Two Savannah men have been arrested and charged in connection with two separate bomb threats in the city.
Harold Childers, 36, was charged with making a false statement to FBI agents in connection with a bomb threat at Southern States Phosphates on East President Street in September 2012. Lavontay Gatson, 20, was charged with telephoning in a bomb threat at a Savannah Wal-Mart in March, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney James D. Durham Wednesday.
Childers faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty of lying to the FBI, Durham said. Gatson’s charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver emphasized that a criminal complaint is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the U.S. Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Both arrests, Durham said, follow FBI investigations and will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlie Bourne.
Implosion planned east of Savannah
An implosion of four concrete silos is planned for 9 a.m. today just off East President Street right outside the Savannah city limits.
County and city fire and police officials Wednesday notified several business in the area of the event that was planned at a facility located at 1 Kerr McGee Road.
The planned demolition could be very loud, Savannah-Chatham police Capt. Mike Wilkins, the department’s Downtown Precinct commander, advised in an email.
Chatham County’s fire marshall is overseeing the event and it should not impact people or businesses in the area beyond possible noise.
Man indicted in 2012 traffic death
A Savannah man on Wednesday was indicted on vehicular-homicide charges in the 2012 death of Ambrian Torrance.
Lagraun Ronnell White caused the death of Torrance, 19, by driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of .08 grams or more within three hours of the wreck, the Chatham County grand jury said.
White, 44, collided with a car driven by Torrance just after midnight on July 28, 2012, on Liberty Parkway at Staley Avenue, Savannah-Chatham police reported.
The indictment also charges White with vehicular homicide while in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while under the influence of alcohol “to the extent it was less safe for him to drive.”
Woman charged after running men over with car
A 19-year-old woman was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by motor vehicle after police say she admitted to hitting two men with her vehicle.
Ndea Jackson, of the 1100 block of Elliot Avenue, was detained at the scene at McCarthy Street and Stiles Avenue just after 3:30 p.m. by Savannah-Chatham police following an argument, said Julian Miller, police spokesman.
Police determined she’d been arguing with her 22-year-old cousin Christopher Jackson and intentionally struck him with her car, Miller said. The woman also struck 20-year-old Ronald McMillian.
Both men were transported to Memorial University Medical Center where Jackson underwent surgery for non-life threatening injuries and McMillian was treated for injuries to his foot and ankle.
Violent Crimes detectives are continuing to investigate the incident, Miller said.
Police seek help identifying, locating July robbery suspect
Savannah-Chatham police investigators are asking the public’s help in identifying a robber considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Detectives released photos of the suspect Wednesday who they said robbed the Family Dollar on East Gwinnett Street on July 10. The images show the man in the store with a long gun that officials believe may have been a sawed-off shotgun and grabbed a woman in a threatening manner.
The suspect is a black male likely in his mid-20s who is about 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 and 165 to 170 pounds, said Julian Miller, police spokesman. During the robbery the suspect wore a red uniform of a Checkers restaurant employee.
Miller said the man entered the store, grabbed the woman and demanded money.
Anyone with information on the robber or his location or of the robbery itself is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. A confidential tip line is also open directly to investigators at 912-525-3124.
Health advisory for Tybee’s Polk Street beach
The Chatham County Health Department has placed Tybee Island’s Polk Street Beach under advisory for the tenth time this year because of possible risk of illness associated with water contact at that location.
Routine water quality tests taken Tuesday at Polk Street Beach — the northernmost portion of Tybee near the mouth of the Savannah River from the end of the beach to the jetty — showed a high level of enterococci bacteria which increase the risk of gastrointestinal illness in swimmers, said Sally Silbermann, Coastal Healthy District spokeswoman.
Fish and other seafood caught from that area should be thoroughly washed with fresh water and thoroughly cooked before eating as should fish or seafood caught from any waters, Silbermann said.
The area will be retested Thursday and the advisory will be lifted when tests show the bacteria levels meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended standards.
Compiled by Corey Dickstein, Jan Skutch and Mary Landers.