Crime & Safety

City Solicitor Quits Due to Hubby's Drug Case; Crane Crash Kills 1, 3 Kids Survive

Check out top Patch headlines from around Cartersville and the region.

Feds Factor Teen’s Suicide Into Drug Case of Former Sandy Springs Solicitor’s Husband - Sandy Springs Patch

Federal prosecutors view Dakota Blaze Dyer as a victim in its drug trafficking case against Thomas Malone Jr. and nine other defendants. 

Fourteen-year-old Dakota, who lived in Breman, shot himself and died in March 2012 after taking a synthetic drug known on the street as “Mr. Miyagi.” His father, Lance Dyer, intends to speak at Malone’s sentencing in August. The sentencing date was rescheduled from Jan. 17.

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“It’s not like a victory to me,” said Dyer. “There is nothing that will ever help you heal from the death of your child.”

Malone, of Roswell, is the husband of former Sandy Springs solicitor Jeannine Malone. , after one month on the job. Find all the details on Sandy Springs Patch.

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Report: 'Hero' Helps Apartment Residents Escape Fire - Stone Mountain-Lithonia Patch

A man is being called hero for helping residents out of a 7 a.m. fire at Terra Creek Apartments in unincorporated Stone Mountain, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

He reportedly carried one resident, who was coughing heavily, out of the building to safety. Go to Stone Mountain-Lithonia Patch for updates.

Man Charged in DUI Death Released on Bond - Douglasville Patch

Charged with DUI and vehicular homicide in the death of Grady Hospital EMT Jason Dale Strickland, Francisco Ferrer, 32 of Dallas, was allowed to bond out of jail.

Douglas County Superior Court Judge Robert James set Ferrer's bond at $300,000 in an order, filed with the County Clerk's Office on Dec. 26. James had originally denied bond to Ferrer in April of 2012, when he was originally in court.

It is not clear why the change in decision. James' office said the judge would not comment on an on-going case.

One Dead in Smyrna Wreck Involving Crane - Smyrna-Vinings Patch

Cobb County police are investigating a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in Smyrna that killed a Buford resident.

According to a CCPD news release, the crash about 1:43 p.m. on the westbound Interstate 285 ramp to South Cobb Drive involved a red and white 1998 Link Belt HTC8670 crane truck, which was was stopped in traffic.

It was struck in the rear by a black 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, which then rolled backwards down the ramp toward southbound traffic on I-285, coming to a stop after rolling down the embankment between the interstate and ramp.


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