WGAA 1340AM Cedartown

According to Cedartown Assistant Police Chief Jamie Newsome, Demetrius Washington, 22 of Cedartown was shot multiple times Monday night. The 911 call was placed around 9:15p.m. Monday night that an individual had been shot at the corner of Park Street and Pace Street. Police and other emergency crews found Washington lying in the street with several gunshot wounds. Newsome stated the Cedartown Police Department is currently following multiple leads at this time, but no arrests have been made. Newsome encourages anyone with any information about the shooting to contact the Cedartown Police Department at 770-748-4123.

An accident on Piedmont Hwy. Wednesday night shut down traffic for over an hour. The accident occurred in the 1900 block of Piedmont Hwy. between South Lewis Road and Akes Station Road. An SUV traveling in the west bound lane re-ended a pick-up truck that was also traveling in the west bound-lane sending the pick-up truck flying into a ditch. The two individuals traveling in the pick-up truck were taken to Floyd Medical Center with minor injuries and the individual traveling in the SUV was taken to Polk Medical Center with minor injuries. Polk County Police, Cedartown Fire, Redmond EMS and Polk County Fire were all dispatched to the call, and Polk County Police and Polk County Fire remained on scene for clean up of the accident, which was a lengthy project due to the significant amount of tools that were strewn in the ditches and along the side of the road from the pick up truck.

The new year brought tragedy to a Rockmart family with the brutal killing of a 16-year old. Rockmart Police have arrested 34-year old Jermaine Ware and charged him with felony murder and aggravated assault. According to reports police received a call of shots fired in the area of Gordon Street and Church Street on Saturday around 9:00 a.m. Upon arrival of police officers a 16-year old was found laying in the street. The teenager was taken to Floyd Medical center where he was later pronounced dead. The body of the teenager has been sent to the GBI Crime Lab and the name of the teenager has not been released at this time. According to reports a car that may be associated with the murder was recovered Sunday morning. The cause of the conflict between the victim and Ware is unknown at this time, but police do say the two knew each other.

An 18-wheeler hauling concrete in a powder form flipped on its side this morning around 8:15 a.m. on highway 27 North near Lewis Road. The driver, Michael Anthony McGehee, 48 of Lincoln, Alabama was killed in the accident. The truck was traveling north when it apparently left the road climbing an embankment, and eventually rolling on its side. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time and is being investigated. The accident completely shut down the North bound lane and traffic was diverted to the South bound lane around the accident. Cedartown Fire along with Lake Creek fire station, Polk County Police Officers, and the Georgia State Patrol were all on scene of the accident.

The Polk County Narcotics Enforcement Team busted a meth lad yesterday afternoon in Rockmart. Law enforcement officers executed the raid at 112 Floyd Mountain Circle in Rockmart, which lead to two arrests. Lisa Dawn Pope, 42, of 112 Floyd Mountain Circle and James Van Dover, 51, of  2050 Old Cedartown Road in Cedartown were both arrested and charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

The Polk County Police Department shut down Park Street yesterday after the discovery of a possible drug house. According to the Polk County Police Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, two people have been arrested in the investigation. Connie Pendergrass, 49, and Timmy Hall, 40, both of 230 Park Street, were taken into custody and both were charged with two felonies. Pendergrass was charges with possession, manufacturing, and distribution of methamphetamine, and drug trafficking. Hall was also charged with possession, manufacturing, and distribution of methamphetamine, and drug trafficking. Both remain in the Polk County Jail.

Former Polk County Police investigator Mark Sparks has been found guilty on three of six charges in U.S. District Court in Rome. Sparks was accused of running a chop-shop in Cedartown. Sparks was found guilty of informing the target of an investigation that was being investigated, obstructing a criminal investigation, and possession of a Chevrolet pickup truck with an altered vehicle identification number with intention to sell the vehicle. Sparks was found not guilty of operating a chop shop and attempting to dispose of various vehicle parts. Sparks will be sentenced on October 6th, and he plans to appeal.

The Cedartown Fire Department, Redmond EMS, Cedartown Police Officers, Polk County Police Officers, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers responded to a construction equipment accident on Highway 27 North near Wal-Mart, on July 19, 2010. The earth mover was doing work when it went up an embankment and flipped. No one was injured in the accident.

The Polk County Police Department and SWAT team, Polk County Sheriff Kelly McClendon and his team, and Polk County District Attorney Robert Brooks conducted a raid on an alleged dog-fighting facility at 569 Cashtown Loop Road in Aragon. The raid has rescued 33 abused dogs and four people are in custody.Devecio Rowland was arrested and charged with dog fighting, cruelty to animals, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance. Trinice Crews was arrested and charged with dog fighting, cruelty to animals, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance. The raid is the result of a confidential lead from a tip line sponsored by Norred & Associates, an Atlanta-based security firm. Norred investigators contacted the local law enforcement agency and together they conducted a joint investigation. The Atlanta Humane Society deployed their Humane Emergency Animal Rescue Team (HEART) and their fifth-wheel trailer to help evaluate and treat the dogs and transport them to an undisclosed location.

Arrests have been made in the May 3, 2010 armed robbery of Smart-Mart on West Avenue. Cedartown Police along with help from the United States Marshalls have made two arrest according to Assistant Police Chief Jamie Newsome of the Cedartown Police Department. Both men arrested are from the Atlanta area. Both men are being housed at the Polk County Jail and are charged with armed robbery.