A man wanted by Savannah-Chatham police on theft and deception charges has been arrested in New York City.
Daniel Emanuel Alvin, 46, was arrested Monday on a Savannah warrant charging him with first degree felony forgery at a homeless shelter, said metro police spokesman Julian Miller. The process to have Alvin extradited to Georgia has begun.
Miller said the charges stem from a fraudulent nonprofit organization Alvin operated in Savannah.
Tips from the public helped metro police coordinate with New York City police to arrest Alvin, Miller said.
Body recovered from riverPolice on Tuesday evening were trying to identify a body that was pulled from the Savannah River downtown earlier in the day.
The body matched witnesses’ descriptions of a black male in his teens or early 20s who was seen in the water off of River Street’s east end near the Waving Girl statue Sunday morning, said Savannah-Chatham police spokesman Julian Miller.
The body was found about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday floating between a boat and a dock near the Abercorn Street ramp, Miller said.
Patrol officers responded along with detectives, forensics investigators and the coroner, he said.
On Sunday, witnesses told police they saw a male sitting near the water then heard a splash. Bystanders told police they then saw him in the water asking for help, but were unable to get a nearby rope to him before he went under.
Divers from Savannah Fire & Emergency Services and the police department were aided by boats and on-shore personnel from both departments for several hours Sunday, as well as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard. Since Sunday, the police department’s marine patrol had searched for the body along with the Coast Guard and DNR.
Teen killed in Effingham wreck
A South Effingham High School student was killed in a single-vehicle car accident Tuesday afternoon.
The 17-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Bay Road near Old River Road, said Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor.
“Reports indicate the driver was traveling on Bay Road and somehow lost control of the SUV, striking a utility pole and flipping the vehicle,” Ehsanipoor said.
Ehsanipoor said the driver of the SUV was taken by helicopter to Memorial University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Man working on power lines shocked in Port Wentworth
A man was shocked by electricity Tuesday while he was working on power lines in Port Wentworth. He has been taken to a local hospital for treatment.
About 2:30 p.m., the 35-year-old subcontractor for Georgia Power Co. was in a raised bucket working on power lines in the woods off of Ga. 21 near railroad tracks by Bonnybridge Road when something went wrong and a jolt of electricity went through him, said Port Wentworth Police Chief Matt Libby, director of public safety for the city.
Co-workers brought the man down, called 911 and began to render aid. Libby said they performed CPR and utilized a portable defibrillator. Firefighters arrived and took over care before turning the injured man over to Southside Fire/EMS medics, who took him to an area hospital for further treatment.
“He had a pulse and was breathing on his own by the time they left,” Libby said.
Libby lauded the quick response and training of the man’s co-workers.
“If he survives, the only reason is because his co-workers knew what to do,” Libby said.
No further information on the condition of the man, who has not been identified, was immediately available.
Georgia Power deferred comments to South Carolina-based Sumpter Utilities, which a spokesman identified as the injured man’s employer. Sumpter did not immediately have information about the incident.
Investigation into fatal Savannah State shooting ongoing
The investigation into the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man on Savannah State University’s campus early Saturday morning continues.
Few new details were available Tuesday.
Donald Bernard Lewis was pronounced dead after the shooting by University Village that Savannah State police responded to about 12:45 a.m. An autopsy conducted Monday confirmed he died from multiple gunshot wounds, said Cathy Sapp, special agent in charge of the GBI’s Region 5 Statesboro office, which is handling the investigation.
Lewis was not a student at Savannah State. Sapp said he was visiting the campus. Agents are currently following leads, she said.
“We are still seeking witnesses of the incident to come forward and talk to us,” Sapp said.
Meanwhile, the university is taking steps to reassure its students that safety is a priority, said Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs Edward Jolley.
A forum was held Saturday afternoon with student leadership, he said, and university officials took note of students’ suggestions.
Jolley said campus police will check IDs at the entrance to campus off La Roche Avenue starting at 8 p.m. That gate is the only one open at that time. Visiting hours are enforced for those who do not live on campus, as well as commuter students, he said, and officers will work to get more personal information about visitors as they enter the campus.
Additionally, he said, more officers will be added at night and on the weekends and patrols will be increased around living areas.
Anyone with information on the fatal shooting is asked to call Special Agent in Charge Cathy Sapp at the GBI’s Statesboro office at 912-871-1121.
Pooler family displaced after kitchen fire
A Tuesday morning fire in Pooler displaced a family of five.
At about 11:30 a.m., firefighters responded to 128 Cross Creek, where a fire had begun in the kitchen area, said Pooler Fire Rescue Chief Wade Simmons.
“We confined it to that portion of the house,” he said.
Firefighters had the blaze out in about 10 minutes, he said, but power had to be shut off due to the damage, forcing the family to leave.
No one was injured, Simmons said.
The Red Cross was called to assist the family.
Savannah Impact Program to host career fair today
The Savannah Impact Program along with two Savannah-Chatham police precincts is hosting a career fair today.
The job fair is set for 3-5 p.m. at Bull Street Baptist Church’s College Center at 17 E. 31st St. Featured employers include the city of Savannah, Savannah Technical College, the U.S. Army and Jan Pro International, said police spokeswoman Eunicia Baker.
The event is free and open to the public.
The Savannah Impact Program is a specialized unit in the police department responsible for facilitating community re-entry programs for “high-risk” and “at-risk” youth and adults. The unit collaborates with sworn officers and civilian police personnel and several supervision agencies.
For more information, call DeLeah Blake or Toisaun Denson at 912-651-4350.
Overnight roadwork at Ga. 204/King George continues
Lane closures on Ga. 204 at King George Boulevard are scheduled tonight.
The Georgia Department of Transportation will close the lanes from 7 p.m. today until 6 a.m. Thursday, weather permitting, to enhance visibility of roadway striping in that intersection.
Motorists are asked to use extreme caution in the work zone and reduce speeds while traveling in the area as crews are working.
Nighttime roadwork on Abercorn lanes continues
Two lanes of Abercorn Street in both directions between Wilshire Boulevard and Largo Drive will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Friday, weather permitting.
The lane closures will be used for concrete operations, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Motorists should expect delays. Drivers are asked to be cautious when traveling in the work zone and reduce speeds as crews are working.
Compiled by Dash Coleman and DeAnn Komanecky