More than 70 officers and staff from the Cobb Police Department’s Precinct 4 turned out Thursday night for the 5th annual East Cobb Public Safety Appreciation Dinner at the Olde Towne Athletic Club.
The event, sponsored by the East Cobb Business Association, featured a Western and casino theme, with line dancing and music, and tables with poker, blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em and more.
Officers and staff received awards and gifts, including dinners and raffle prizes, and were invited to bring their spouses or significant others for a relaxing night away from the demands of their work.
While they were enjoying the evening, members of the Cobb Police Department’s Community Traffic Services Unit were holding down the Precinct 4 fort on Lower Roswell Road, and were served dinner courtesy of Sam’s BBQ-1 in East Cobb.
Maj. Jerry Quan, the Precinct 4 commander, said the appreciation dinner is eagerly anticipated by his officers. He also said the gesture by the ECBA and other groups and individuals who put on the dinner helps bolster strong community bonds with local police.
The ECBA is also organizing a similar dinner for all Cobb Fire and Emergency Services personnel next spring. For information, contact Susan Hampton: susan.hampton@lionbank.com or Kim Paris: kim.paris@wellstar.org.
Precinct 4 Commander Maj. Jerry Quan, left and field training officer Robbie New enjoying a meal and conversation.Det. Paul Barnhill (center, with glasses), getting his East Cobb Officer of the Year award from Cobb Police Chief Mike Register.Field training officer Tommy Burns, the East Cobb morning watch officer of the year, getting his sketch done.
In the wake of the Las Vegas shootings, the Cobb Police Department has announced it will be holding active shooter training classes for the public this month, in each of its five precincts.
The training session for East Cobb’s Precinct 4 is Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, 2663 Johnson Ferry Road. The event is free and is open to the public.
Various Cobb public safety organizations held an event on Monday, and that was organized by Marietta first responders and Marietta City Schools, to remember the Las Vegas shooting victims and to instruct citizens how to respond to a mass shooting.
If you can’t attend the Precinct 4 event, the other sessions being held around the county are as follows:
Precinct 1
Thursday, October 26th at Precinct 1, 7:00 PM, please RSVP for Precinct 1’s Active Shooting Response Training, contact 770-499-4181 or 770-499-3967
Cobb County Police Precinct 1
2380 Cobb PKWY
Kennesaw, GA 30152
Precinct 2
Tuesday, October 24th at South Cobb High School Theater, 7:00 PM
South Cobb High School Theater
1920 Clay Rd SW
Austell, GA 30106
Precinct 3
Monday, October 23rd at Precinct 3, 7:00 PM
Cobb County Police Precinct 3
1901 Cumberland PKWY SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
Precinct 5
Wednesday, October 25th, at Harrison High School, 7:00 PM
Harrison High School
4500 Due West Rd NW
Kennesaw, GA 30152
A Roswell Road graffiti suspect wanted for damaging several East Marietta businesses has been charged with 15 felonies by Marietta Police. (Photos courtesy Marietta Police)
A Roswell Road graffiti suspect police say vandalized several East Marietta businesses and public properties has been charged with 15 felonies.
According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records, William Carswell, age 17 or 18, of Fawn Place in East Cobb, was arrested and booked into at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on Oct. 5. He was released Oct. 8 on a $15,000 bond.
Of the felony charges against Carswell, 14 are for interference with government property and another for second degree criminal property damage, as well as a single misdemeanor count of criminal trespass.
Marietta Police allege the suspect carved the window of the Beats Barber Shop at 1476 Roswell Road on Sept. 19 with the lettering “WUSHU” and later spray-painted an ice machine the same way at a business at 1462 Roswell Road, in the East Marietta Shopping Center.
Police said as their investigation continued, and they strung together video evidence, “footage from several locations showed a young male tagging several locations in the Cobb County area.”
Those locations included bridges in the area, according to police.
Police said Carswell has a previous arrest history with similar charges of interference with government property, criminal trespass and criminal property damage.
Marietta Police said it has contacted other nearby law enforcement agencies about possible vandalism incidents that may be connected to Carswell as it continues its investigation.
“Graffiti may not seem to rank up there with violent crime, yet in terms of Community Policing, graffiti is exactly the kind of environmental crime that causes neighborhoods and business areas to deteriorate,” Marietta Police said in a statement. “If the police can reverse the environmental conditions that cause more serious social conditions and crime, we can prevent crime and promote public safety.”
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Marietta Police said Tuesday they apprehended a suspect wanted for a shoplifting incident in Cherokee County and who dragged a police officer there outside a retail store.
Amy Ridge, of Marietta, was arrested Wednesday afternoon near Barnes Mill Road and Merritt Road, according to Marietta Police.
Woodstock Police said Ridge has been charged with aggravated assault on an officer, shoplifting, fleeing and attempting to elude and other charges, and is in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.
Police said they received a call Wednesday afternoon of a shoplifting at a Kohl’s store in Woodstock. According to police, the suspect was in her car when an officer approached. He was hit by a car door as she fled and was treated on the scene for minor injuries, according to police.
Josh Taylor of Cobb EMS and Steve Hammond of the Cobb Police Department. Photo submitted by Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
Several Cobb public safety personnel were recognized Monday by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce at its annual Public Safety Appreciation breakfast.
Public safety staffers from Cobb EMS, sheriff’s and police, in addition to those from various city public safety agencies, were honored.
Two winners of the chamber’s Award of Merit are Josh Taylor of the Cobb Emergency and Medical Services Department and Steve Hammond of the Cobb Police Department. This award goes to recipients who, through their “acts of courage, demonstrat[e] genuine care and concern for the citizens of the community and go above and beyond the call of duty, often resulting in a life being saved. Taylor and Hammond formed a Tactical First Aid Department in 2012 to improve medical care for wounded individuals at crime and accident scenes. Here’s the Chamber’s description of how this program has evolved:
“The Tactical First Aid Program provided the department with the training and equipment needed to treat extremity wounds, penetrating chest trauma and airway obstructions. In 2013, Capt. Taylor began conducting training sessions to prepare the department for usage. Today, the program is fully operational and all Cobb County Police Officers receive this lifesaving training, are receiving CPR and basic medical training and are using these radical practices to save lives daily.
“Since the program’s inception, there has been a 74 percent survival rate when officers utilize the training and equipment provided by Capt. Taylor and Det. Hammond. Today, 23 citizens are alive because of the foresight, dedication and teamwork of Capt. Taylor and Det. Hammond to develop such a lifesaving, essential program.”
Mark Blesener of Cobb EMS was given the Medal of Valor, which goes to an individual for an act of bravery in a life-threatening situation. Here’s the story behind that:
Mark Blesener, Cobb EMS. Photo submitted by Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
“For the past 10 years of his life, firefighter Mark Blesener has committed himself to serving the Cobb community and keeping it safe. All 10 of those years have been served with the Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services. Blesener is known for his professionalism and fearlessness. On September 18, 2016 Blesener responded to an emergency response call of a hypothermic woman on the Chattooga River in Rabun County. When Blesener, along with others from the unit, arrived at the scene by helicopter, he was lowered to the rock where the affected woman was, assisted her into the rescue basket and quickly wrapped her in warm layers. Once safely in the helicopter, the woman was given medical attention.
“Blesener is commended for his bravery and bold response to this dangerous and daring rescue. Because of his quick thinking and fearlessness, that woman’s life was saved that day and she has made a full recovery.”
As part of Public Safety Appreciation Month in Cobb County, the East Cobb Business Association is holding a dinner for Cobb Police Precinct 4 staff this month. Fundraising is continuing, and if you’re interested in helping out, here’s a previous East Cobb Newspost explaining their efforts.
Marietta Police said Friday afternoon they have charged a man wanted in an East Marietta adult store robbery last month, and are searching for another suspect.
Willie Demetrics Shaw, 25, of Acworth, was being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, police said. He’s been charged with two counts of felony armed robbery for the Aug. 24 hold-up of the Elations adult entertainment store, located at 1424 Roswell Road.
Marietta Police said Shaw was taken into custody Tuesday in Austell, and was apprehended with assistance from the Cobb Anti-Gang Enforcement unit. Police also said they obtained video surveillance photos from surrounding businesses during the investigation.
The second suspect, who was not identified, was outside of Elations when the robbery took place, police said. Anyone with information is asking to contact Marietta Police Det. Sheffield at 770-794-5345.
The Cobb Police Department, Safe Kids Cobb County and WellStar are joining forces Saturday to encourage Cobb citizens to round up unwanted, unused and expired medications and drop them off at selected locations in the county this Saturday. It’s the Cobb medication take back day, which began in 2015.
Saturday’s event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the WellStar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road) is one of those collection locations.
More from Cobb government:
“Do your part to prevent accidental poisoning, overdoses and improper use of medications by simply taking your medications to one of these three drop-off locations. Your efforts will ultimately save lives by removing expired and unused prescription medications from your medicine cabinet. No questions will be asked and no forms or ID required. Sharps, liquids and pills are accepted. Since these events started in 2015, a little more than two tons of medication has been collected. WellStar Clinical Partners will also offer flu shots at the Acworth and East Cobb Health Park locations (not available at the Cobb Senior Services location). Cobb County Police Department and Safe Kids Cobb County team up with WellStar to offer this event in our community. For more information these events, call 770-793-7373.”
A few more details about the flu shots: They’re for adults and children ages 13 and older, and there is a $24 out-of-pocket cost if you’re not using your medical provider. Contact WellStar Clinical Partners at 470-644-0889 or email: wellstarclinicalpart@wellstar.org.
Two Cobb County men arrested last spring in a Northeast Cobb drug trafficking case that also included major weapons charges have been sentenced to prison.
Kyle Nixon, 26, was given an eight-year sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. Eric Gamez, 27, was sentenced to nine years and five months, with five years of supervised release.
The sentences were announced Monday by the Cobb District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta.
Nixon and Gamez were arrested April 6, 2016 following a joint investigation by the Marietta/Cobb/Smyrna Organized Crime Unit and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
A search warrant was executed at Nixon’s residence on Sanford Drive in Northeast Cobb, where authorities found 400 grams of cocaine and more 300 grams of heroin, which authorities believe they intended to sell.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than $13,000 in cash and 19 firearms, including an AK-47 rifle, also were discovered at the home.
The men tried to flee the residence, but were taken into custody at the scene, according to police. Nixon pleaded guilty in April 2017 and was sentenced in July. Gamez pleaded guilty in February and his sentence was handed down Sept. 14, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“These defendants were distributing cocaine and heroin while protecting their drug business with an arsenal of firearms,” Atlanta U. S. Attorney John Horn said in a statement. “Their actions disregarded the safety of our community, but swift action by law enforcement kept them from causing further harm.”
The man wanted for an East Cobb bank robbery last week has been arrested, with assistance from a tip via the Greater Atlanta Crime Stoppers tip line.
Cobb Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said Eduardo Estrada, 35, of East Point, has been charged with robbery by intimidation in connection with a holdup at the Fifth Third Bank branch at 2100 Roswell Road last Thursday.
Estrada was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center late Wednesday and remains in custody on a $7,500 bond, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records.
At around 10 a.m. last Thursday, Cobb Police said a man walked up to a teller at the bank branch, located in a Kroger store at the Pavilions at East Lake Shopping Center and demanded money. According to police, he did not reveal a weapon but left on foot with cash, possibly heading toward Wheeler High School.
Wheeler and East Cobb Middle School were on a brief lockdown as the suspect was being pursued.
Pierce said the tipster could be eligible for a $2,000 reward for assistance in the robbery investigation. Crime Stoppers can be contacted with tips at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or by texting CSA + your tip to CRIMES (274637). Tipsters remain anonymous.
The two victims of an East Cobb fatal accident on Lower Roswell Road this week were remembered by friends at the scene. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
Cobb Police said the two male victims in an East Cobb fatal accident earlier this week were from Florida.
Joseph C. Gerace, 21, of Tampa, and Matthew L. Silvester, 24, of St. Augustine, were positively identified Thursday via dental records in Florida, Cobb Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said.
Police said Gerace was the driver and Silvester was the passenger in a white Dodge Challenger that crashed off Lower Roswell Road at the entrance to the Gold Branch Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
The car lost control as it traveled north on Lower Roswell near Asheforde Drive, then slammed into a stone sign at the park entrance and caught fire, according to police. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police cited wet roads and the vehicle traveling faster than the posted 40 mph speed limit as factors. Pierce said the accident investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.
Two people were killed in a one-car accident off Lower Roswell Road in East Cobb early Tuesday morning, according to Cobb Police.
The victims, both males, died when the white Dodge Challenger in which they were riding slammed into a stone wall at the entrance to the Gold Branch Trail of of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area shortly after midnight and caught fire.
Police said the men were pronounced dead at the scene, and that the Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office was working to identify them.
Police said the vehicle was traveling on Lower Roswell Road near Asheforde Drive when the driver apparently lost control.
In addition to the roads being wet, police said the vehicle apparently was exceeding the posted 40 mph speed limit.
Anyone with information about the accident should call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.
A northbound view of Johnson Ferry Road at Princeton Lakes Drive, at 11 a.m. Tuesday. (Georgia 511 photo)
Cobb County got plenty of rain and high winds and power outages on Monday as Tropical Storm Irma engulfed metro Atlanta and Georgia, but it could have been a lot worse.
Cobb schools and government remain closed today as the cleanup continues following the passage of the large storm, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression.
Two people died in metro Atlanta and more than 1.5 million customers in Georgia lost power during Irma, whose arrival prompted a statewide declaration of a state of emergency.
Some motorists are out on the roads and some businesses are open today, but local and state officials are warning of downed trees and power lines, debris and standing water.
Compared to other communities in metro Atlanta, Cobb dodged the worst of Irma. As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Georgia Power reported around 50 power outages in the county remaining (after several thousand initially), compared to several hundred in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton (here’s more).
In this Georgia Power outage map as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the red colors indicate power outages between 5k-15k, orange 500-5k and green under 500.
Cobb EMC reported late Monday evening that fewer than 200 customers were without power, but hasn’t updated that figure this morning.
Many of the dozens of roads in Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb and elsewhere that closed Monday still hadn’t reopened as of late Tuesday morning. Cobb DOT as yet hasn’t identified any road closures but all major East Cobb thoroughfares are open; we’ll be getting out soon to take a look around.
Also hard-hit in Monday’s storm was Sandy Springs, adjacent to East Cobb, where a man died when a tree fell on his house while he was sleeping.
Several major roads in Sandy Springs remain closed this morning, and Cobb officials urged motorists who may be headed there to seek alternative routes.
Trees were reported down on Johnson Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, not far from the Chattahoochee River and the border with East Cobb. Here’s the advisory sent out by Cobb government this morning:
“The City of Sandy Springs is asking all motorists to stay off the roads on Tuesday. Georgia Power is not able to begin repairs on any down power lines until Tuesday morning.
“Sandy Springs has more than 30 roads impacted by down power lines. Of those, ten roads are major connections for residents throughout the metro area as part of their daily commute including: Spalding Drive, Riverside Drive, Johnson Ferry Road, Powers Ferry Road, Lake Forrest, Northside Drive, High Point Road and Glenridge Road.
“There is no timeline on when to expect roads to reopen. The City has closed its offices on Tuesday and encourages other businesses within the city to do the same.”
And as we noted here yesterday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for today, including the final public hearing and adoption of the fiscal year 2018 budget and passage of the Cobb 2040 Comprehensive Plan has been postponed to Sept. 22.
How did you fare during the storm? Let us know! Send your news, including photos if you have them, to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.
We’ll post another update later today after we take a drive around the community.
The intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Roswell Road, one of East Cobb’s busiest, shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. (Georgia 511 camera photos)
The typical morning rush hour was anything but on Monday, as East Cobb motorists heeded the warnings of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other officials to stay off the roads as Tropical Storm Irma pushed into metro Atlanta.
With schools and government offices closed (previous East Cobb News coverage here), as well as a growing number of businesses, what normally would be traffic bottlenecks around East Cobb took on the appearance of lonely stretches of backwater roads.
For most of Monday morning, moderate to heavy rain from Irma engulfed the entire state of Georgia, although the center of the storm was passing through central Alabama.
(At 10:40 a.m. Monday, Cobb County government announced all offices and services, including courts and libraries, would be closed on Tuesday.)
The rain began overnight, along with winds around 15-20 mph, but they were expected to pick up substantially into Monday afternoon. Up to 5-7 inches of rain are being forecast by the National Weather Service throughout the metro area into Monday evening, and sustained winds of 35-40 mph and gusts possibly surpassing 60 mph.
Because of the low temperatures—in the mid-to-high 50s late Monday morning—the likelihood of tornado weather has been drastically reduced.
Powers Ferry Road at Windy Hill Road.
Deal declared a statewide state of emergency on Sunday afternoon, and tropical storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday were to continue indefinitely.
Cobb, metro Atlanta and most of Georgia also remain under a flash flood watch until early Tuesday. The potential wind damage to trees and power lines, as well as debris and glass falling from buildings, has prompted some rare actions. MARTA bus and rail service has been suspended for Monday. As of 11 a.m. Monday the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains open, although hundreds of flights have already been cancelled.
Roswell Road at the 120 Loop.
After tearing through Florida on Sunday, Hurricane Irma entered south Georgia Sunday night as a Category 2 storm, and was expected to be downgraded to Category 1 and tropical storm status as it traveled north.
But the power of the storm has caused plenty of serious damage to Georgia already. State emergency officials and law enforcement agencies have been reporting big trees and power lines being down in roadways, and damage from buildings and other debris endangering motorists, pedestrians and emergency crews.
By mid-morning Monday, those reports included locations in the metro Atlanta area.
Hundreds of thousands of Georgians are already without electricity, and those numbers figure to skyrocket as the effects of Irma move through the state and into Alabama and western Tennessee by Monday evening.
Georgia citizens are being urged to stay where they are for the remainder of Monday. However, Georgia DOT is advising that “if you are out and about and come to a traffic light out—treat as four way stop.”
Terrell Mill Road at Paper Mill Road.
Cobb residents are being urged to acquaint themselves with safety information provided by the Cobb Emergency Management Agency. The basics include having flashlights, batteries, fully-charged cell phones, mobile devices and portable radios ready, along with procedures for moving to a safer part of a home or other building if necessary.
To prevent against being injured by falling trees, broken glass or other debris from high winds, move to a room without windows.
If you lose power, know the emergency phone number and procedures for contacting for your service provider.
Georgia Power is asking customers to report outages at its outage information link. (At 11:30 a.m., Georgia Power reported that about 330,000 customers statewide were without power, including around 85,000 in metro Atlanta, numbers that were “growing fast.”)
If you are a Cobb EMC member, report outages on its free app or call. 770-429-2100. Do not report outages to its social media channels.
As hurricane season season continues (and with the looming possibility of Hurricane Irma taking an inland path into Georgia and metro Atlanta), the Cobb Emergency Management Agency is reminding citizens of upcoming Cobb emergency preparedness training sessions.
The latest round of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training was slated as part of National Preparedness Month in September, and one of those three-week sessions starts Saturday at the Catholic Church of St. Ann (4905 Roswell Road).
The all-day training sessions last from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 9, 16 and 23, and covers all aspects of basic disaster preparation and response skills to emergencies at home, work or elsewhere. The sessions are free and open to the public, but registration is required.
“Being prepared for emergencies can literally mean the difference between life and death for many people,” Cobb Emergency Management Agency Director Cassie Mazloom said. “If nothing else, planning ahead can help reduce the problems that arise with a crisis and can make the event more bearable.”
Those completing the full course will receive certificate be issued by the Cobb Emergency Management Agency.
Surveillance photos provided by Cobb Police Department.
An East Cobb bank robbery Thursday morning resulted in the short lockdown of two nearby schools as police pursued a suspect.
According to the Cobb County School District, the exterior doors to Wheeler High School and East Cobb Middle School were locked for about 15 minutes after Cobb Police began investigating the robbery at the Fifth Third Bank location inside a Kroger supermarket at 2100 Roswell Road.
The schools are located across the street from one another on Holt Road and 1.3 miles from the Kroger at the Pavilions at East Lake Shopping Center at Roswell and Robinson roads.
Police said the robbery took place shortly after 10 a.m., when a man walked into the bank and demanded money from a teller.
According to police, the suspect never showed a weapon and left the bank with cash on foot, through the shopping center parking lot, and possibly in the direction of Wheeler.
The suspect remained at large late Thursday afternoon. According to a CCSD statement, the lockdown was “done out of an abundance of caution” at the request of Cobb Police.
“There was never any threat at either school and both schools continued with instruction as normal,” the CCSD statement continued. “Student and staff movement within the building was never restricted.”
Cobb Police described the suspect as an Asian male, around six feet tall, with a husky build. He’s believed to be between 30-40 years old, and was last seen wearing a black hoodie, a black Washington Nationals baseball cap and jeans.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Cobb Police at 770-499-3945.
Fall is just about here, and not just because of the dropping (and very pleasant!) temperatures we’ve enjoyed in East Cobb this weekend. That in-between summer and fall feeling is also evident in this weekend’s local events calendar:
The finale of the 2017 Summer Stars Concert Series takes place Saturday at The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), featuring local musician Kip Rogers. “In Season” will feature some of his mellow, lyrical tunes, perfect for-season changing relaxation. Doors open at 7; the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Lawn seating is free, and tables of 8 cost $40;
If you prefer mellow relaxation of another kind, the East Cobb-based Atlanta Parrot Head Club is throwing a Jimmy Buffett tailgate party from 12:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday at Red Hare Brewing (1880 Delk Industrial Blvd.), in part to celebrate the enactment of a new Georgia craft beer law. Admission is free, and there will be live music (albeit not Buffett, brew and BBQ for purchase;
Visit our events calendar for more live music options, including regularly scheduled sessions at selected East Cobb restaurants and taverns;
With hurricane season upon us (and coastal Georgia under evacuation orders), the Cobb Emergency Management Agency is offering certified emergency training for citizens around the county, including at East Cobb’s Catholic Church of St. Ann on Saturday. It’s an all-day commitment, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and continues Sept. 16 and Sept. 23. Call the church at 770-552-6400 ext. 6019 for more information;
Another weekend-ish event that actually takes place on Monday is an author event at The Book Exchange (2932 Canton Road), and featuring Amber Brock, author of “A Fine Imitation.” It begins at 6 p.m. and refreshments follow;
There’s a light schedule on the high school football front, with Lassiter, Walton and Wheeler all enjoying a bye week. Two teams have home games: Sprayberry vs. Campbell and Pope vs. Johns Creek. Kell visits Rome, and all three East Cobb teams in action Friday are trying to bounce back from losses.
Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren is offering firearms safety and education classes. The program will include discussions on gun safety and storage, gun types, choosing the right gun for you, gun ownership and transfer laws, use of force, firearm alternatives, Georgia weapons license, active shooter situations and answering questions from class participants. Each participant will also receive one free safety gun lock. The programs is free to attend and there is no need to register. The next class will be:
6 p.m., Sept. 14 East Cobb Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
A pedestrian has died after being struck by a van Monday night in a Canton Road accident in Northeast Cobb.
Cobb Police said Russell L. Mathews, 31, of Marietta, was walking southbound in a northbound lane on Canton Road at 6:57 p.m. Monday when he was hit by a white 2003 Chevrolet Express van.
According to police, the accident occurred north of the Canton Road intersection with Farm Ridge Drive, located between Jamerson Road and the Cherokee County line.
A statement issued by Cobb Police Tuesday afternoon said that when officers from Precinct 1 arrived at the scene, they saw a man lying on the grass near Canton Road. The victim was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, where he died, according to police.
Neither the driver of the van, Scott A. Turner, 48, of Douglasville, nor a female passenger riding with him were injured, according to police, who said charges are not expected to be filed.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987
“We’re having some challenges,” Cobb Police Chief Mike Register told the East Cobb Civic Association Wednesday. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)
Mike Register brought several pages of prepared remarks to Wednesday’s East Cobb Civic Association meeting as he aimed to lay out his vision as the newly named Cobb Police Chief.
After detailing his long career in the military and his return to the Cobb PD after serving as Clayton County Police Chief, real-time matters intervened to punctuate Register’s desire to make significant changes in the way officers are trained and how they deal with the public.
An hour before Register’s ECCA address at the East Cobb Library, WSB-TV reported that Lt. Greg Abbott, a 28-year Cobb PD veteran, had been placed on administrative leave after a dash-cam video revealed him making racially charged remarks to a female passenger riding in a car pulled over on a traffic stop in July 2016.
According to what was heard on the video, the white woman reached for her cell phone as Abbott approached, making a reference to police shootings. He said to her: “Remember, we only kill black people. We only kill black people, right?”
In the WSB-TV report, Abbott’s attorney said the officer’s comments were not taken in their proper context, claiming he was trying to defuse the situation.
Register, who succeeded retired chief John Houser in June, told the ECCA gathering that the officer’s comments were “hurtful,” and were “inappropriate in any context and not indicative of the values we’re trying to instill in the Cobb Police Department.”
At one point during his ECCA appearance, Register was summoned out of the room for a few minutes by County Manager Rob Hosack.
UPDATED, 4 p.m. Thursday: At a news conference on Thursday, Register and other county officials said Abbott would be terminated, adding that “it’s not the kind of decision we make lightly.”
On Tuesday, Cobb Police had to respond a WSB-TV report, based on a body-cam video, of an officer shooting at an unarmed teen eight times last November. That officer had already announced his resignation, and the Cobb District Attorney’s office recommended no charges.
Register said the video of that incident prompted him to call for changes in the Cobb PD regarding use of force and firearms training (The suspect’s lawyer is planning a lawsuit, according to the WSB-TV report).
After the second incident, Register admitted in his ECCA remarks that “we’re having some challenges.”
Cobb DOT photo of Roswell Road at South Marietta Parkway shortly before the ramp reopened early Friday morning.
UPDATED, 2:25 P.M.: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said what turned out to be a deadly confrontation between a motorist and Cobb Police early Friday morning at a traffic accident scene in East Cobb involved the use of a Taser.
According to a GBI statement issued shortly after 2 p.m. today, the male driver of a white Dodge Caravan, which was heading westbound on Roswell Road, passed a marked Cobb Police car at an excessively high rate of speed.
Police tried to stop the Dodge Caravan, then pursued his vehicle, which then slammed into another car on the ramp to the South Marietta Parkway. The GBI said the driver of the Dodge Caravan “became combative and fought with officers” who had arrived at the accident scene. During the confrontation, one officer utilized his Taser, according to the GBI, and “the subject became unresponsive. He was transported to the hospital where he died.”
According to the GBI statement, the Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy on the deceased man, whose identity has not been disclosed.
The GBI said several officers received minor injuries during the struggle but did not require medical attention. The driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident was hospitalized with minor injuries, according to the GBI.
The GBI continues to investigate the post-crash incident, while the Georgia State Patrol probes the accident. The GBI will turn over its findings to the Cobb District Attorney’s Office.
ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED 1:32 P.M.: Cobb Police said one person died early Friday following a collision involving two cars on the ramp connecting Roswell Road and the South Marietta Parkway in East Cobb.
The accident happened at 12:46 a.m., according to police, and the ramp was closed until around 7:30 a.m.
According to a statement from Cobb Police, the male driver of a white Dodge Caravan traveling westbound on Roswell Road passed a Cobb Police officer in a marked patrol car at a high rate of speed.
When the driver entered the ramp to South Marietta Parkway, the Dodge Caravan hit another vehicle in the curve, police said.
When they arrived at the accident scene, officers from Cobb Precinct 4 struggled with the Dodge Caravan driver, who was arrested and later transported to a hospital, where he died, according to the Cobb Police statement.
Cobb Police have not identified the man who died.
The accident remains under investigation and is being conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia State Patrol.
