Family seeks federal inquiry into Georgia drug raid death
Attorneys for the family of a Georgia woman killed by gunfire last year as sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at her cousin's home are calling for the Justice Department to investigate, arguing the deadly raid echoes the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.
Deputies involved in death of Georgia mother during raid wonโt be charged, DA says
Glynn County District Attorney Keith Higgins announced Wednesday that law enforcement officers involved in an incident that resulted in the death of Latoya James during a drug raid last year will not be charged with a crime.
Spaceport Camden project could be resurrected through private investment, project manager says
One month after Camden County voters batted down a proposed land sale for a long-planned commercial launchpad, citizens will hear a pitch from private investors who are hoping to breathe new life into the project.
Family of Georgia woman killed during raid to sue Camden sheriffโs office for $25M
Family members, friends and activists showed up to the Camden County courthouse on Thursday to show support for Latoya James who was shot and killed in her cousinโs home as deputies served a search warrant at home in Woodbine.
Attorneys call for whole bodycam from deadly shooting as Georgia deputies served warrant
Attorneys representing the family of Latoya James, the woman who was shot and killed while Camden County deputies served a search warrant at a home in Woodbine, demanded Wednesday that investigators release the entire bodycam footage from the incident.
Storms move offshore in GA but continue to push east across NE FL
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.
Camden County sheriff wants armored vehicle because of Navy base
WOODBINE, Ga. โ Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor says his department needs a military-style armored vehicle to help defend a Navy base in his county. Proctor is seeking a $350,000 grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security so it can buy an armored personnel carrier. Bruce said a military-style vehicle would make deputies better equipped to respond to emergencies at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys. But the sheriffโs office needs to be ready to assist with emergencies at the base, Bruce said. He said that deputies, firefighters and other civilian agencies have taken part with Navy personnel in mock emergency drills at the base.
Victims of Thiokol plant explosion remembered 50 years later
WOODBINE, Ga. โ The Camden County community forever changed on Feb. 3, 1971, when an explosion at a Thiokol plant outside of Woodbine killed 29 people and injured 50 others. Building 132, where the explosion took place, included the assembly line and was where much of the explosives were stored. There were 29 people killed by the Thiokol explosion. Joseph Wainright, who was killed when a mortar went off at the plant in 1973, is also included in the Memorial Project even though he died later. (Photos from the Thiokol Memorial Project Inc.)The explosive components in the trip flares were classified as Class 7 hazardous materials -- the most dangerous substances other than biological and nuclear materials -- until 1967.
4 Georgia men accused of trying to meet teenage girl for sex
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 โher,โ but were met by officers instead. โAll of the men arrested made their intentions clear despite being warned about the age the child,โ said Capt. Larry Bruce of the Camden County Sheriffโs 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.
COVID-19 financial assistance available for residents of Woodbine, Kingsland
Financial assistance for mortgage payments, rental bills and utility expenses is available for residents of Woodbine and Kingsland who have suffered hardships from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To apply for the Kingsland and Woodbine COVID-19 CARES Relief Funding, citizens should visit Camden Connectionโs website at www.camdenconnection.org to complete an intake survey. Following application submissions, Camden Connectionโs COVID-19 Case Manager will contact individuals directly with information regarding next steps. There are no household income limits, but individuals must meet the following criteria to qualify:Must have a documented financial hardship attributed to COVID-19. Must have a verified address in the City of Kingsland or Woodbine, Georgia.
Naval officer caught in child sex-trafficking sting sentenced to federal prison
WOODBINE, Ga. A Naval officer who was one of nine men indicted last summer in a child sex trafficking bust in Georgia was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison. Charles Barreras, 49, of Kingsland, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement and was sentenced to 62 months in federal prison. He will be required to register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of supervised release after his prison term. The sting, dubbed Operation Do You Know Your Neighbor?, was coordinated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Barreras is a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy stationed at Submarine Base Kings Bay in Kingsland.
Despite conviction, authorities reopen 1985 Woodbine murder case
Published: May 13, 2020, 9:56 pm Updated: May 14, 2020, 6:51 amKINGSLAND, Ga. โ The case of a couple shot to death at a Woodbine church has been reopened because of some possible new evidence, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday. In 2003, the case was closed after Dennis Perry was convicted of the murders. But the GBI will re-examine the investigation and evidence in the case to determine the significance of the possible new evidence, the Bureau said in a news release. The GBI and the Camden County Sheriffโs Office reopened the case Wednesday. Anyone with information pertinent to this investigation is asked to call authorities at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).
Autopsy report released in death of Tony Green
WOODBINE, Ga. - News4Jax has obtained the autopsy report performed on Tony Green, the man who was shot and killed by a former Kingsland police officer after a traffic stop. The report said one bullet was lodged in his spine, one was found in his heart, one was removed from his pelvis and another was removed from his back. According to the report, there were 18 abrasions found on Green's body, and there were several apparent gunshot wounds, including a graze wound. The medical examiner report did not say which gunshot wound proved fatal. Zachariah Presley, the officer who shot Green, was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter charges.
Jury finds ex-Kingsland officer not guilty of manslaughter in killing of black motorist
WOODBINE, Ga. - A former Georgia police officer who fatally shot a fleeing, unarmed black man was acquitted Saturday of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter charges. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Jury finds ex-Kingsland officer not guilty of manslaughter in killing of black motorist
WOODBINE, Ga. - A former Georgia police officer who fatally shot a fleeing, unarmed black man was acquitted Saturday of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter charges. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Zechariah Presley's fate in jurors' hands after closing statements
WOODBINE, Ga. - A Camden County jury charged with deciding if a former Kingsland police officer committed a crime when he shot and killed an unarmed motorist after a traffic stop in June 2018 has now... Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Jury deliberating in trial for ex-officer accused of killing...
WOODBINE, Ga. - A Camden County jury began deliberating manslaughter charges against a former Kingsland police officer on Thursday afternoon. Zechariah Presley is accused of killing an unarmed man during an alternation after a traffic stop in June 2018. Presley is not contesting that he shot and killed Tony Green, but contends he fired in self-defense. Presley testified Wednesday that he feared for his life after a struggle in which Green grabbed for the officer's Taser. "You don't have to like Tony Green to think Tony Green acted right," the prosecutor told the jury before they began deliberations.
Defense rests in trial for ex-officer accused of killing...
Presley testified Wednesday that he feared for his life after a struggle in which Green grabbed for the officer's Taser gun. One bullet hit Green in the chest, but several others hit him from behind. Presley testified that he called his dispatcher and began chasing Green. Presley testified that when he pulled his gun out, Green started running again. A defense witness on Thursday testified that officers who experience traumatic events can blank out things.
Camden County commission announces 17% property tax hike
The commission proposes raising taxes to 15.79 mills, an increase of 17.11% over the rollback millage rate. The millage rate for unincorporated Camden County is tentatively set at 1.655 mills, an increase of 152.29% over the rollback millage rate. The rollback millage rate is what would produce the same tax revenue as the previous year. Because overall property values have increased over the past year, the millage rate would actually decline unless commissioners voted to increase it. Georgia law requires three public hearings to allow for people to express their opinions on the tax increase.
Camden County man convicted of repeatedly raping child under 16
WOODBINE, Fla. - A Camden County jury convicted 38-year-old Burton Daniel Bailey this week of rape, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, District Attorney Jackie Johnson announced. After a two-day trial, Bailey was found guilty in the repeated sexual assault of a St. Marys child under the age of 16 from October 2012 to December 2015. On Thursday, Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett sentenced Bailey, a Seattle man who fled to California after bonding out after his arrest on these charges in May, to serve two life sentences in prison. Scarlett ruled that if Bailey should ever be released on parole, he must register as a sex offender and have no contact with children, the victim or the victim's immediate family. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Crash of 2 semis backs up northbound I-95 in Camden County
WOODBINE, Ga. - A crash Thursday in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Camden County appearing to involve two tractor-trailers backed up the highway for hours. The crash is north of the Woodbine exit, but traffic was backed up to Kingsland. Sky4 aerials showed one semi in two pieces being towed away. News4Jax is waiting for information from the Georgia State Patrol. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Beware: Call about kidnapping likely a scam
WOODBINE, Ga. โ The Camden County Sheriff's Office is warning residents that if someone calls saying a loved one has been kidnapped, it's probably a scam. Deputies said it happened to a woman over the weekend. She was told to withdraw money from the bank to keep her friend alive. The Sheriff's Office said if you get a call like this, stay calm, listen for background noises and whether the caller has an accent, then call police. Deputies say most of these scams originate out of the country, so the caller will usually have a strong accent.