Tuesday afternoon traffic was brought to a near standstill on U.S. 441 South after a tractor-trailer overturned on the highway. Heavy rains that pounded Coffee County around 5:30 p.m. were likely a contributing factor in the accident, which occurred just south of the Douglas city limits in the area of Osbon Mills Road. The semi truck was eventually moved and authorities are currently investigating the incident. No further information is available at this time.
Author: Staff Reports
Michael Berrian of Douglas will spend the rest of his life in a prison cell after entering an Alford plea to one count of felony murder in Coffee County Superior Court Wednesday morning. Alford pleas are a common occurrence in criminal cases where the defendant does not necessarily admit guilt, but concedes that the evidence against him is overwhelming and likely to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. A jury was selected Tuesday for the trial and was instructed to return to hear the case at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Assistant District Attorney John Rumker stated Berrian decided to enter…
The trial of Michael Berrian, who is accused of the 2012 murder of Marcus Demond Collins, is scheduled to begin this week in Coffee County Superior Court. Just after midnight on February 14, 2012, officers with the City of Douglas Police Department responded to the Roundtree Center at 801 South Gaskin Avenue, where they discovered the victim lying on the parking lot at the building. Collins was basicually unresponsive when authorities arrived and succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter. Michael Berrian was arrested for the murder of Mr. Collins later the same day and has been awaiting trial since then.…
Raymond Leon Minor of Douglas won’t be doing any prison time for racking up 80 charges of financial transaction card fraud, but will be made to pay his ex over $10 thousand in restitution. Minor appeared in Coffee County Superior Court last week to answer to the charges and admitted to fraudulently using a former girlfriend’s transaction card without her permission. All in all, Minor was able to take the victim for $10,425.34. “You know how people fall in and out of love,” said Assistant District Attorney John Rumker, “I’m not sure if he loved her or her money.” As…
While learning about shapes and colors within our environment, Pre-K Students at Eastside Elementary found something that had a lot of shapes and the bright beautiful color of yellow. It was a big yellow Coffee County school bus, with a rectangle body, large circle wheels, and many square windows. The students loaded the bus for a bus safety lesson prior to school field trips to begin soon. Veteran bus driver Wanda Burkett talked to the students about being safe on a bus and helping to have a safe trip when traveling by school. Mrs. Burkett then took the children on…
With the starting of a new school year in Coffee County come many new learning opportunities for students. The Eastside Elementary Pre-K classes recently were treated to a special visit from Satilla Regional Library Director of Children’s Program Miss Julie. Miss Julie brought several new books to share with the children about starting a new school year, as well as two puppet friends who taught them new finger plays and a song about school. She shared one of her favorite books growing up when she started school that was written by early childhood specialist Fred Rogers, the long-time host of…
Many teachers and their classes are participating in Motivated Mothers’ “Adopt A Trojan” this year. Students at Eastside Elementary were treated to visits from many Trojan football players on Thursday, Aug. 28 to meet their adopted classes. Excitement is in the air as Coffee High football season begins and everyone is ready to cheer the Trojans on to victory. Several of the Trojans shared they were first Eastside Eagles when attending elementary school and what a special school it is. Drew Vickers #86 was caught visiting his adopted class, Mrs. Barbaree’s and Ms. Owens’s Pre-K class at Eastside. The students…
An Irwin County man who confessed to having a sexual encounter with his juvenile step-daughter during an incident that occurred in 2013 in Coffee County was sentenced to a total of 20 years this week. Scarber Joshal Smith of Wray appeared in Coffee County Superior Court on Friday, admitting his guilt as part of a plea agreement with the district attorney’s office. Smith will serve seven years of his 20-year sentence in prison and will be allowed to serve the remainder of his time on probation. Graphic details were given about the incident, which took place last October, during Friday’s…
During halftime of tonight’s football game between the Coffee Trojans and the Savannah Blue Jackets, Coffee High School’s Jessica Gillis Baker was named system-wide Teacher of the Year. A science teacher at CHS, Baker is pictured with Dr. Morris Leis, Coffee County Superintendent of Schools, and Dr. Rowland Cummings, CHS principal.
Diana Jacobs, the former nurse and operator of the Rosewood Manor assisted living facility, will remain behind bars for the time being after her attorney fell ill Thursday during a bond hearing. Jacobs is charged with financial transaction card fraud and concealing a body after the remains of a former resident of Rosewood Manor were discovered buried in a shed outside the business on August 8. During a bond hearing for Jacobs in Coffee County Superior Court on Thursday, her attorney, Jill Starling, became ill and was unable to continue the proceedings. Jacobs was asked by the presiding judge if…