ST. MARYS

After News4Jax reported over the weekend that the vehicles of around 20 drivers broke down shortly after purchasing gas at the Pilot Travel Center in St. Marys, the company issued a statement Tuesday, explaining what happened.

The News4Jax I-TEAM is looking into the case of potentially bad gas that was sold at a Southeast Georgia gas station.

With the West Nile virus detected in a sample of mosquitos collected this week in St. Marys, the Camden County Health Department is urging people to step up their protection against mosquito bites.

Four speed cameras have been installed outside two schools in St. Marys, intending to bring an additional layer of protection.

Beginning Aug. 3, free COVID-19 testing will be available by appointment every Tuesday and Thursday morning at the Camden County Health Department in St. Marys.

What people need to know about getting rid of the mounds of yard waste.

The EF2 tornado spawned in Camden County during Tropical Storm Elsa affected 45 to 50 homes in the area, according to the St. Marys Police Department.

As piles of debris got larger as the day went on in downtown St. Marys, local groups joined the cleanup efforts, helping their neighbors dig out after an EF-2 tornado struck the city.

Neighbors in Camden County continued the long and tedious process Friday of cleaning up after Tropical Storm Elsa.

There are two upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled this month in Camden County, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Coastal Health District.

The St. Marys Fire Department is mourning the loss of a firefighter who died over the weekend during his first shift on duty.

A Folkston man was arrested following a shooting Tuesday afternoon in St. Marys that police said stemmed from a verbal argument.

The Weather Authority is keeping a close eye on a line of thunderstorms just to the west of the I-75 corridor where a severe thunderstorms warning has been issued for Hamilton, Suwannee, and Clinch County until 3:00 PM EDT. These storms have a history on strong winds and hail.

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Six people, including four children, had to be rescued after their boat struck an object Friday near the St. Marys jetties, according to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. According to a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, one of the children on board called 911. That child was able to inform a dispatch operator that their boat was taking on water before the call dropped. AdThe 17-foot vessel was dewatered and brought to the nearest boat ramp. The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office transferred the family from the Coast Guard cutter onto its boat and escorted them to a boat ramp in St. Marys.

ST. MARYS, Ga. – A new dock for the ferry to Cumberland Island National Seashore is nearing completion in coastal Georgia. Since the Park Service dock was destroyed, tourists and park workers have been using a city dock, forcing detours for tourists. National Park Service spokesperson Jill Hamilton-Anderson says completion of the St. Marys dock is scheduled next month. After that, crews will shift to Cumberland Island to repair two docks there. The city plans to expand its municipal dock once the Cumberland ferry moves back to the Park Service Dock, adding 42 to 44 new boat slips.

ST. MARYS, Ga. – A convicted sex offender who was working as a waiter at a St. Marys, Georgia restaurant is accused of inappropriately touching a child and facing charges. He is also facing charges of sex offender registry violations. According to the St. Mary’s Police Department, Michel was working when he inappropriately touched a customer -- a small child -- who was there with his dad. News4Jax learned Michel was convicted on a charge of cruelty to children back in 2018 and ordered to register as sex offender. It’s unclear if management at the small restaurant was aware of his past or had the financial means of conducting a thorough background check.

A 34-year-old Kingsland man died early Tuesday after he was shot inside his home. Officers answering a call about gunshots at a Forest Ridge Drive address about 12:20 a.m. found Ernest Zachary Ruffell suffering from a gunshot wound inside the home, according to the Kingsland Police Department. Ruffell received treatment at the scene and was taken to Southeast Georgia Health System in St. Marys, where he was pronounced dead, the police department said in a Tuesday news release. Authorities in Kingsland notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, which also is investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Kingsland Police Det.

The agencies said the operation conducted from Thursday to Sunday had the men believing they were communicating online with a 14-year-old girl, and they arranged to meet “her,” but were met by officers instead. “All of the men arrested made their intentions clear despite being warned about the age the child,” said Capt. Larry Bruce of the Camden County Sheriff’s Office. Lowe is a convicted sex offender who was arrested during a similar sting operation in 2016. Detectives said Kesari told them that he worked with children with autism and children with special needs.

YULEE, Fla. – A St. Marys firefighter who was already facing criminal allegations of video voyeurism on a female co-worker has been arrested again on similar charges involving a child. Hodges was arrested Thursday on a warrant for video voyeurism. That other reported incident happened inside Fire Station 2 in St. Marys where Hodges is employed as a firefighter. RELATED: St. Marys firefighter accused of voyeurismOfficers said they were called to the station to investigate the allegations and based on information they gathered, there was enough probable cause to arrest Hodges on charges of illegal surveillance. That same day, the St. Marys Fire Department issued the following statement:

Senior Care St. Marys told News4Jax there is a screening process for visitors, including a temperature check and a series of questions, but they do not need to be tested for the virus. Senior Care St. Mary’s is getting creative in reuniting families w loved ones in a private & comfortable cottage. Williams said her mom’s facility, Senior Care St. Marys, is going above and beyond and she hopes this will lead the way for other facilities to follow suit. The Senior Care Center in Brunswick has four visitor cottages and St. Marys has two. Senior Care St. Marys said the sky is the limit as they are try to come up with ways where families can physically touch.

ST. MARYS, Ga. A firefighter with the city of St. Marys is accused of voyeurism at Fire Station 7. Theyre going to talk to everybody thats affiliated with that particular station and others. He may have shared some information with some other firefighters that may not be attached to that particular station, he said. St. Marys Fire Department issued the following statement:There is an ongoing administrative investigation regarding a firefighter who has been placed on administrative leave. Since this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further on the matter.Hodges bonded out of the Camden County jail on Tuesday afternoon, according to online jail records.

Kristian Hugo cant hide her love for her granny, Betty, who is in a long-term care facility in St. Marys. Its hard when youre hearing, you know, the talks of theme parks opening and sports and schools, she said. Where are we talking about our homes that, you know, our loved ones have been in for five months in isolation?Hugo and Maxine Williams, her aunt, are both with Georgia Caregivers for Compromise. Brian Kemp reads in part:Our loved ones are dying of isolation and loneliness and it has to stop. They need us and they dont have the voice, Hugo said.

ST. MARYS, Ga. Two people were taken into custody following a series of events that included gunfire, carjacking and a police chase, according to the St. Marys Police Department. According to an arrest report obtained by News4Jax, late Saturday night, St. Marys police were called to an area known as Gilligans to investigate a report of gunfire. Two victims identified as a 24-year-old man and 17-year-old girl told officers that a group of people approached their vehicle. An eyewitness confirmed everything the victims told police. When they came to a stop, the driver jumped out and started running away toward a wooded area and a lake near St. Marys Road Overpass and Highway 40, according to the report.

KINGSLAND, Ga. Two people were arrested over the weekend after a 2-year-old was brought to a hospital semiconscious, with numerous injuries, according to the Kingsland Police Department. The childs mother, Dakota Poturich, and Poturichs fiance, Christopher Miller, are each charged with cruelty to a child. About 4:50 a.m. Saturday, officers were called to a hospital in St. Marys, where police said they discovered the toddler had injuries that included visible bruises and lacerations all over the body. Due to these injuries, police said, the toddler was transported to Wolfson Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville, where staff found the child had two skull fractures and a lacerated liver. According to the arrest report, Poturich told police she was asleep when Miller woke her up, panicking with the child in his hands.

The Georgia Department of Healths Coastal Health District is offering free testing, regardless of symptoms, at several locations around Southeast Georgia this week. An event may close early or be canceled unexpectedly due to storms or excessive heat. Testing is available without an appointment. Here are the local areas with testing:CamdenMonday, June 22, 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m., Mary Lee Clark Elementary School, 318 Mickler Drive in St. MarysGlynnEvery Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. 1:30 p.m., 2747 4th Street in BrunswickEvery Saturday, 8:30 a.m. 12 p.m. 2747 4th Street in BrunswickTesting is also available in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties. For more information, visit covid19.gachd.org.

YULEE, Fla. – A 60-year-old man died Wednesday morning when his Ford F-150 pickup truck southbound on U.S. 17 veered into the northbound lanes and struck another F-150, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The collision happened at 6:30 a.m. near the intersection with Hamilton Street, north of state Road 200. According to the accident report, Fred Westerfeld III, of St. Marys, Georgia, died at the scene. The driver of the second pickup truck, Barry Gluntz, 54, from Ohio, was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with critical injuries. U.S. 17 remained was closed in both directions for hours while the accident was investigated and cleared.

St. Marys couple killed in wrong-way crash were high school sweetheartsPublished: November 18, 2019, 6:45 pmChristopher and Brittany Hesling and their 4-year-old son died; couple’s 6-month-old daughter was only member of family to survive.

ST. MARYS, Ga. - St. Marys is parting ways with City Manager John Holman a little more than five years after he was hired. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to place Holman on paid leave until his firing becomes official next month, the Brunswick News reported. Speaking to the newspaper, Councilman Jim Goodman did not go into detail about the termination but said the consensus was that Holman's "management style doesn't meet the needs of the city." As the Florida Times-Union reported, Holman was hired in May 2014 after spending 12 years managing Springettsbury Township, a community located just outside of York, Pennsylvania. There's no word yet on who will lead the city temporarily in Holman's absence, but the search for a permanent replacement is underway.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. - A water taxi could be coming to Fernandina Beach. The proposed service would connect the waterfront seat of Nassau County to nearby St. Marys, Georgia, and help ferry locals and visitors back and forth across state lines. The city has posted a request for proposals in search of companies that would be interested in operating that service. The city's looking for a company to transport 30 passengers a day and have the capacity to carry 30 bicycles as well. To sweeten the pot, Fernandina Beach and St. Marys have agreed to waive docking fees for the first two years, among other incentives.

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. - Three Georgia men accused of holding up an internet cafe in the Callahan area last month have been arrested, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper announced Wednesday afternoon. According to an incident report, deputies arrived at the scene just three minutes after being called to the Cyber Center, but the suspects had already left. After the robbery, the trio got into a small, black four-door vehicle and took off, the sheriff said. It's unclear how detectives identified the suspects, but the sheriff said arrest warrants were issued for all three men after an investigation by Nassau County Sheriff's Office. The owner of the Callahan-area property told News4Jax last month that while robberies may be common at Jacksonville internet cafes, they are rare in Nassau County.

St. Marys police arresting 2 people for using credit cards to steal thousands from an ATM. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

ST. MARYS, Ga. – Police released an image Thursday afternoon of a man who they said robbed a Bank of America in St. Marys, Georgia. The robbery was reported at 1:25 p.m. Thursday, and the man was seen leaving the area in a gold or tan, medium-sized, four-door vehicle, which might be a Buick, police said. The vehicle was driven by a white woman with blonde hair, wearing a white shirt or blouse with some red writing on the clothing. Anyone with information on the identity of the robber is asked to call The St. Marys Police Department (912) 882-4488 or The Camden County Sheriff's Office at (912) 729-1442 or Anonymous Tip Line (912) 510-5163.

He has a residency here, actually, locally in St. Marys. We have dealt with him on numerous occasions over the years," said Lt. Shannon Brock of the St. Marys Police Department. Anyone with information about Wilson's whereabouts is asked to call St. Marys police at 912-882-4488. According to the reports, several incidents happened at the Cumberland Oaks Apartments and throughout the city of St. Marys. St. Marys police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate and anyone with information about Wilson's location is asked to call St. Marys police as soon as possible at 912-882-4488.