A mom and her two young children were displaced Thursday afternoon after a fire destroyed much of their home in a small west Chatham County subdivision just outside Pooler.
Southside Fire/EMS personnel responded to the report of a house fire on Killearn Court in the neighborhood just west of Interstate 95 off Quacco Road about 4:45 p.m. where they found flames shooting through roof, said Southside Assistant Fire Chief Hugh Futrell.
Neighbors reported the fire after they heard shattering glass and saw much of the structure engulfed in flames, Futrell said.
No one was home at the time the incident occurred and no injuries reported, Futrell said. The cause of the fire that Southside firefighters limited to about one-third of the home was not yet determined, he added.
While the front bedroom where the fire appeared to have started and all its contents were completely destroyed, some of the furniture and other items throughout the remainder of the house may be able to be saved. Futrell said much the home did suffer heat and smoke damage, but credited his firefighters with saving much of the structure.
The American Red Cross was called in to assist the woman and her 4- and 8-year-old children after their loss.
Effingham bust nets guns, 2 pounds of pot
A Rincon man was arrested Thursday afternoon after deputies executing a search warrant at his residence discovered more than two pounds of marijuana and six firearms.
At about 4 p.m., patrol deputies arrived at 113 John Glenn Drive in the Westwood Heights subdivision to make an arrest on a probation violation warrant, said David Ehsanipoor, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman. While at the front door, a person inside the residence was talking on speaker phone with another individual who instructed the person in the home not to let police inside until he came and got his drugs, Ehsanipoor said.
Deputies secured the scene and contacted other investigators, who obtained a search warrant. The marijuana, firearms and other items used to sell marijuana were discovered during the search, Ehsanipoor said.
Deputies arrested 19-year-old Andrew Mikell and charged him with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug-related objects. Ehsanipoor said the sheriff’s office is currently searching for Holly Skipper, 23, of Rincon, who is wanted for probation violation, and Joseph Mikell, 24, of Rincon, for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Deputies are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Skipper or Joseph Mikell to call the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office at 912-754-3449.
Savannah man accused in Indiana high-speed chase
Authorities say a Savannah man who led police on a 40-mile chase at speeds of up to 110 mph in southern Indiana has been charged preliminarily with driving while intoxicated with endangerment and resisting law enforcement.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Maj. Todd Noblitt told The Republic the chase began about 3:15 a.m. Thursday when a deputy tried to pull over a suspected drunken driver on Interstate 65. The driver sped off after letting a passenger out at a McDonald’s.
The chase continued until the driver ran over stop sticks put out by Columbus police. Noblitt says the driver was arrested after placing an order at another McDonald’s drive-thru.
Police identified the driver as 26-year-old James Thornburg of Savannah. He was being held on $20,000 bond at the Bartholomew County jail.
Authorities search for missing man
The Houston County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding a missing person last seen in Savannah.
A release distributed by the Port Wentworth police department on behalf of the Houston County sheriff said 77-year-old Billy Joe Lamb of Warner Robins was last seen at the Liberty Street Parking Garage on March 21.
Lamb has gray/white hair and hazel eyes, but no information is available about what clothes he was wearing or what vehicle he was in at the time he disappeared.
Anyone with information about Lamb or his whereabouts is asked to contact the Houston County Sheriff’s Office at 478-542-2080 or Lt. Dave Carrick at 478-542-2085.
Dean Forest closed to through traffic
Dean Forest Road will be closed to through traffic between U.S. 17 and Interstate 16 beginning today through April 8 for construction.
Access will be provided to all residences and businesses, said Peter Nichols, Chatham County Commission spokesman. Traffic will be detoured to Chatham Parkway.
Benton Boulevard to be closed next week
A section of Benton Boulevard just south of Jimmy DeLoach Parkway will be closed starting Monday for resurfacing of the road.
The work is expected to be complete by April 6, barring rain or other delays, said Peter Nichols, Chatham County Commission spokesman. Through traffic will be detoured to Crossroads Parkway.
Compiled by Corey Dickstein and The Associated Press.