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In a brazen act of theft, Ulta Beauty in Evans, became the latest victim of shoplifting on Saturday when two suspects loaded up over $15,000 worth of perfumes and left without paying.

Even worse, the same suspects also hit the Augusta Ulta store before coming to Columbia County, and authorities believe they are likely the same crew from the Sumter, S.C., area.

Upon arrival at the Evans store, officers talked to Manager Indhira Cordero, who said that two black females entered the business at approximately 2:46 p.m. Saturday. The duo swiftly made their way to the perfume section, where they proceeded to pilfer a significant quantity of merchandise. Armed with large reusable bags, the ladies brazenly snatched perfumes from the shelves before making a swift exit from the store without making any attempt to pay for the items.

One of the suspects was described as wearing a jean jacket paired with white washed jeans, adorned with a bonnet and mask concealing her head and face. The accomplice, meanwhile, sported black leggings, a white sweatshirt, and also wore a bonnet and mask for disguise.

Manager Cordero expressed the establishment’s desire to pursue legal action against the perpetrators, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the financial loss incurred by Ulta Beauty as a result of the theft.

Law enforcement officials are currently investigating the incident and are appealing to the public for any information that may aid in the identification and apprehension of the suspects involved. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact local authorities immediately at 706-541-2800.

The theft serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by retailers in combating shoplifting and underscores the need for enhanced security measures to protect businesses and deter criminal activity within the community.

An article last week on bizpacreview.com warned that more and more communities are starting to be alerted to the rise in organized theft by criminal illegal aliens. BizPac Review first broached the topic in December, noting at the time that “transnational organized crime groups” from South America were targeting homes and businesses. On Feb. 1, police said two men were involved in a theft at the Ulta in Exton, Pennsylvania, that netted about $2,000 worth of merchandise. They were identified as Albert Torrealba Jordan and Keiver Guilarte Camps, both from Venezuela.

And just this month, California authorities filed charges against the alleged ringleader of a retail crime operation they say spanned 21 counties, involving an estimated $8 million in stolen beauty products. The ring involved a scheme in which the leader paid at least seven people to steal from Ulta and Sephora stores, as well as other retail outlets. The ringleader would then sell the stolen cosmetic items on her Amazon storefront for a fraction of the retail price.

The post Ulta Beauty Store in Evans Robbed of $15,000 Worth of Perfumes appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Two students at Evans High School have been jailed after a fight Tuesday that injured two teachers.

In a notification sent out to parents, Principal Wade White informed families of an altercation that occurred between two students, resulting in minor injuries to two teachers and one student being hit with a thrown cup.

The incident unfolded shortly after the first period when school administrators and Columbia County School District Police responded to de-escalate the situation in a hallway. Two teachers sustained minor injuries during the altercation, and a student was struck by a thrown cup.

As a consequence of their involvement, the two students responsible are facing disciplinary actions in accordance with the school’s code of conduct, and they have also been criminally charged. Authorities have identified them as 17-year-old Kenbrea Fields and 17-year-old Jaquoa Lashanda Hudson. Fields was charged with simple battery, while Hudson was charged with battery and two counts of simple battery on an employee of the public school system. McGahee’s charges were not immediately clear.

In his letter, Principal White reiterated the school’s zero-tolerance policy towards any form of inappropriate physical contact, emphasizing that such behavior will not be tolerated within the school premises. Parents with inquiries or concerns regarding the incident have been encouraged to reach out to the school’s main office for further information.

In an unrelated arrest in Columbia County, school officials arrested 13-year-old Charleston McGahee for bringing a knife to Grovetown Middle School. He was booked into the jail after the incident.

In a letter to parents, Principal Simon Rodriguez said no direct threats were made. “Administrators were alerted to the possibility of a student with the item, and Columbia County School District Police were contacted immediately. Upon further investigation, the item was found in the student’s possession before it was confiscated and secured,” the letter said.

The school day was not disrupted and operations will continue as normal, the principal said.

The post Evans High School Fight Leads to Student Charges & Teacher Injuries appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Alisha Stevens was grilling outside a Burke County home on Monday afternoon when her 1-year-old daughter fell into a water-filled hole and went unnoticed, authorities said this week.

Stevens, 34, of Sylvania, Georgia, has been charged with murder in the second degree in the death of Adlyn Stevens.

The death has shocked the community and led the suspect’s sister to warn people against rushing to judgment. In a Facebook post, Rachel Heinemeyer Lesesne said the family lost a precious baby that was a joy to everyone she met.

“This was an accident that could have happened to anyone,” Lesesne said. “My sister loves all of her children and would never set out to hurt any of them. Judgment aside from anyone, a baby that meant so much to our family is gone and there’s so much more to the picture than what the internet leads you to believe. There are four other children that lost their baby sister and waiting for the results of this investigation without their mother.”

Authorities say the girl was unsupervised while running around the property Monday afternoon at 648 Winter Road in Burke County.

“Alisha Stevens later found Adyln Stevens in a 3-foot deep hole filled with water lying face up unresponsive,” an arrest warrant says.

The girl was rushed to Burke County Medical Center by ambulance, where she was pronounced dead. Alisha Stevens was booked into the Burke County Detention Center the same day, said sheriff’s Col. Jimmy Wylds. A booking sheet says she was employed by Aecon-Wachs, a leading provider of industrial and power generation solutions based out of Jackson, S.C.

The tragic death came just four months after the toddler was injured in an accident on her way to a pediatric appointment. According to a GoFundMe page, Alisha Stevens was taking Adlyn and her 9-year-old daughter to the appointment Oct. 24 when a non-attentive driver who was speeding struck their car on the driver’s side.

Adlyn suffered bruising from the car seat while the 9 year old sustained a fractured cheek bone and Alisha Stevens had a broken neck.

Here is the murder warrant:

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An autopsy reveals that Augusta hairstylist Demon Parrish died after being shot, according to a report released Wednesday by Coroner Darryl Ables.

The body of the 31-year-old homicide victim was found Saturday night in a wooded area off 3595 Silver Bluff Road near Atomic Road in Aiken. The discovery was made around 6:05 p.m. Saturday by the property owner, Gary McElmurray.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office continues to look for 21-year-old Caleb White for questioning regarding the disappearance of Parrish, who was reported missing on Jan. 10. (Flyer is shown below.) White was previously known to frequent the 1200 block of Augusta Avenue and the 200 block of East Telfair Street, authorities said.

White currently has an active felony warrant for theft by receiving stolen property. He is accused of stealing Parrish’s white 2020 Kia Optima, which was located in the Augusta University parking lot behind 1278 Augusta Avenue, which is where White was living.

Parrish was a well-known hairdresser and content creator. He disappeared in a case that has bewildered the area and led to viral posts across the country.

The property owner who found Parrish’s body said he was riding and walking around the property when he came across a pile of random clothes and observed a possible dead body. He called the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, and responding officers confirmed it was a body.

Parrish was last seen on Mill Street and was last active on social media on Jan. 9. Family members organized a search Jan. 12 around Antioch Baptist Church at Augusta Aveue and Florence Street.

The post Coroner: Demon Parrish was Shot to Death appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Aiken County authorities are investigating a single-vehicle crash that resulted in a fatality Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 20.

According to initial reports from Coroner Darryl Ables, a 2002 Mitsubishi Galant was traveling westbound on Interstate 20 when, for reasons yet to be determined, the vehicle veered off the right side of the road near Exit 6. Subsequently, it collided with a traffic sign before careening into multiple trees. The impact caused the vehicle to erupt in flames.

Tragically, the driver of the Mitsubishi Galant was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Due to the severity of the thermal injuries sustained in the fire, immediate identification of the driver has proven challenging. The deceased individual will undergo an autopsy in Newberry, S.C., to ascertain their identity and determine the precise cause of death, Ables said.

Coroner Ables has confirmed that his office, in collaboration with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, is actively pursuing an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. As of now, additional details regarding the incident, including the identity of the deceased, have not been released pending further investigation.

The post Interstate Driver Dies after Crashing Into Sign & Trees in Aiken County appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A female student at the Augusta University College of Nursing in Athens was discovered deceased in a wooded area near Lake Herrick on Thursday, Feb. 22, sparking suspicions of foul play.

According to a email from Augusta University President Brooks Keel, classes in Athen are canceled for Friday, Feb. 23.

Further, reports from an Archnews email, the discovery occurred around 12:38 p.m. Thursday, prompting the University of Georgia to cancel all classes scheduled after 5:30 p.m. on Thursday with subsequent cancellations on Friday. Classes are set to resume on Monday.

The UGA police disclosed receiving a distress call just after noon Thursday from an individual expressing concern for the well-being of a friend, who had failed to return after going for a morning run at the Intramural Fields. Subsequent search efforts led to the discovery of the student’s body in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick, showing visible signs of injury. Her name has not been released, but WGAC’s Austin Rhodes has reported that the victim previously studied nursing in Augusta.

“We have been fully briefed on this situation. Foul play is suspected, and we are receiving support from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Athens-Clarke County Police Department to investigate this crime,” UGA said in a Thursday afternoon news release. “The safety and welfare of our campus community are our top concern.”

Authorities from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Athens-Clarke County police have launched an investigation into the incident, with campus administration emphasizing their commitment to ensuring the safety of the UGA community.

In a plea for cooperation, authorities urged anyone with information related to the incident to contact UGA police at 706-542-2200. Additionally, UGA police recommended individuals to utilize the UGA Safe App, travel in groups whenever possible, and remain vigilant.

Students reported the sudden cancellation of classes at the Intramural Fields during Thursday afternoon, with law enforcement officers checking and recording identifications before individuals left the premises.

Efforts to provide support for affected students included avenues such as Student Care and Outreach as well as Counseling and Psychiatric Services.

The post AU Athens Nursing Student Found Dead Near Campus; Foul Play Suspected appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

An Augusta man was fatally shot Thursday night near his home on Tullocks Hill Drive and two people were arrested in the murder, authorities said.

Michael Bartholomew Nixon, 21, was shot around 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the end of his block at the intersection with Glenn Hills Drive. Responding deputies found him on the ground suffering from at least one gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Cecil Martin, 17, and Cequez Ceni’Je Jones, 20, were both charged with murder and weapon possession in the death. Arrest warrants say that Martin drove up in a blue Nissan Sentra, Jones stepped out and fatally shot the victim before the pair fled the scene.

Both men are being held without bond at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

Jones has been in and out of jail several times in his young life, including arrests for a 2020 child molestation as well as armed robbery and aggravated assault cases in 2021. But all of those charges were dismissed within the last year or two. He has pending charges for interference with government property and illegal contraband by an inmate, charges that have remain unresolved over the last year.

The slaying comes just three months after an unsolved homicide on Glenn Hills Drive. A Hephzibah man, Isaiah McKnight, 20, died from injuries sustained in a Nov. 5 shooting on Glenn Hills Drive at Claudia Drive in Augusta. McKnight was shot and pronounced dead at Wellstar MCG Health.

The post 2 Charged with Killing Augusta Man Near His Home appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A 13-year-old Augusta boy has been charged with murder after a local convenience store owner died from injuries she suffered after he pushed her.

Antonio Cyrail Williams and two females tried to steal a 12-pack of beer from Get It to Go II on Deans Bridge Road around 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Owner Chong Chon, 74, tried to stop them.

“The male juvenile pushed Chon, causing her to fall to the floor and hit her head,” sheriff’s Sgt. Caleb Lee said. “The subjects fled the store and Chon went to the hospital where she would succumb to her injury on February 20, 2024.”

Until Chon died, the case was under investigation simply as a shoplifting and simple battery. The beer was worth $13.99. But sheriff’s investigators learned about the woman’s death and quickly identified Williams as the juvenile who pushed the victim.

On Friday, law enforcement charged Williams with murder while in the commission of a felony, with the primary felony being aggravated battery. The sheriff’s office said his mugshot was not available.

A juvenile can be charged as an adult in Georgia if they are accused of committing one of seven serious offenses, which include murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery or aggravated child molestation.

A sheriff’s report from Jan. 24 gives additional details on the assault when the owner was still alive and able to say what happened. Chon said she was working behind the counter when three juveniles entered the store. Two females wore all black and the male juvenile wore a red, white and blue sweater, sunglasses, and a ski mask over his head.

“Chon stated she attempted to stop the black male by stepping in front of him and telling him to put it back,” the report says. “The black male then pushed Chon to the ground and ran out the front door with the 2 other black females.”

The report continues, “Chon also showed me video evidence which I documented on my BWC [body worn camera] and I observed the 3 individuals enter the store and the black male with the striped sweater take the beer and push Chon down and run out the store. Chon stated the 3 suspects then ran towards Georgetown Road on foot. I searched the area however was unable to find anyone matching the description of the suspects. I also advised Chon to call back if the suspects return.”

The Georgia statute for “murder while in the commission of a felony” says that a person commits the offense of murder when “in the commission of a felony, he or she causes the death of another human being irrespective of malice.” In this case, authorities say the felony was aggravated battery, not shoplifting.

Note: If you have a photo of victim Chong Chon to share, please text it to 803-487-3224.

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Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was named the primary suspect in this week’s murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student hailing from Augusta University, whose life was cut short on the grounds of the University of Georgia campus in Athens.

Ibarra, a non-U.S. citizen residing in Athens, faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and obstructing an emergency call. A mugshot was not immediately available.

University of Georgia Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark, during a Friday press briefing, announced Ibarra’s apprehension and confirmed that Riley, 22, died from blunt force trauma.

“The evidence is robust,” Chief Clark said, adding that campus security cameras were a big help in making the arrest.

Three to four other people were taken into custody during the investigation, but only Ibarra faces charges, the chief said. He said Ibarra is believed to be from Venezuela.

Riley was not a student at University of Georgia, but a nursing student at Augusta University, which has a campus in Athens. Augusta University said they are in a partnership with UGA, allowing students to participate in UGA campus activities.

Riley’s roommate called campus police after Riley went for a jog Thursday morning at the university’s intramural fields and did not return. Her body was found a short time later in a wooded area around Lake Herrick.

Authorities assured the community that Ibarra had no prior relationship with Riley, suggesting that her death was a crime of opportunity rather than premeditation. Chief Clark said there was no further threat to the campus.

Described by her mother as intelligent, diligent, and compassionate, Riley’s life resonated deeply within the community. She was involved with the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and had roots in Woodstock, Georgia.

Meanwhile, the University of Georgia rallied behind its grieving community, offering support and canceling classes until Monday to facilitate the healing process.

In a statement, Augusta University said, “We have learned this morning that authorities in Athens have confirmed the identity of our College of Nursing student who passed away Thursday. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Laken Riley, a junior and Dean’s List student who studied at our campus in Athens.”

The post Suspect Arrested in Laken Riley Murder appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The Columbia County worker who suffered a horrific death inside a wood chipper this month may have contributed to the freak accident by drinking on the job, authorities said in an investigative summary.

Ralph Pickens, 63, of McCormick, S.C., was killed Feb. 5 at Pollard Lumber Company after entering an industrial conveyor wood chipper at the Appling business, authorities said. Officers found an empty 200 ml bottle of McCormick Vodka in a brown paper bag in his booth.

The tragic event is detailed in a final report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

The officer concluded, “Ralph being caught drinking on the job several times and also being caught on the vibrating table, without cutting off the machine several times, and finding an empty liquor bottle in his booth leads me to think that for some reason Ralph became unconscious, whether due to a health issue, drinking, or hitting his head on something and fell onto the vibrating table, which led him to enter the wood chipper.”

The report continues, “I believe if Ralph had been conscious, he would have been able to get himself off the vibrating table in time to avoid getting caught in the wood chipper.”

The wood chipping machine at Pollard Lumber Company is a large, complex system involving a vibrating table, chipper, and conveyor belts to process scrap wood. Human remains were found scattered throughout the machine. The investigation revealed that Pickens had been seen near the wood chipper just before the accident.

Co-worker Jeffery Parks told officers that he noticed signs of distress when he observed what appeared to be blood and clothing emerging from the wood chipper. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Pickens, the operator of the chipper, had fallen into the machine.

Witnesses recounted instances where Pickens had been observed drinking on the job, a behavior that had reportedly led to disciplinary actions in the past. Additionally, Pickens had been witnessed on the vibrating table near the chipper, a dangerous act contrary to company policy.

Pickens’ wife, Brenda Pickens, confirmed to officers that her husband drank, but stated she did not know about him consuming alcohol at work. She said her husband suffered from a stroke, and his feet dragged while he walked. But other than that, he had no major health issues that she knew of, she said.

“I explained that there was not any part of the body that we could identify and would need to get a DNA sample from any sons or daughters,” the officer wrote in the report.

Pickens was identified through a DNA sample collected from his son. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed Pickens’ identity using a fingerprint from a finger that was in the recovered remains.

Levi Pollard with Pollard Lumber Company refuted rumors of a video capturing the accident, telling officers that cameras in the area were not operational at the time. With the GBI’s identification of Pickens’ remains, the case is considered closed, pending any further developments.

Pickens was honored in a memorial service Feb. 16 at Andrew Wardlaw Funeral Home in McCormick. On the funeral home website, Pollard co-worker Harold Cummings said he worked with the victim for four years. “I am sorry for your loss,” he said. “He was a good man.”

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Columbia County authorities are looking for help in identifying a suspect who dined at a Hibachi and Sushi restaurant in Martinez and then skipped out on the bill.

The suspect was with a group Feb. 10 at the Koi Japanese Hibachi & Sushi at 3847 Washington Road. Surveillance images show two women and two kids in the booth. One of the females had blonde hair and the other was brunette, a sheriff’s report says. The diners left without paying.

If you know who they are, please call the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at 706-541-2800.

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Caleb White, a suspect wanted in the murder of Demon Parrish, was captured Tuesday after a brief standoff with officers in North Augusta.

Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, several North Augusta investigators were assisting the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force as they watched an apartment in the 200 building of Plaza Place Apartments. The North Augusta SWAT team was notified about the 21-year-old suspect being in the building and they responded to assist. Negotiators began trying to make contact with the suspect and the female inside the apartment.

“After about an hour, contact was made and negotiators were able to talk them into coming out of the apartment,” North Augusta Public Safety Lt. Clay Swann said in a press release. “At that time the male suspect, Caleb Jamar White, was placed under arrest and transported to North Augusta CID for questioning by Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Investigators. “

Richmond County authorities obtained a murder warrant against White on Feb. 20, three days after Parrish’s body was found in a wooded area of Aiken County. An autopsy shows he was shot to death.

White was transported to Aiken County Detention Center on Tuesday night to await extradition back to Richmond County.

Parrish was found Feb. 17 in a wooded area off 3595 Silver Bluff Road near Atomic Road in Aiken. The discovery was made by the property owner.

In addition to murder, White also has an active felony warrant for theft by receiving stolen property. He is accused of stealing Parrish’s white 2020 Kia Optima, which was located in the Augusta University parking lot behind 1278 Augusta Avenue, which is where White was living.

Parrish was a well-known hairdresser and content creator. He disappeared in a case that bewildered the area and led to viral posts across the country.

The post Caleb White, Suspect in Demon Parrish Case, Captured in North Augusta appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The Augusta man who was fatally shot in the middle of Washington Road early Wednesday was the same man who starred in a Netflix series about his mother.

John Lowden Jr., 38, of Deer Chase Lane, was fatally shot in the eastbound lanes on the 2800 block of Washington Road in Augusta. Deputies responded at 2:24 a.m. Wednesday and found the victim lying in the eastbound right lane, and he was pronounced dead. A murder suspect has been identified, but he has not been arrested, authorities said.

Lowden is reportedly a former Green Beret in the Army who was a Special Forces weapon sergeant with five combat deployments to Afghanistan and a deployment to Honduras. He made local headlines when he jumped from an ambulance on Nov. 19 on the way to a mental health facility in Augusta. Dressed in blue scrubs, he fled the ambulance on St. Sebastian Way at Walton Way and ran off. He was captured four days later and booked into the jail for an order to show cause warrant. At the time, he was listed as homeless.

Lowden starred as himself in a “Killer Sally,” a 2022 Netflix series about his mother, Sally McNeil. The series includes interviews with friends, family and McNeil herself. The series charts her rocky marriage with Ray McNeil and its shocking end in her husband’s Valentine’s Day murder. Sally McNeil’s children John and Shantina Lowden (from a previous relationship) also recall in the series what it was like to grow up with Ray McNeil as their stepfather and the day their mother shot him.

According to Wikipedia, Sally McNeil is an American former sergeant, professional female bodybuilder and muscle worship practitioner, who was convicted for the murder of her husband Ray McNeil, a Mr. Olympia competitor.

Sally called 911 in February 1995, telling them: “I just shot my husband because he just beat me up.” Earlier in the night, Ray was on a date with Marianne Myers, a fellow member of Golds Gym, instead of Sally on Valentine’s Day.

Sally was about to go out and find where Ray was, but he turned up after 9:15pm. Sally claimed and maintains that she shot Ray in self-defense when he, spurred by road rage, began choking her after she accused him of adultery.

The police transcript reads that Ray, “slapped her, pushed her down on the floor, and started choking her. McNeil squirmed away, ran into the bedroom, and took her sawed-off shotgun out of its case in the closet.” Sally then shot Ray twice: once in the abdomen and once in the jaw.

She was paroled in 2020.

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A single-vehicle accident has resulted in the loss of a young woman’s life in Graniteville.

The Aiken County Coroner’s Office is currently investigating the incident, which occurred late Tuesday night along the 300 block of Howlandville Road near Monroe Street.

According to preliminary reports from authorities, the accident took place at 11:54 p.m. when a 2008 Ford SUV, driven by 21-year-old Ramsey Byers, was traveling northbound on Howlandville Road. For reasons yet to be determined, the vehicle veered off the left side of the road, colliding first with a culvert and then a tree.

Byers, a resident of Graniteville, sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The precise circumstances leading to the accident remain under investigation by both the Coroner’s Office and the Highway Patrol.

The Coroner’s Office has indicated that toxicology analysis is pending as part of the ongoing investigation.

This tragic incident follows closely on the heels of another fatal accident just a day prior. On Monday night at approximately 8:40 p.m., a motor vehicle accident claimed the life of a Graniteville man.

Oscar L. King, 38, was traveling south on Ascauga Lake Road on an electric motor scooter when he was struck by a southbound 1999 Dodge pickup truck at the intersection of Ascauga Lake Road and Old Powerhouse Road. Despite immediate medical attention and transportation to WellStar MCG, King succumbed to his injuries at 9:21 p.m. Monday, Coroner Darryl Ables said.

The Coroner’s Office, in conjunction with the Highway Patrol, is actively investigating this incident as well, with toxicology analysis pending.

The post Accident Claims Life of Graniteville Woman, Second Fatality in 2 Days appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A Harlem High School teacher has been placed on administrative leave after an audio recording was posted on social media of her using a racial slur and curse words.

Principal Casey Dees told parents that the teacher – who was not named – used inappropriate language in class and is under investigation. The teacher’s rant to students included foul language, even as she told students what words she wanted them to stop using under threat of being written up.

In the recording, the white female teacher says, “I don’t want to hear the F-bomb. I don’t want to hear s**t. I don’t want to hear n****r. I don’t want to hear damn. I don’t want to hear f**k. I don’t want to hear hell. There, now I have said them, and we are even. Going forward, if I hear them, you are written up. Are we clear?”

The principal sent out a letter Tuesday, making clear the notice was not an emergency, just to make parents aware of the social media post with the recording and the resulting investigation.

“At this time, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation,” Dees said. “School operations will continue as normal. Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this issue.”

Online, the post gathered a mixed response, with many asking what the problem was.

“She’s fed up with the disrespectful language in her classroom,” Shanitra Brazan-Gandy said on Facebook. “Yall better not try to get her fired over this.”

Aubrie Mahoney said she understood the frustration. “But I don’t see why she had to say it out like that,” she said.

Deandre Spivey said, “I agree her saying it is wrong and it could have been completely avoided but I have a feeling her frustration wouldn’t have come out if the class wasn’t disruptive.”

And Missy Hayes Johnson disagreed with the teacher’s actions. “I cannot support a teacher who does this,” she said. “There is a way to handle the situation privately with the student. Teachers, coaches, and school staff set the tone for the classroom/school climate. As the adult in the room, she is responsible for creating an engaging, encouraging, and respectful climate.”

The principal’s letter:

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The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has identified a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery that took place Feb. 16 at the Raceway located at 3224 Deans Bridge Road in Augusta.

Isiah Deonte Burns, also known as Isiah Barnes, 18, stands accused of armed robbery. Burns is described as approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 135 pounds.

According to reports, Burns is alleged to have been involved in a robbery targeting individuals German Hernandez and Allie Watkins. Deputy Terry Parks responded to the incident at 3481 Wrightsboro Road on the evening of the robbery. Hernandez and Watkins recounted the ordeal to law enforcement officials.

Hernandez detailed the sequence of events, explaining that Burns, described as an “old friend,” approached the driver’s side of Watkins’ vehicle while another unidentified individual targeted the passenger side, stealing Watkins’ wallet and $140 in cash. When confronted by Hernandez, the assailant brandished a firearm, prompting Hernandez to fear for his life.

The situation escalated as Hernandez attempted to retrieve the stolen cash, resulting in a confrontation where the suspect allegedly threatened him with the firearm while accomplices in the vehicle urged violence. Ultimately, the perpetrators fled the scene with the stolen money.

In response to the incident, law enforcement authorities have urged caution, noting that Burns is considered potentially armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on Burns’ whereabouts is encouraged to contact Investigator Ken Rogers or any Violent Crimes Investigator at 706-821-1080 or 706-821-1020.

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An Aiken driver died Friday after crossing the center line and colliding with an ambulance, injuring the EMS driver and two others inside.

Isaiah Johnson Jr., 33, was pronounced dead on the scene after the 10:23 a.m. crash at the intersection of Hitchcock Parkway and Northwood Drive, Coroner Darryl Ables said. Johnson was traveling east on Hitchcock Parkway in a 2010 Honda Civic when he crossed the centerline and collided with an Aiken County Emergency Medical Service ambulance that was traveling west on Hitchcock Parkway.

“Mr. Johnson was pronounced dead on the scene and will be autopsied Monday in Newberry,” the coroner said in a press release. “The EMS unit was transporting a patient at the time of the accident, (and) that patient along with the driver of the ambulance and the EMS employee who was attending to the patient were transported to the hospital for their injuries.”

The Coroner’s Office and Highway Patrol are continuing with the investigation.

Johnson went by “Isaiah Zeek Johnson” on Facebook, and he was remembered Friday as a good friend and “the sweetest person you would have ever met.”

Brian Hoss Jones posted this comment: “Praying for your family brother. …. You were a true friend and an overall great guy. You will truly be missed.”

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