Atlanta, GA
‘Miracles happen’: Volunteers join robust search effort for missing Atlanta teacher on Lake Oconee
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Friday, dozens of volunteers joined sheriff’s deputies and crews from the Department of Natural Resources to try and locate the body of Gary Jones, an Atlanta teacher, who went missing on Lake Oconee Saturday, along with his fiancée Joycelyn Wilson.
“I think that some of us are still hopeful that we will not only find him but that maybe that you know, miracles happen,” said Dana Chambliss, whose two sons were taught by Jones at Westminster Schools in Atlanta.
Chambliss joined other volunteers from the Westminster community on Friday to try and locate Jones, who was an 8th grade science teacher and a high school track coach.
The body of Wilson was found on the surface of Lake Oconee, roughly a mile from the Long Shoals Boat Ramp.
Search crews found a pair of Jones’ shoes roughly 200 yards from Wilson’s body earlier this week.
“I’ve got video of them launching the boat and I zoomed in on it and they’re the identical shoes,” said Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.
“Initially you want to think perhaps they’re alive and need help and things like that. I don’t think that at this juncture,” said Sills, in an interview with Atlanta News First on Friday.
Sills said he is investigating the death for foul play. He said that is standard in cases like this.
“There’s nothing on that nature that I can comment on,” said Sills, when asked if Wilson’s death is suspicious in nature.
Sills said their investigation goes beyond the confines of Lake Oconee. He said they recently acquired the phone records of Wilson and Jones.
Sills called this search effort the most robust search he’s seen at Lake Oconee, where he’s been sheriff of Putnam County for nearly 30 years.
“In all my years I’ve never seen this many people searching for a body in the lake,” said Sills.
Game Wardens from the Department of Natural Resources continued their efforts using SONAR scanning tools as part of surface and shoreline sweeps.
A DNR K-9 team searched in the woods near the lake on Friday.
The Sheriff’s Office launched a K-9 team to help sniff for a body on Lake Oconee.
“The challenge in every drowning type situation, if I know where you go down, that’s where you’re going to be. But we don’t know where they went down,” said Sills.
Volunteer search crews said they will continue their efforts on Saturday morning.
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The Atlanta Braves have locked down two free agents. One bolstered the bullpen while the other diversified their options on the offense. Now, from what we’re hearing, the attention has turned to fortifying the rotation.
We are gaining an idea of who the Braves are targeting on the starting pitching market. Framber Valdez and Michael King appear to be the top two free-agent options they’re taking a look at, per source. The goal would be to land one of the two. How far along any potential talks are or if they’re currently talking at all is unclear. We just know now that these two are preferred targets.
Previous reports said that the Mets and Giants had previously chatted with Valdez. King is on the radar of the Tigers and Cubs. There are contenders in play for these same guys.
Signing a free agent is their plan A for acquiring starting pitching depth. What we are hearing confirms the willingness to cough up a draft pick to make a big signing. Both have a qualifying offer attached to them.
That being said, they are willing to go out on the trade market if needed and in a specific circumstance. Plan B is to make a deal for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta.
The 2025 All-Star has been rumored to be a trade candidate since the start of the offseason. What we are hearing lines up with previous speculation as to the type of moves the Braves could make. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggested the Braves make a move for Peralta, and part of that suggestion included a potential trade piece that would likely be dealt in this scenario.
The Brewers would likely want to make the centerpiece of the return the Braves’ No. 2 prospect, JR Ritchie. However, the Braves would likely prefer to hang onto Ritchie. They see him as a key piece of their future. They would likely prefer to make the centerpiece of the deal Hurston Waldrep, who showed significant promise once she was called up toward the end of last season.
Another player would likely be dealt along with one of the two names. The Braves would like to know whether an extension would be in play. They wouldn’t want to make the move for strictly a rental.
However, the Brewers want to get a trade done during the offseason. If he’s on the roster during the regular season, it would put them in a bind. They don’t see him as someone they’ll be able to keep around, but if they’re contending, they can’t trade him at the deadline. He would have to stick around for a push, and then he would walk.
Meanwhile, the Braves are pushing to have a top-five payroll in the league for next season. That puts them in the position to take on one of the two possible free-agent signings or take on a contract extension in a potential trade.
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ATLANTA, GA — Two people are dead following a fiery crash on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, according to police.
The crash occurred shortly before 3:15 a.m. Saturday on southbound I-75 near Cleveland Avenue Southwest. According to police, a Kia Sportage was traveling on I-75 when the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to exit at Cleveland Avenue.
Police said the vehicle left the roadway, hit a pole and subsequently caught fire.
Two unidentified occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department Accident Investigations Unit responded to the scene to determine what led to the crash. The investigation into the collision is ongoing.
An Atlanta chef allegedly shot two teenagers who were suspected of trying to steal packages outside his home in broad daylight.
Rakim Bradford was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after he opened fire on the boys, ages 15 and 16, at his townhouse in the Mays neighborhood, southwest of Downtown Atlanta, on Thursday around 3:40 p.m.
Bradford, the head chef at an area IHOP, according to his LinkedIn, was at his home on the 700 block of Celeste Lane SW when he noticed the teens near his front porch, Atlanta Police said.
Officials believe the teens had traveled to the Villages of Cascade complex, where they spotted a delivery van and followed it, according to Atlanta News First, citing Bradford’s arrest warrant.
“After the packages were dropped, they agreed to steal that package from the front of the residence,” the warrant stated.
Bradford caught the teens going for the packages and allegedly shot the pair before they could steal the delivery.
“We believe a property crime was occurring, that some packages were being taken off a front porch, which is common this time of year,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters. “The homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that theft of packages.”
The unidentified 15-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to the right foot. Officers later found the 16-year-old suffering from a gunshot to the right arm.
He was transported to the hospital in critical condition before undergoing surgery. The teen is expected to survive.
“The Atlanta Police Department takes gun violence very seriously,” Schierbaum said. “Anytime a child is injured in our city, we really take that really seriously. We want to make sure they know what’s happening.”
Bradford was detained after the shooting and brought in for questioning.
Officials ruled out a home invasion and didn’t announce any charges against the two teens.
Neighbors warned potential porch pirates of stealing packages from other homes.
“Don’t go and steal people’s packages,” Andrew Julian told the outlet. “On the other side of that, what right do you have to defend your own home, and then what decision do you make to defend your own home based on somebody taking an item off of your porch? So, it’s certainly a conversation to be had.”
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