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.
TikToker cleans father’s hoarded house – and goes viral
Madison Lovelle posts videos online while going through and cleaning her childhood home after her father died.
Housing costs are often the biggest Georgians deal with every month, so it’s important to try and save money where possible.
Last week, WalletHub released its ranking of the most affordable cities to buy a home. It analyzed 300 cities based on 10 metrics, with the biggest weight going to housing affordability and cost per square foot.
Best city to buy a home in Georgia?
Augusta ranked the highest among Georgia cities, ranking 8th overall and 3rd best in the midsized cities list.
Augusta real estate prices
According to Zillow, as of March, the median list price for a house in Georgia is $205,000 with a median sale price of $187,283. About 57% of sales are under the list price.
The average rent, as of April, is $1,365 per month.
Augusta cost of living
The MIT Living Wage Calculator reports the hourly pay needed to support yourself and/or your family, assuming full-time employment. For Richmond County (Augusta), it’s $20.31 for one adult, $28.16 for a two-adult household with one working, and $14.08 for a two-adult household with both working.
Children obviously increase the wage needed. Depending on how many adults are working, the necessary pay figures may increase by up to $13 for just one child, with more needed for additional children.
Worst city to buy a home in Georgia?
The Georgia city with the lowest ranking on the list overall was Sandy Springs. However, with 300 cities, landing at No. 151 doesn’t make it nearly the worst in the nation. Sandy Springs was No. 56 on the small cities list.
What are the best cities to buy a home in US?
- Flint, MI
- Detroit, MI
- Surprise, AZ
- Yuma, AZ
- Akron, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Memphis, TN
- Augusta, GA
- Indianapolis, IN
- Cleveland, OH
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Senate candidate Derek Dooley made several visits to the area on Friday.
Dooley had stops in both Lincolnton and Augusta on May 29 and was joined by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his “Georgia First” tour. He spoke about one of the issues he finds in politics.
“But the other piece of it is the corruption. People sit on these committees. They have access to information that none of us have. And then you look up 2 or 3 years down the road and their wealth is just skyrocketing,” Dooley said. “You’re outperforming every investor out there. And I think it’s shameful. I think it erodes trust. It’s something that I will never do.”
“Politicians were out there getting paid. They were coming back home. They’re raising money and campaigning while the government shut down,” Kemp said. “What Derek’s saying, if he’s up there, we’re not going to allow legislators to get paid. We’re going to take away their benefits. That way, you won’t ever have another shutdown again.”
Dooley is facing Congressman Mike Collins in a runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The winner of the Republican nomination will face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man has been arrested after he was accused of hitting two women at Piedmont Hospital in Augusta.
The incident happened on May 14 around 12 a.m.
According to arrest warrants, Bruce Bland struck one victim with a closed hand several times in the face. Bland also threw a garbage can at the victim, hitting her in the head.
The warrant states the victim suffered a bruise on her face.
Bland also hit another victim with a closed hand on her mouth, according to the warrants. She suffered swelling and a bruise on her mouth.
Bland is charged with battery and simple battery, according to the warrants. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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