GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A murder suspect is dead after a police pursuit on I-20 in Columbia County that shut down traffic for hours.

Traffic was blocked on I-20 eastbound near Jimmie Dyess Parkway by mile marker 194 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office tells us the incident involved a Gwinnett County murder suspect.

Deputies say they conducted a PIT maneuver on the suspect, who then committed suicide, according to the sheriff’s office.

The male suspect was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:21 p.m., and an autopsy has been scheduled, according to the Columbia County Coroner’s office.

The car ended up in a ditch, and officials worked through the evening to get the car out.

Georgia State Patrol also responded to the scene and is assisting with the investigation.

This isn’t the first time this year that Columbia County deputies have pursued a potentially dangerous suspect. Back in April, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brandon Sikes was killed in the line of duty during a shooting on I-20 near Belair Road.

An encounter with an RV driver claimed the life of Deputy Sikes and seriously injured Deputy Gavin White.

There are no other reported injuries in Friday’s incident.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – An Augusta man has been sentenced after a jury found him guilty on multiple charges involving domestic violence, the District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.

According to District Attorney Jared Williams, 45-year-old Jameel Thomson of Augusta “stood trial this week for the March 16, 2021 beating and August 8, 2022 kidnapping and shooting of his romantic partner.”

The report states that the victim’s orbital eye bone was broken in the 2021 incident and a year later, Thompson shot the victim in the shoulder, which shattered her clavicle in 2022.

Thompson was found guilty on all charges, including Kidnapping with Bodily Injury, Home Invasion, Hijacking a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Battery-Family Violence and Aggravated Assault-Family Violence. He was sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole on Oct. 30.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Local food banks report doubling and tripling numbers as new faces seek help for the first time.

The Augusta Dream Center served 554 families in one day, according to Executive Director Kellie Newman.

“We see our numbers doubling and tripling every day,” said Hallie Kohan, assistant director at Augusta Dream Center.

Newman said the situation feels like a crisis that has caught organizations off guard.

“This feels like a crisis. This is a crisis that’s happening and it’s kind of just snuck up on us,” Newman said. “I don’t think we realized how the government shutdown, how it was gonna have this domino effect.”

Family Promise of Augusta launched an emergency food drive to address growing need.

“We have government workers who aren’t receiving paychecks, therefore, you know, they’re facing food insecurities and they’re just as important as it is for our unhoused community right now,” said Christina Williams, an intern at Family Promise of Augusta who came up with the food drive idea.

Executive Director Jennifer Ferguson said donations can be made at Family Promise on Wheeler Road or at Dave and Busters. The organization plans to partner with other companies for additional donation sites.

The Augusta Dream Center will be open on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for those needing groceries. They will also serve Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and again on Sunday.

“We are trying to break barriers down for you and help feed your family. We’re not trying to add any barriers in your life,” Kohan said.

Newman said they expect the need to continue to grow and are working with Golden Harvest food bank and other agencies to find solutions.

“Some people are just really at the mercy of unfortunate circumstances that they have no control over,” Newman said.

Family Promise says you can go online to donate money, or you can go to the location on Wheeler Road to donate as well.

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