Augusta, GA
Driver ID’d in Riverwatch wrong-way crash that injured trooper
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A 24-year-old has been identified on Tuesday as the other driver involved in the wrong-way crash on Riverwatch Parkway that injured a Georgia State Patrol trooper.
William Hawkins, 24, of Augusta, was confirmed to be the driver of the Toyota 4Runner involved in the crash on Friday night, according to GSP information officer, Joshua.
He says that Hawkins condition is unknown as of Tuesday morning, officials say.
The trooper, identified as Trooper First Class 1 Zachary Walker, is stable and has a “long road to recovery,” a GSP public information officer says.
According to GSP, at 11:09 p.m. Walker was driving traveling east on Riverwatch Parkway near mile marker 3.5 when he was hit head-on by a Toyota 4Runner that was traveling in the wrong direction.
Witnesses described what it was like to see the driver going the wrong way.
It was too close of a call for some.
“I play the thing over and over in my head every day. Because it’s like we could have been gone,” said Cheryl Hall.
One minute she was driving down Riverwatch Parkway, and then the next she says headlights were in front of her coming from the wrong way.
“When I was getting close to the curb, I noticed some lights and car lights. And I’m like, those lights look awfully close. And soon as we hit the curb was going around the curb. The car was flying around. So I was able to pull up onto that shoulder real quick. And I’m honking my horn at same time. Like they not even putting on breaks. My heart sank. And I was just shaking and stuff. And she was shaking, too,” she said.
Just minutes before the accident Mitchell Barton also saw a car driving down Riverwatch going the wrong way.
“I had to do a double take, I looked over and look back again. I was like, Man, that guy is on the wrong side of the road,” said Mitchell Barton.
Hall said: “Oh my god, that’s all I could say. And once we got home, I was like, we could have died tonight because as fast as he was going, I’m pretty sure it would have been tragic for us.”
Officials say Walker was seriously injured and had to be extracted from the vehicle.
Walker and Hawkins were taken to Wellstar MCG hospital, authorities say.
GSP says this is an active investigation.
Walker was a Richmond County deputy before resigning in May of 2019, then starting at the Georgia State Patrol that same month and year.
He’s had some recent training about traffic accident management and pursuits, according to records with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.
He is listed as being in good standing with no sanctions or investigations.
A recent post by the Georgia Department of Public Safety noted that he is set for promotion to corporal.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has made multiple arrests in a deadly shooting that left one teenager dead and another injured early Saturday morning.
According to deputies, the incident happened June 20, at approximately 12:50 a.m. in the 200 block of Warren Road, where authorities responded to reports of shots fired involving two gunshot victims.
When deputies arrived, they located two 18-year-old men from Augusta.
Officials identified the victims as Eric Markquis Bartley Miller and Joseph Lamar Thomas.
Investigators say Miller sustained at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thomas was also found with at least one gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation.
As of Saturday afternoon, three teenage suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
18-year-old Dmihjay Collins, 17-year-old Tayshaun Thomas, and 17-year-old Joseph Thomas have all been arrested and charged with Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of Machine Guns. They are all currently being held at the Webster Detention Center.
A fourth teenager, 17-year-old Reante Byrd was also arrested, but investigators have not linked him to the murder case. Byrd has been charged with Possession of a Pistol or Revolver by a Person Under the Age of 18. He is also being held in the Webster Detention Center.
No further details in the investigation have been released.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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