law enforcement. Gorman was suspended from any involvement with Pope wrestling for a year, but it was six years later that he was charged.

Boring said in court Tuesday that there are no other charges that Gorman is facing in Cobb. In Pennsylvania, prosecutors heard allegations that Gorman abused minors dating back to the 1980s, but the statue of limitations had run out.

“Hopefully this conclusion gives his victims some sort of closure and justice, whether they have reported his abuse or not,” Boring said.

 

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Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect sought after Halloween heist

Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect

Police need the public’s help locating a Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect who got away after a holdup on Halloween.

UPDATED, Nov. 20, 2:20 P.M.: Police say the suspect apparently shot himself this morning as they attempted to serve him with a search warrant.

On Friday Marietta Police released surveillance photos of the man they say held up the SunTrust Bank branch at 1840 Sandy Plains Road.

The robbery took place at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, according to police, who said the man handed a teller a note demanding cash and saying he had a gun.

He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The suspect is described as a slender white male, between six feet and 6-foot-5, with police adding that he bears “unique physical features including birthmarks and his distinct chin structure.”

Police also said the circumstances of this robbery resemble a similar bank robbery at a Wells Fargo Bank at 2687 Sandy Plains Road on June 22.

Anyone with information about the Oct. 31 robbery is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS or Marietta Detective Greene at 770-794-2365.

Call Cobb Police at 770-499-3945 with information about the June robbery.

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Cobb school bus camera program extended for five years

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement to continue a joint school bus camera program with county courts and public schools for another five years.

The automated enforcement system issues citations to motorists who ignore school bus “stop arm” signs. The cameras, equipped on about 100 of nearly 1,000 buses in the Cobb County School District, take photos of the license plates of violating vehicles.

The agreement (agenda item here, formal agreement doc here) includes the Cobb County State Court Clerk, the camera manufacturer American Traffic Solutions and the Cobb Board of Education, which also must approve the agreement.ATS school bus camera, Cobb school bus camera program

The commissioners’ action comes after the original agreement was extended by a year.

Cobb State Court judges had not been enforcing the violations for a time earlier this year, questioning their legality. Enforcement resumed in February, but the county said the burden of handling stop arm violations required additional staffing.

In September, commissioners approved the creation of three positions in Cobb State Court and two more in the Cobb Solicitors office to start with the fiscal year 2019 that began in October.

County officials estimate more than 8,000 such cases are generated annually. Each violation comes with a fine of $300.

The fine money, which exceeded $2 million in 2017, is split evenly between the county, Cobb schools and ATS, which provides the cameras at no charge.

 

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Man ejected from truck after Northeast Cobb car crash Monday

Cobb Police said a motorist was thrown from a pickup truck Monday morning in a collision with another vehicle at Canton Road and Piedmont Road.Northeast Cobb car crash

Officer Sarah O’Hara, a spokeswoman for Cobb Police, said Patrick Bruce, 38, of Marietta, was driving a maroon 1998 Ford F-150 north on Canton Road when the truck left the road.

The truck struck a utility pole and a stone wall before returning to Canton Road, then hit a black 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS, also heading north, according to police.

O’Hara said the Chevrolet driver was able to bring her vehicle to a stop at Canton and Old Piedmont Road, while Bruce was ejected during the collision.

O’Hara said Bruce was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Chevrolet, Donna Kelley, 53, of Marietta, was not injured, police said.

O’Hara said the crash is still being investigated and that police expect to file charges. Anyone with information is asked to Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.

 

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East Cobb This Week: Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration; gerrymandering discussion; Cookies With a Cop and more

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service

It’s the week before Thanksgiving, and holiday-themed events are popping up on our East Cobb events calendar, including the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration. on Thursday.

It’s the 14th annual service starting at at 7 p.m. at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road), and this year’s theme is “Harmonizing the Voice of Humanity.” Representatives of Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other metro area faith communities will participate in readings, music and fellowship.

Given the recent Pittsburgh synagogue shootings, the theme is especially appropriate.

The public is invited to stay for dessert and is asked to bring canned food donations for Must Ministries and an offering for Give-a-Gobble. Overflow parking is at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3155 Trickum Road.

The elections are over, but the League of Women Voters of Marietta-Cobb is delving into lingering political matters with a discussion Monday night about gerrymandering. It starts at 7 p.m. at WellStar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road), and the guest speaker is Elizabeth McNamara, the former president of the League of Women Voters of the U.S.

Cobb Police are continuing their community outreach events with citizens on Tuesday. Cookies With a Cop goes from 6-8 p.m. at the Great American Cookies/Marble Slab Creamery in Providence Square Shopping Center (4101 Roswell Road). Bring your questions about crime and public safety for Precinct 4 community officers to answer in an informal setting.

Check our full calendar listings for more, including a number of public library book club and other events going on during this week, and beyond.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item you’d like to share with the community? Send it to us, and we’ll spread the word! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and you can include a photo or flyer if you like.

Whatever you’re doing this week, make it a great one! Enjoy!

 

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Man indicted for East Cobb mother’s murder in August

Back in August, Xi-Anna Graham, an East Cobb mother of four children, was found strangled to death at her home in the Merritt Road area. A man who lived there with them was arrested for her murder and last week he was indicted by a Cobb Grand Jury.

Christopher Gene Scarboro, 27, faces charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children in the third degree. He was arrested for the killing of Xi-anna Graham after what Marietta Police said was on ongoing domestic dispute.

Graham, who was 24, had four children living with her and Scarboro at the home at 697 Bonnie Dell Drive. According to police, at least one of the children was home when Scarboro allegedly choked Graham around the neck with his bare hands, and then threw her onto the ground.

Police said they found Graham’s lifeless body when they made a welfare check early on the morning of Aug. 24.

Scarboro has been held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center since his arrest the same day.

 

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Police seeking help in finding East Cobb motel sexual assault suspect

East Cobb motel sexual assault, Cobb Police

Cobb Police Tuesday released surveillance photos of a man they say is an East Cobb motel sexual assault in an attack that took place nearly a month ago.

The man is accused of attacking a victim on Oct. 7 at the Intown Suites located at 2030 Roswell Road, and police are asking for the public’s help in identifying him.

According to police, the victim and suspect were in contact through a mobile phone application.

Police said just a few minutes after that, the suspect arrived at the victim’s location at the motel. The victim was then allegedly overpowered and sexually assaulted, police said.

Police said the suspect is a black male between 26 and 30 years old. He has a medium to dark complexion and is around 5-foot-10 to six feet in height, weighing between 200-230 pounds.

Police said the suspect was wearing the clothing shown in the photo above, and that he had a full beard short in length. 

Anyone with information regarding asked to call the Cobb Police Crimes Against Persons unit at 770-499-3945

 

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Cobb robbery suspect escapes from WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Law enforcement agencies in the county are getting out word that a Cobb robbery suspect who was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital for medical observation has escaped.Jules Jackson, Cobb robbery suspect escapes

The man has been identified as Jules Jackson, 19, and the photo to the right was also released by Cobb Police and other agencies.

Police said Jackson slipped out of handcuffs and escaped out of a window at the hospital overnight on Friday morning. He was taken to Kennestone as a precaution after swallowing “a potentially dangerous amount” of narcotics before his arrest.

Police said “a large contingent” of officers from Cobb, Marietta and Powder Springs searched the area near the hospital, which was on a temporary lockdown but has since resumed regular operations.

Police also said there were no reported injuries and there is “no immediate cause for concern for the general public.”

Police said that on Thursday, Jackson and David Roberts, 26, were arrested for an armed robbery on Leland Drive, in an apartment complex off Windy Hill Road and near I-75.

Anyone with information about Jackson’s whereabout is asked to call 911 immediately.

 

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Cobb Police active shooter training scheduled for SunTrust Park

If you’re in the vicinity of SunTrust Park during early November and see a lot of law enforcement presence, there’s a reason for that. There will be Cobb Police active shooter training going on, and they’re sending out word about what you’ll notice: Cobb Police active shooter training

Beginning November 1, 2018 the Cobb County Police Department will be conducting large scale training at SunTrust Park. This training will result in a large number of emergency vehicles and personnel in and around the Park. The training will be conducted November 1 and 2, 2018, and it will continue on November 5 through November 9. Passersby and residents may notice an increased police, fire, and emergency medical services presence in the afternoon hours and late into the evening

We are excited about our partnership with the Atlanta Braves and the opportunity to train in a real-world environment to better prepare our officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel to more effectively respond to and handle all emergencies in Cobb County.

 

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Police to hold East Cobb crime forum in wake of burglaries in Asian, Indian communities

Police are sending out word that there’s going to be an East Cobb crime forum Thursday night to address a rash of burglaries affecting citizens of Asian and Indian descent.Cobb Police, Holly Springs Road suspicious person, East Cobb crime forum

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the East Cobb Senior Center (3322 Sandy Plains Road).

Here’s more from Lt. Nathan McCreary, head of the Cobb Police Precinct 4 Criminal Investigations Unit:

The forum will focus on the increase in burglaries targeting the Asian and Indian community in East Cobb County. All citizens are invited to attend and encouraged to participate. The presentation will include crime stats and methods for all citizens to use to decrease the potential of becoming a victim.

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Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!