A Greensboro man was killed in an accident on his job shortly after 3 p.m Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said 24-year-old Trampus Shelnutt walked in front of a bucket loader at Oconee Sand and Gravel and was run over.  Putnam County Emergency Services and Fire Department personnel arrived at the business on Harmony Road six minutes later and took Shelnutt by ambulance to Putnam General Hospital There was video there at the facility that showed it was clearly a horrible accident.” © 2025 The Eatonton Messenger A Carlton woman remained in the Madison County Jail without bond on Monday following her arrest last week on a murder charge The sheriff’s office identified the suspect as Laurie Dawn Barfield who resided off Lexington Road outside the city limits of Carlton She is charged with killing Robert Daryl Harris Jr. of Eatonton by shooting him once in the head with a rifle “He was deceased on scene from one shot from the rifle,” sheriff’s Capt A sheriff’s deputy was dispatched shortly before 12:30 p.m to the location after Barfield called 911 to report she had shot the man during what Patton said appeared a domestic situation Fraud Investigations: Fraud victims in Athens lose from $11,000 up to nearly $2 million in various scams The nature of the relationship between Barfield and Harris and why he was at the location were not released Investigators were sent to the scene along with crime scene agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation “The statement she gave didn’t add up to what we had at the scene,” Patton said The suspect had alleged self defense after saying that Harris attacked her Patton said the property where the shooting occurred contains two storage buildings Barfield was living in one building and another man in the other but that man was not home at the time of the shooting died after being struck by a minivan on Saturday according to Jones County Deputy Coroner Wayne Grier stepped out into the roadway when she was struck by a minivan traveling north Atrium Medical EMS and Jones County Fire Rescue performed life-saving treatment for about 25 minutes before Baird succumbed to her injuries Grier says the 13-year-old died from blunt force trauma and was pronounced deceased at 7:27 p.m The Jones County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident to determine what exactly happened READ MORE | Seven families displaced after fire engulfs Warner Robins apartment building The Pilot Club of Eatonton has announced that plans and preparations are well underway for the Dairy Festival 2025 Putnam County recognized its local dairy farmers and their contributions to the community at the annual Putnam County Dairy Festival The Dairy Festival has always been held in June because it coincides with National Dairy Month National Dairy Month has been observed each June since 1939 It is recognized and celebrated throughout the country in various ways including fairs and festivals dedicated to honoring and celebrating the production of milk and milk products by dedicated dairy farmers At this year’s Putnam County Dairy Festival a milk production display will be featured with special recognition of youth involvement in the dairy industry's future While the number of dairies in Putnam County has decreased over the years Local dairy farmers continue to work hard to provide safe and wholesome dairy foods They are dedicated and take pride in caring for their cows festival day will start with various foot races this year sponsored by the Eatonton Service League with the Brer Terrapin Trot a platform program featuring local leaders who will be recognized for their involvement in the dairy industry and an introduction to the Dairy Festival Queen and her court Dairy Festival Day in Putnam County is an exciting time filled with fun and activities thanks to the efforts of many volunteers Dairy Festival event T-shirts are currently available for sale at Farmers & Merchants Bank In addition to the Dairy Festival activities scheduled for Saturday there are several events planned for the weekend that attendees are also sure to enjoy For more information about Dairy Festival events, visit putnamcodairyfestival.com or e-mail questions to pilotclubofeatonton@ gmail.com were the first in line on the sidewalk at Whataburger for the ribboncutting ceremony which earned Borders free weekly Whataburger meals for a year Trudi Harwood of Madison picked up free Whataburger meals for a year just by driving one of the first two cars through the pick-up lane Whataburger Market Leader Keith Mason said Eatonton appealed to the restaurant chain due to its location and “hometown feel.” IAN TOCHER/Staff Whataburger employee Jaquana Pinkney delivers a free meal to Eatonton’s Stephen Munoz Just five months after breaking ground in Eatonton  Located near Walmart and Waffle House alongside Hwy Eatonton’s newest fast-food outlet immediately started doing brisk business The gloomy weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits including two drive-through patrons and the first person standing in line outside the front door Nineteen-year-old Stephen Munoz of Eatonton said he parked at the head of the line about 11 p.m Tuesday and was joined less than 15 minutes later by Madison’s Trudi Harwood “I rarely ever do stuff like this,” Munoz admitted shortly after picking up his first-in-line free order of a cheese-and-bacon burger Harwood learned of the contest on Facebook just the night before but she took a chance and returned later that night “I come down here [to Eatonton] to visit my aunt so I just thought this could save some money on those trips,” Harwood said the market leader for Whataburger in Georgia through Texas-based franchisee Made to Order Holdings said the Griffin-based operation selected Eatonton for its eighth Georgia outlet based on the city’s “hometown feel” and growth potential Mason also has personal ties to Putnam County having lived in the Crooked Creek area for a few years after graduating high school "We want to be that restaurant the community can count on to be open 24/7 get involved with the schools and little leaguers and the Chamber of Commerce and enjoy as many events as possible to dig in and build roots here That’s our long-term goal because who knows what Eatonton will be like 20 years from now." Taylor Borders was the first Whataburger customer standing in line at the Eatonton outlet on Wednesday “She stuck it out but was starting to get a little antsy so we were both happy when it finally opened.” Borders said she received various Whataburger-branded items Mason said Made to Order holds Whataburger rights to Fulton He confirmed that a new outlet is already planned for Madison by the end of 2026 and he expects Greensboro and Milledgeville to each get a Whataburger within the next couple of years and then Griffin will be number 10,” Mason said “We’re eventually going to employ about 6,000 people We will do about 40 stores by maybe the middle of 2029.” Mason said the new Eatonton location employs 110 people Shaifer Partners unveiled plans for Lake Country Village this month a mixed-use development off Lake Oconee Parkway and Old Phoenix Road anchored by a Publix grocery store Clearing land for the project began the first week of December the developers said the Lake Country Village development “aims to bring residents and visitors additional shopping convenience and residential components to increase the community’s appeal Shaifer Partners Manager Adam Shaifer emphasized the community-focused vision behind Lake Country Village highlighting its potential to enrich the lives of residents and visitors “Lake Country Village is an opportunity to unite people,” he stated Preparation truly meets opportunity in this instance we’ve been assembling these properties that will become Lake Country Village waiting and thoughtfully responding to the area’s growth,” Shaifer said “Now it is the right time for the Lake Country community to benefit from a place where connections are forged An official groundbreaking event will be scheduled in January 2025 These coin operated amusement machines in the Quick Pantry store in Eatonton yielded cash winnings for those who played them Authorities said the owners and clerks of two convenience stores in Eatonton were arrested last week Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell said he had received numerous complaints that the stores were paying out cash winnings on their gambling machines “I got numerous complaints and we’re just going to be diligent in our job and continue working this,” Cardwell said law enforcement officers with Eatonton Police Department and the Georgia Lottery Corporation went to nine stores in the city and one in the county with search warrants.  According to Cardwell and Putnam Sheriff’s Lt only two of the 10 stores were found to be operating illegally The raids culminated in a joint investigation regarding cash winnings from coin-operated amusement machines (COAMS) are legal in Georgia as long as the winnings are stored as credit or credit for other lottery games the raided businesses were paying out cash winnings “People think it’s no big deal because they say ‘gambling is gambling and it’s going to a good cause; it’s going to education.’ Well referring to the Georgia Lottery’s proceeds that are used to fund specific education programs such as tuition grants Luke explained that when a person buys a lottery ticket 90% of the money goes to the Georgia Lottery it’s the complete other way around,” he said 56% of the money goes to the master license holder (there are only 12 master license holders in the state) Regarding the stores that were operating illegally Luke noted their 34% profit “is folded once and put in their pocket; they’re not paying any taxes on it.” The stores also paid their employees in cash Luke and Cardwell said the complaints came from other legitimate store owners or tobacco prizes ensures a steady flow of customers and and you can’t be paying tobacco,” Luke said the customers won’t come.’ And that’s what the other businesses in town that are legitimately trying to do it right are complaining to us about.” They provided the example of one of the cash-paying stores on East Sumter Street where $547,000 was put into the gambling machine from January until June last year a similar store operating legitimately on Gray Road and another on Milledgeville Road only had $18,000 put into their machines the previous year “They pay out lottery tickets or gift cards like they’re supposed to,” Luke said Arrested during Thursday’s raid were: Nilesh Kumar Shivabhai Patel charged with one count commercial gambling and released on $10,000 property bond; Quantavis Omar Harris charged with two counts commercial gambling and released on $20,000 property bonds; Srinivas Gudisa facing charges of two counts commercial gambling released on $10,000 cash bonds; Kamleshkumar Patel charged with one count commercial gambling Luke said the two stores’ COAM licenses were revoked pending an administrative hearing Cardwell and Luke both said they were glad they did not find any vaping products containing 20% to 50% above the legal limit of Delta-9 THC in the stores this year like they found last year.  more than 17 store clerks and owners were arrested for selling the illegal vape products and/ or operating COAMs illegally Firefighter Denise Hill and Fire Chief Jamey Williamson share the story of the search for the missing man who Hill had just met the day before he got lost A lost Eatonton man was found safe a few hours after he was reported missing.  The timing of his rescue seemed preordained as his rescuer had just met him the day before was last seen when he purchased some groceries from Ingles in Eatonton around 3:30 p.m according to reports from the Eatonton Police Department Smith always walks on his errands due to some medical issues stemming from a previous vehicle accident his sister called the Eatonton Police Department because he had not come back home Eatonton police officer Jeremy McClure met with the sister at Ingles and Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell notified the Eatonton Fire Department so I called the police department because the description of the missing man sounded like the guy I had picked up the day before and given a ride to,” said EFD firefighter Denise Hill “I know exactly who you’re talking about because the day before We were just talking and got to know each other Hill decided to go out looking for Smith in an area off the road between the residential neighborhood and the Ingles grocery store “I put on my PPE (personal protective equipment) because the brush is really tall “We have really good flashlights that shine a long distance.” “I asked if he could see me and he said ‘No saying the story sounded like something out of a movie When Timothy finally appeared in the flashlight’s beam I told him just to stay there and I would come to him,” Hill continued I had to move the brush and cross over the creek he said he’d left his groceries back in the bushes and I said  Eatonton Fire Chief Jamey Williamson said the location he can use it as a shortcut when nothing is growing,” Williamson explained and he said he couldn’t tell where he was because he couldn’t see.” Williamson and Cardwell both commended Hill for her diligence in continuing her search even though the conditions were not favorable and luckily she found him,” Cardwell added A barrage of gunfire outside of Eatonton’s new Waffle House Monday caused quite the chaos but Eatonton police officers were quickly on hand securing the scene According to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell another shooting happened two hours later at the Waffle House in Milledgeville Cardwell said he does not believe the two shootings are related although some of the same people were at both places during each incident Eatonton Police Officer Jeremy McClure was on routine patrol a few minutes before 1 a.m Monday when he saw a large crowd gathered at the Jet Food Store #44 at the intersection of Gray Road and U.S “But the Jet was closed because they started closing at 11:00 (p.m.) because of incidents like this,” Cardwell said the crowd moved across Gray Road into the parking lots of Walmart and Waffle House so McClure parked in Zaxby’s parking lot so he could keep an eye on both places.  Cardwell said that the Waffle House was busy with many cars and people in the parking lot and standing room only inside “because a lot of folks were leaving clubs and going to eat.” A small crowd of approximately 30 people stood at the bottom of the Waffle House driveway and smoke from the gun was seen rising in the sky behind the crowd near Zaxby’s “I don’t know which direction they were firing running off and firing back into the crowd It’s surprising to me there weren’t a lot of victims.” McClure noted that when he heard the gunshot he notified the radio dispatcher to call for backup and pulled out his department-issued rifle “I observed multiple individuals running from the area of Waffle House; some of them were firing in the air,” he reported “I made it to the area between Zaxby’s and Waffle House when I heard gunfire coming past me I went prone and waited for them to stop firing before I moved down towards the Waffle House to check for any injured persons Dispatch notified me that there were possible shooters inside the Waffle House as I got closer so I went inside the Waffle House and made sure everyone got out safely The constant rapid gunfire continued for approximately 20 seconds on the recordings and Cardwell said police gathered about 30 shell casings from the scene so far including one lodged into the exterior wall of the Zaxby’s building At least two cars were hit by bullets as well The shell casings are 9 mm from handguns and .223s from automatic rifles Cardwell said the restaurant manager provided him immediate access to the security camera footage from both outside and inside the restaurant but I didn’t recognize anybody in the video,” he said Linc Boyer from Milledgeville Police Department.” Cardwell used the security camera footage to obtain a description of the car the shooter drove off in and entered the information into the city’s and county’s Flock Street Camera System and we found out whose car it was,” he said The car belonged to a person in Greene County so Cardwell contacted Greene County authorities He and Officer Hargrove Jones went to Greene County Sunday and along with assistance from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 16-year-old male who cannot be identified because he is a juvenile  The teen was the driver of the vehicle the shooter was in The juvenile was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct Cardwell said he has warrants for the shooter’s arrest but has not found him yet they also talked to other witnesses from the scene who told them the first gunshot was fired during an argument between two young women “I understood they’d been at a party in Hancock but I can’t confirm that because I don’t know for sure,” Cardwell added Major Boyer was on his way to Eatonton to help Cardwell identify people in the security camera footage when he received a call He had to turn around and go back to Milledgeville because another shooting had taken place at a Waffle House there a shooting occurred at the Waffle House at 1683 North Columbia Street Brandon Sellers identified the victim as Kenneth Earl Jordan who had been shot in the shoulder area of his chest he was taken to the emergency department of Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin Hospital by four men who had been at the Waffle House in Eatonton during that shooting “Boyer called me and asked if there was a silver SUV at our shooting you need to come to Baldwin County ER because I think we have your guys down here.” Cardwell said he went to the hospital and talked to the victim and the other four men they said they were at the Eatonton Waffle House “They said they left and just drove up (to Milledgeville Waffle House) and they picked him up and took him to the ER the contents of their car caused them to get some charges.” Sellers said a search of the SUV revealed four weapons were each charged with one count of theft by receiving stolen property A law enforcement officer charged Gilmore with one count of obstruction All four were arrested at the Atrium Hospital and are being held in the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center jail Chief Cardwell said no charges have been filed against any of those men about the shooting in Eatonton Regarding the shooter of the Milledgeville incident and we believe the shooting was the result of self-defense,” he explained noting both men said they had been arguing earlier that weekend Cardwell said he continues to work with Milledgeville and Putnam County authorities to identify people in the security camera videos and more charges or arrests may be forthcoming and Sheriff Howard Sills are all a big help,” he said “I want the message out that we are tired of this kind of thing in Eatonton and won’t tolerate it People can’t even go out to eat late at night anymore and feel safe because bullets don’t have a name on them.” Cardwell requests anyone with information regarding the shooting to call him at 706-485-3551 or 478-288-3386 The body of a woman who is believed to have drowned was recovered in Lake Oconee by Georgia Dept of Natural Resources law enforcement officers Sunday morning and they are still searching for the man she may have been with Putnam County Deputy Coroner Andre Williams identified the woman as 49-year-old Joycelyn Nicole Wilson of Atlanta Wilson’s body was reportedly floating in Lake Oconee near the Long Shoals area Williams said the cause of death is undetermined until the results of an autopsy which will be done at the state crime lab in Decatur He said there were no markings or wounds on her body when she was pulled from the lake.  Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said an unoccupied boat was seen going around in circles in the water around 5:30 p.m “It was not reported to Putnam County Sheriff’s Office but was reported to DNR game wardens through [their] Grovetown office,” Sills said noting that DNR did not call PCSO until Sunday morning the phone call was made when DNR needed someone to go to The Lodge hotel Taylor Bingham said game wardens had been using sonar-equipped boats to search for the two missing boaters He said they continued searching for the man who has yet to be identified by authorities but suspended the search in the dark and would resume it Monday morning He said the couple was boating in an 11-foot Sun Dolphin vessel with an 18-horsepower motor.  The Georgia DNR law enforcement’s Critical Incident Reconstruction Team was also brought in to assist in the investigation and search.  Tragedy struck a home on Harmony Road during the wee hours of Wednesday morning Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said a call came into the 911 Emergency Center at 4:23 a.m. and a man told them his address and said he had just shot his wife and was going to kill himself Sills and deputies rushed to the address on the 800 block of Harmony Road but could not get anyone to answer the door we found two victims in the bed along with two dogs also in the bedroom; all four were dead,” he said He identified the victims as Timothy Brown had been shot with a .22 rifle while inside of their crate “They could’ve very well been asleep when they were shot,” he said The couple had been shot with a .380 semi-automatic pistol The sheriff’s office had no history of domestic violence calls at that address and the next-door neighbor told deputies they had heard no arguments or gunshots “But they probably wouldn’t have heard them because they were asleep He added that there was no sign of a struggle or fight in the residence Putnam County Coroner Hollis Harrison said the neighbor told him the couple had just celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary last month The bodies were sent to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy To access content, please login or purchase a subscription to the late Carl Arthur Scheller and Minnie Lee Jones Scheller Russell was preceded in death by his cherished wife of 30 years Linda Joyce Stafford Scheller; his brothers and Roger Darrell Scheller; and his sisters Amelia Lou Scheller and Barbara Kay Christiansen Russell was a proud grandfather to Ashley Fal and a great-grandfather to Lily Fal and Renlee Fal Russell’s honorable service in the United States Army where he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal reflected the pride and dedication he carried into every aspect of his life He was a member of the First Independent Methodist Church of Eatonton Russell was a man of quiet strength and profound kindness He had a heart of gold and was truly a gentle giant who always gave the best hugs.  He found joy in caring for his yard and had a deep love and strong passion for landscaping tending to his home with pride and dedication Russell will be remembered for his generous spirit and the love he shared with his family and friends He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him Vining Ivy Hill Chapel was in charge of the arrangements co-owner of The Meat Locker with her husband Darin beside her makes the official ribbon cut April 4 with Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce President Robbie King (in sunglasses) looking on Though operating for more than a month now The Meat Locker held its official ribbon cutting last Friday jointly hosted by the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce and its Baldwin-based counterpart Co-owned by husband-and-wife partners Darin and Lisa Simmons including sausage prepared on-site by The Meat Locker butchers The store also provides a selection of seafood basic groceries including Georgia-grown fruits and vegetables as well as a wide variety of specialty jams It also offers breakfast and lunch options to go after buying a home on Lake Sinclair about 15 years ago Darin Simmons said his family decided to move to Putnam County full-time last May to build the new store from scratch this kind of store is everywhere and all of them seem to do pretty good,” Simmons explained I couldn’t believe there wasn’t anything like this here because almost everybody we know comes to the lake and grills and cooks out Though it’s a beacon destination in the countryside Simmons said he specifically chose the Pea Ridge Road location because it’s not far off Hwy Research showed that it’s the most heavily trafficked road in Putnam County and it’s within relatively easy reach of Eatonton the formerly heavily wooded lot that The Meat Locker now sits upon proved challenging to prepare for construction I almost had to stop and throw up,” he admitted “It basically looked like a cliff off the side of the road We had to move about 11,000 yards of dirt.” there is plenty of flat space for parking now and Simmons stressed he couldn’t be happier with The Meat Locker’s location and his family’s decision to move to Lake Country full time “I’ve never been anywhere in my life and worked for people in a community like this where people are coming in and paying you and telling you ‘Thank you.’ Think about that; what a great place to be “This is a family-owned and operated store we want to get to know everybody individually know what they bought the last time they were in,” Simmons continued I want it to be a close-knit place for everyone we announce the passing of James Lloyd Clemons surrounded by his family and enveloped in love Rubye Harris Clemons and James Lloyd Clemons Sr. Cornelius Harris (Ethel) of Milledgeville; his sister Angela Harris Dennis (Thaddeus) of Eatonton; his parents-in-law Victoria and Daniel Morgan of Eatonton; his sister-in-law Alexis D’Angelo (James) of Eatonton; nephews Aidan and Noah Sinohui of Eatonton; niece Kournesia Harris of Milledgeville; aunts Lillie Harris and Katherine Farley of Madison; Lula Harris of Warner Robins; Doris Harris of Cochran; Hattie Clemons of Eatonton; uncle Howard Clemons of Eatonton; half-sister Kimberly Rowland; and an abundance of family and friends and the love of his life (whom he called ‘Bookie’) was his life’s mission Chub dedicated many years of his life to Lights of Oconee as their warehouse manager where he was deeply valued and considered part of the family He graduated from Putnam County High School and remained a War Eagle through and through even while sitting on the Monticello Hurricanes' side with his wife Chub’s infectious personality made him instantly likable to all He made everyone who entered his home feel welcome He loved deep-frying turkeys for the holidays and singing corny old love songs to Shawna they loved spending time with their family especially at the beach or in the mountains He was a uniquely warm presence on this earth and will be incredibly missed by all who were lucky to know him Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Sunday Both will be held at Vining Ivy Hill Chapel (105 Lower Harmony Rd In honor of Chub’s love for Georgia sports loved ones are encouraged to wear attire from their favorite Georgia teams Photo courtesy of Georgia Writer’s Museum Hats off to Savannah for being the most haunted city in Georgia But where do you go for screams and gasps after visiting The Pirates’ House where local drunk citizens were once smuggled through a tunnel onto a waiting pirate ship Georgia Writers Museum’s annual Haunted Eatonton is the scariest way to celebrate Halloween The spooky 90-minute tours will be held on Thursday starting at 7pm when the otherworldly residents come alive Tickets are $40 each ($35 each for two or more tickets) This year’s tour will include the Eatonton Abandoned Jail This chilling experience has been choreographed in partnership with Arts Barn and co-sponsored by the Eatonton Putnam Chamber Each site has been thoroughly investigated by the Southeastern Institute of Paranormal Research If you want to investigate during your tour Ghost Hunting Tools (for Apple or Android) Please remember to turn the sound off on the App If you think you see a ghost and want to take a photo take at least three photos of the same space Oftentimes ghosts are shy and will not show up on the first photo While we consider the tour PG-13 for frights (no inappropriate language or mature content) we have hosted children as young as nine years old One of the best examples on the tour is Sylvia Eatonton’s most famous apparitional resident She roams the rooms and stairs of the elegant Panola Hall Rumors around town suggest Sylvia fell down the stairs or jumped to her death from her upper-story window upon hearing of her fiancé’s untimely death The house even features an eerie tunnel under the front porch that leads to…no one actually knows If you are brave enough, you can register by contacting Georgia Writers Museum (www.georgiawritersmuseum.org) You must be logged in to post a comment Piedmont Water owner Adam Shaifer (center) cuts the ribbon for the company’s Customer Care and Learning Center April 15 as employees To access content, please login or purchase a subscription Rashawd Ford will make his directorial debut late this month at The Plaza in a musical version of Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple.” IAN TOCHER/Staff beyond a pair of screenings of “The Color Purple” movie starring Whoopie Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in January 1986 at The Pex Theater the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece by Eatonton’s own Alice Walker has never been publicly performed here musical version of “The Color Purple” will be on stage Feb marking the debut of the Young Directors Series at The Plaza Arts Center in downtown Eatonton who is no stranger to The Plaza stage as an interpretive dancer this production of “The Color Purple” will feature several local student actors and others from as far away as Gainesville and Helen Ford said he connected with many through word-of-mouth and social media posts After graduating from Putnam County High School in 2019 Ford attended Gordon State College in Barnesville He now teaches theater at Peachtree Academy and in a similar role at Alcovy High School in the same city Ford continues to study his craft online through the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York “It keeps me on my feet every minute of every hour,” he said ranging from pre-K students to young teenagers and novices Ford knows that personal attention and direction are crucial to getting the most out of each performer “I’m excited to introduce them to this kind of experience,” he said but at least they try and get exposed to it our Celie (played by Goldberg in the movie) she’s never done anything like this before She’s never been on stage other than for American Idol Ford said he also chose “The Color Purple” for his directorial debut because he has ancestral ties to Walker He added that he doesn’t expect her to know that but he suggested that the author is probably at least aware of his great-great-grandmother.  Ford added that he’s trying hard not to get his hopes up but he was told Walker is aware of his production in Eatonton and that she may even make the trip home to see a performance “Her niece did call me and put it in my ear she may be coming,’ so you just never know,” Ford said “I’m just so super excited just because she knows about it Ford hopes a broad cross-section of Eatonton and Putnam County citizens will attend to experience the entertainment and message she intended with The Color Purple as a novel For anyone who hasn’t yet read the book or seen the movie Ford said that’s okay; they will still get a lot out of his musical “And The Color Purple is not only for Black people; it was written for everybody It’s written for everybody in the community,” he stressed “It is a story that has everybody united to be united I feel as if it will bring so many people together again It’s going to tell a story that needs to be told I just think people are going to love it like I do.” Good seats for all showings of “The Color Purple” at The Plaza are $25 each and available at app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=plaza The Labor Day holiday weekend was marred by tragedy Friday night when an Eatonton man lost his life in a  vehicle crash.  Residents along Scott Road reported hearing a loud boom and then losing their electrical power around 10:30 p.m.  A 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe had crashed into a utility pole according to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.  was a passenger in the SUV and was killed in the crash was walking around talking to emergency responders at the scene One of the men was in the process of moving from their residence and they were pulling a homemade trailer behind the Tahoe As they rounded the curve at the shopping center where Bruzze Brewing is located Barrett reportedly lost control of the vehicle The Tahoe went off the road and clipped a utility pole breaking it in half and causing the broken power lines to hang suspended over the road Residents and businesses in the area were without electricity for approximately four hours until Tri-County EMC linemen managed to restore it.  The trailer was dislodged from the Tahoe during the crash went down an embankment and into the shopping center's paved parking lot It landed upright a few feet away from one of the buildings.  Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Fazio had just responded to a burglar alarm on Scott Road To access content, please login or purchase a subscription A 64-year-old man died last night after being hit by a car according to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell Eatonton Bypass around midnight when a car struck him Wight succumbed to his injuries while in the ambulance en route to the Macon Medical Center Wight had car trouble and had parked his car on the side of the road about 800 feet away from where he was sitting noting the location was in the northbound lane between Ingles and Glenwood Springs Road.  “Witnesses said he was sitting in the middle of the road and one car saw him and swerved around him and the driver of the car behind that one couldn’t see him and struck him on the right side of its door panel,” Cardwell explained Putnam County Coroner Hollis Harrison said due to the “strange situation,” he requested an autopsy but the GBI Crime Lab medical examiner refused to do it Harrison ruled the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and extremities.  No charges are being filed in the incident See more details from the investigation in the upcoming edition of The Eatonton Messenger.  Morgan James and the OPAS Philharmonic closed out the 2024 fall season for the Oconee Performing Arts Society at downtown Greensboro’s historic Festival Hall the Oconee Performing Arts Society (OPAS) is looking forward to opening its 2025 schedule on Feb 21 with Mardi Gras and All That Jazz at Barrel 118 in Eatonton featuring celebrated trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling as guest artist Last year’s fall season culminated in a sold-out performance of Fa-la-la This unforgettable evening of holiday magic captivated audiences with a soulful blend of timeless classics and stunning arrangements “Closing our fall season with Morgan James and the OPAS Philharmonic was truly a highlight,” OPAS Artistic Director Doug LaBrecque said “Their extraordinary talent and the moving work of some local students brought the holiday spirit to life in a way that resonated deeply with our audience and patrons for making Fa-la-la a memorable community event.” OPAS is excited to open a new year with Stripling in Mardi Gras and All That Jazz Known for his dynamic stage presence and electrifying performances Stripling will bring the spirit of The Bayou to life in a lively one-night-only concert filled with vintage sounds of old New Orleans Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and vocal soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra He has played and recorded with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie Among the world's most prolific and respected trumpeters Stripling is also the principal pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony PBS fans will recognize him from on-air appearances at The Hollywood Bowl and The Boston Pops both of which have played extensively on that station The OPAS Lounge Series offers an intimate setting for audiences to experience exceptional talent up close and this year’s Mardi Gras and All That Jazz promises to be no exception Eatonton) as the opening event for this year’s Lake Oconee Mardi Gras Festival.  The festival will also include a Mardi Gras-themed mixology class led by Melanie Schneider It will conclude March 1 with “Arte Gras,” an annual fundraising event to benefit The Artisan’s Village and the local arts community Putnam County largely spared the storm’s wrath Crews work on downed limbs and power lines at the intersection of North Maple Avenue and Madison Road at the north end of Eatonton A Tri-County EMC crew from Eatonton heads out to Lyons County to assist with power recovery efforts there This decommissioned firetruck at Old Hudson Plantation holds a remote clay pigeon shooter at the top of its ladder Tonya Evans of Sunnydale Drive in Putnam County said this tree fell last Thursday during Hurricane Helene’s visit To access content, please login or purchase a subscription The Eatonton Messenger sat down with Putnam County Sheriff Howard R Sills to find out how or if he anticipates his office will be affected by President Donald Trump’s proclamation to close the southern border and deport undocumented residents who reside in or pass through Putnam County “We’ve got to do something; you can’t just let thousands of people cross the border,” Sills said as he began the conversation “We really can’t appreciate the difficulty on the border You’d have to talk to my colleagues who are on the border to understand the problem better.” Regarding Trump “rounding up all these people,” Sills said the federal government is not capable of doing that “Their bureaucracy is such that it’s impossible,” he opined “What they need to concentrate on is deporting all these criminals anyone who was in another country and wanted to claim political asylum would go to the U.S consulate or embassy in that country to do so and the first person you saw claimed political asylum,” he said Sills said he wasn’t sure exactly when that practice changed but “there have been millions to cross the border during the previous administration.” “And these are the ones that they know about,” he said “God knows how many they do not know about Because almost exclusively everyone that we have dealt with here from a criminal standpoint did not claim political asylum The American public doesn’t understand any of this.” Sills said he has not received any calls from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and doesn’t expect to be called “unless we have somebody they want.” He explained that the previous four years of enforcement vastly differed from when President Barack Obama and President George W anyone who was convicted of a felony was deported or sent to prison first and then deported when they were released “And when we would arrest somebody who had perpetrated a felony would automatically put a hold on them because I always notified them,” he said then we honor that hold just like we would if the sheriff of any other county put a hold on them we would apprehend them and detain them just like we would if we encountered somebody who the New York City Police Department or Atlanta Police Department wanted After the murder of Laken Riley last year in Athens-Clarke County Georgia laws added or amended in 2024 include Georgia Code Titles 35 which require local law enforcement agencies and penal institutions to enter into agreements with federal agencies for the enforcement of immigration laws if he or his deputies encountered a wanted person “We’ve been doing that all along; we’ve never not done it,” he explained “Every individual that we encounter in the day-to-day work that we deal with we’re going to check that person to see if they’re wanted — wanted by the FBI the updated amendments to legislature require local law enforcement agencies to report to the Georgia Dept of Audits every illegal person they come in contact with but now our legislature has passed this onerous task on us that we’ve got to start keeping these records,” he added “And it’s only because a couple of Georgia sheriffs were not doing what they were supposed to do I would suggest that they put those two sheriffs in jail and leave the rest of us alone because we’ve got more than we can do already.” Georgia Code 42 requires officials of jails or detention centers to “make a reasonable effort within 48 hours of a person’s arrival to determine the person's nationality and [if] they are an illegal alien.” Sills recalled two cases in the past two years and some this month in which his deputies encountered suspects or victims who had trouble learning their immigration status he paused mid-sentence to laugh incredulously and you’re an American citizen and you’ve been arrested before in the last three or four decades But we don’t have access to that information anywhere else We don’t know what kind of record you have in Guatemala; we don’t know what you’ve done in Germany “I’ll give you a great example — back when the Nuwaubians were here I encountered a South African national during those investigations The protocol at the time was that if you wanted information or criminal history “When people say we’re not vetting these individuals but the process of doing it takes too long there’s no checking anybody unless we have some kind of relationship with this other country.” daughter of Emory Van & Dorothy Gregory Manley in the Pea Ridge community of Putnam County and died February 10 Martha was married to Eatonton native Edward I until they returned to Eatonton to live in the Adams home place in 2001.  Martha was preceded in death by her parents She is survived by her son Eddie and wife Susan Adams daughter Dorothy Adams and husband Jim Bowden and daughter Kathy and husband Mike Rainey Martha was the proud and loving Grandmother of 6 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren Martha was a member of Eatonton Presbyterian Church and the United Daughters of the Confederacy She also served on the Foundation Boards of Putnam General Hospital and the Old School History Museum of Eatonton Martha was a cheerleader and basketball player at Eatonton High School and the last surviving member of the Class of 1947 The family will be available to greet friends on Friday The celebration of Martha’s life will be celebrated on Saturday memorial donations can be made to the Old School History Museum Vining Ivy Hill Chapel is in charge of arrangements NOTE: Results are unofficial until they are certified Putnam County election results from our man on the scene who said of 16,650 registered Putnam voters PresidentDonald Trump 9130Kamala Harris 3694 10 CongressionalMike Collins 9365Lexy Doherty 3222 Putnam County District 1Tom McElhenney 1766Jerry Swafford 883 Putnam County District 2Richard Garrett 1087Daniel Brown 1069 Constitutional Amendment 1: Statewide Homestead Exemption that may differentiate among political subdivisionsYes 7781No 4348 Constitutional Amendment 2: Provides for statewide tax courtNo 6005Yes 5964 Statewide Referendum: Raise tangible property tax exemption from $7,500 to $20,000Yes 8070No 4223 Putnam County exemption of education ad valorem tax for age 70 and overYes 9179No 3040 We'll have more in the paper next week since we had to go to print with The Messenger late this afternoon before the results were available Josh and Lauren Sprayberry (left) were joined by family members in a ceremonial groundbreaking last Thursday for the Len Resort & Residences slated for completion in May 2026 on the Putnam County shores of Lake Oconee Construction equipment has been hard at work on the Len Resort & Residences site having already cleared a substantial amount of trees and underbrush from the site off Collis Road in Putnam County A groundbreaking ceremony for the Len Resort & Residences on the Putnam County side of Lake Oconee last Thursday afternoon attracted a sizable crowd largely made up of Putnam and Greene counties’ movers and shakers marked by over a half-dozen pieces of large construction equipment parked across a temporarily denuded landscape reaching a quarter mile or more to the lake the event officially marked five years’ worth of prep work 50-acre lakefront development anchored by a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel plus 49 condominium and townhome-style residences was the first to speak before nearly 200 observers gathered beneath and around a large tent She described the Len Resort development as having “been in the works since 2019” and intended “to blend historic traditions with modern amenities.” Len Resort event will eventually have four food and beverage outlets a 46,000-square-foot resort-style pool near the lake The development is expected to be completed by May 2026 with the first phase of residences now available for reservation and purchase “This will be Anchor Marina’s second location on Lake Oconee,” added Lauren Sprayberry the original Anchor location alongside Highway 44 also on the Putnam County side of the lake “This Marina will provide the rental boats for the hotel,” she said you can reserve a boat to rent as well to enjoy the lake and the natural beauty of the shores of Lake Oconee.” “will enjoy exclusive access to all of these amenities along with premium services such as concierge golf cart pickup to the marina and full-service property management with a projected completion date of May 2026,” Lauren Sprayberry said residence owners will enjoy “elite status” with Marriott Bonvoy with the option to include their unit(s) within the property's rental inventory and earn additional Marriott Bonvoy points Up next at the podium was Marriott Senior Director of Brand Development and Operations Tony Nacci who explained that Marriott’s Autograph Collection tagline is “Exactly like nothing else.” He also said he has “the easy job” when working with visionaries like the Sprayberrys and Kyle Kanye Marriott’s vice president of development for its Eastern region “I get the fun job of just working with the creatives and bringing this project to life I’ve said before that whenever you can build a hotel on the water “And I’m sure that this property is going to have huge success very similar to the Ritz Carlton that we already have here on the lake.” Nacci then passed the microphone to Georgia native Sloan Dean president and CEO Of Remington Hospitality including three prior Marriott Autograph locations.  but this is unique in that it not only brings a kind of Southern charm and hospitality but it also brings a sense of boating and water activity that I think many families are looking for,” Dean said “And the residential component just adds to the entire experience.” Georgia Department of Economic Development Mark Jaronski spoke next He said agriculture currently remains the state’s most significant industry making projects like the Len Resort & Residences that much more important to Georgia Jaronski said Governor Brian Kemp had announced just two days earlier that Georgia hosted approximately 171 million visitors statewide last year and other recreation — or vacation-based activities “On everything that Josh and Lauren and the team that just spoke to you are going to put into action here in just a few months or maybe years,” Jaronski said He also mentioned that the latest tourism figures represented “a double-digit increase” for the fourth year in a row “the second consecutive year of record-breaking tourism in the state,” and that for the fourth-straight year Georgia recorded “the number-five market share in the country for domestic overnight stays.” Jaronski also said he’s been aware of the Len Resort project almost from its beginning recalling a visit years ago to the same site as the groundbreaking and Josh and Lauren had me out here three or four years ago and you can imagine at the state we see and hear about a lot of projects when they are conceived,” Jaronski told the assembled crowd “And I’ve been with the state now for a little over four years and I’ve not seen one move from concept to reality this quickly the vision that was mentioned is absolutely there.” He spent about 10 minutes listing his appreciation for supporters and believers in his Len Resorts & Residences dream He ended with a heartfelt thank you to his wife and the rest of his family for their continuing help and support Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills talks to reporters Monday about the boating incident on Lake Oconee after which the body of Jocelyn Nicole Wilson was discovered The search for Gary Laron Jones continued Tuesday on Lake Oconee by multiple law enforcement and emergency rescue agencies Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said nine Georgia Department of Natural Resources boats and Putnam County Fire Rescue boats were manned and searching the lake all day Sills said most of the boats were equipped with sonar Sills said the missing boater went out on Lake Oconee around 3:30 p.m was found dead and floating on Lake Oconee Sunday on Feb DNR game wardens recovered her body.  Wilson had been a mathematics professor at Spelman College since 2007 Jones is a track-and-field coach at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta were engaged and came to Lake Oconee to celebrate his 50th birthday Sills said their boat contained a large chocolate chip cookie decorated with frosting when the couple’s 11-foot Sundolphin boat reportedly circled Lake Oconee unoccupied Sills said he was out on the lake alone searching in his boat Sunday but due to the cold temperatures and winds no other law enforcement searchers were out that day Jones’ friends and concerned local residents are circulating “Missing Person” posters around Lake Oconee with Jones’ picture In conversation with news reporters Monday Sills said he didn’t think Jones would be found until his body came up in the lake which he estimates would happen about 14-20 days after the boating incident “They are welcome to put out posters searching for a missing person,” Sills said searching the lake isthe  proper use of our resources right now.” Sills said he registered Jones as a missing person on the National Crime Information Center and he will continue to be on NCIC as a missing person until his body is found Regarding people who think a boating accident happened Sills said the boat has no damage and no evidence that it crashed into something Sills explained the timeline of the events that he has confirmed using Flock cameras they went straight to the Marathon Gas Station off Greensboro Road Wilson drove the pickup truck with the attached boat trailer to The Lodge on Lake Oconee where she parked the vehicle and checked them into the hotel Jones drove the boat from Fish Tale to The Lodge helped Wilson load some items onto the ship a person called 911 and reported seeing the Sun Dolphin circling in the water with the engine running considering how much Jones and Wilson weigh and adding the weight of the boat motor and gas tank there were about 400 pounds on the small boat.  he said it would have taken them more than an hour and a half to reach the point where their boat was discovered “So whatever happened to them happened immediately,” Sills said The caller’s 911 call went to Greene County’s Emergency 911 Service and the dispatcher notified the Georgia DNR dispatch center in Grovetown Two DNR game wardens arrived to secure the boat and search for its occupants DNR called the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and requested a deputy go to The Lodge to pick up the couple’s belongings.  Sills ordered the room locked and secured in case evidence was needed After learning from a friend about the missing couple Lake Oconee residents Jeff and Kristy Everett took their boat out Sunday morning to assist DNR in their search Jeff phoned a family member who worked at Wallace Dam to see if water had been released Saturday evening When he learned that water had been released the Everetts drove their boat toward the dam to search I saw the body out there in the standing timber right close to Jumping Rock,” Everett told the Lake Oconee News Everett’s wife notified the DNR game wardens and Jeff helped them pull Wilson’s body from the water Putnam County Deputy Coroner Andre Williams said Wilson’s cause of death was undetermined and took the body to the GBI state crime lab in Decatur for an autopsy Sills said the autopsy revealed some air in Wilson’s lungs that doesn’t mean she didn’t drown; that just explains why her body floated instead of sinking to the bottom,” he said As word spread about the beloved high school track coach’s disappearance and unknown condition The sheriff expressed gratitude for all the assistance some of those bass fishermen have electronics that are far more sophisticated than we do,” he said One of the cadaver dogs brought in by what Sills described as “a reputable group,” alerted twice during the search last week in the same area where Wilson’s body was found a cadaver dog was searching by land and had a hit on the shoreline of that area.  The sheriff said DNR put down “some sort of robot” to search the area but found nothing “The dog handler said it could have been some residual leftover from Wilson’s body there,” Sills said the bottom of the lake looks like Mount St which Sills described as “too broad an area to try to drag,” and the standing timbers make dragging impossible and lakes and rivers will give up a body when they want to,” he said Sills noted that other agencies are welcome to assist in the search At some point in the search (Sills said he wasn’t exactly sure when) They were about 15 yards apart in water up against the bank,” he described Sills said that no mud was found on Jones’ shoes which meant he had never climbed out of the water and I know that if I climbed out of the water and stepped onto the shore anywhere the shoes would have mud on them,” he said “I know because I’ve done it hundreds of times myself.” Sills said he was confident the shoes belonged to Jones because he found out from the game wardens that they sent a picture of the shoes to one of Jones’ brothers who identified the size 13 gray Nikes as ones that looked like what Gary wore I noticed he was wearing them in the security video at the Marathon,” Sills added Sills announced late Wednesday evening that he had taken over the investigation with the assistance of the DNR He said he had discussed the transition with DNR Deputy Commissioner Thomas Bernard and that it was now a “death investigation.” in the State of Georgia are required by law to be investigated pursuant to Title 45,” Sills said “As I became more aware of the circumstances and events of [Wednesday] I determined that it’s time we step in and take over this investigation.” He explained that he had to get search warrants to examine the inside of the boat He is also searching their belongings for evidence that may aid in the search or explain what happened He noted that the cowl of the boat’s motor was removed which suggests that Jones had been working on it “If he had the throttle wide open and all of a sudden it cranked and both of them could’ve gone out of that boat just like that,” he said but things happen to you in 48-degree water swimming They had a long way to go on either side if they were out there in the middle like that.” Goodwill of Middle Georgia hopes to expand in Putnam County An artist’s rendering of the potential Goodwill/Southeastern development planned off Harmony Road shows an entrance past various Goodwill training and retail facilities leading to several levels of detached and semi-detached homes at varied price points The Goodwill Village planned near the proposed Southeastern Real Estate Group development will include an Edgar’s Bakehouse Cafe similar to one already operating in Augusta To access content, please login or purchase a subscription Yellow crime tape surrounds the burned mobile home on East Marion Street Monday The left side of the home was completely burned away and the rest of the interior gutted and/or charred by the flames To access content, please login or purchase a subscription and moved to Eatonton in 1952 with his beloved wife Billy led an extraordinary life of passion and dedication to his family and community had a career that was as varied as it was impactful He earned his bachelor’s degree in Vocational Agriculture Education from the University of Georgia on June 4 He began his teaching career at Putnam County High School where he taught agriculture and served as the FFA advisor mentoring countless young people in his community Billy became superintendent of Putnam County Schools He continued his dedication to public service by serving two terms as mayor of Eatonton leaving a lasting imprint on the community he loved always ready to lend a hand to those in need becoming the first person to water ski on the lake and later building his own ski jump always including his family in his sports and hobbies Billy shared his passions with those he loved and his boundless energy and enthusiasm for life inspired everyone around him Billy was also known for his love of working in the garden and driving his bulldozer Always active and living life to the fullest he remained healthy and engaged for over 90 years He lived life on his own terms—empowered and never victimized by anything His vitality and zest for life inspired all who knew him and his family and friends will deeply miss his vibrant spirit and the community he served with dedication and pride The family requests donations to Putnam Christian Outreach instead of flowers Vining Ivy Hill Chapel is in charge of the arrangements To access content, please login or purchase a subscription once a major way station approximately halfway between Milledgeville and Athens represented the oldest structure on Saturday’s Eatonton Expedition presented by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation The Haley Family at their home near Rock Eagle (l-r) L-R: EHPC Chair Lyn Romine with local residents Vicki and Gary Bohe-Thackwell at Sylvia’s Coffee Shop in downtown Eatonton Buddy and Sara Nolan spent two years converting the space above Sara’s downtown Eatonton womenswear shop into a cool Virginia and Michael Wright welcomed guests into their 1880s-built home on Eatonton’s historic Madison Avenue Eatonton residents John and Gina Thomason said they appreciated the opportunity to see inside some of the city’s most historic residences executive director of Georgia Writers Museum chats with Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Board Chair Ruth Bracewell EHPC board member Diane Folk hosted Eatonton Expedition visitors at her 1818-era house With 829 tickets sold and 802 picked up at The Plaza Saturday morning the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Eatonton Expedition set a new all-time attendance record for the 51-year-old organization.  Visitors arrived in Eatonton from seven states “I think they were surprised by that number; I know I was,” Eatonton Historic Preservation Commission (EHPC) Chair Lyn Romine admitted “We were hoping for maybe 300 to 400 because Milledgeville had one last June and drew about 500 guests too; we did not choose the time of year,” she added It was before football and after school started Twenty-two sites were part of the Expedition all were within walking distance of The Plaza co-owner of Panola Hall on North Madison Avenue with his wife said he couldn’t believe the crowd's interest which developed immediately upon the Expedition's 11 a.m And I think every one of them came to visit us,” Homeier said I’m just so thankful for the volunteer docents who were there to help Romine said more than 100 volunteers helped make the Eatonton Expedition a success and I think everyone had a great time,” she said “Eatonton can be proud of the way everyone responded and helped out I think the people from the Trust were blown away by our support and response here.” who hosted the Expedition’s afterparty outdoors at their 1855-built home said it was a lot of work but a pleasant experience overall like when they’re going to The Masters,” said Murray Air "It was a lot of work getting everything ready but the Georgia Trust did most of the structural work of getting things going But the visits through the homes just went just as smooth as could be the Eatonton Police Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and “so many local people who each contributed in their own way to making this such a success.” An Eatonton young man lost his life Sunday morning in a two-vehicle crash died instantly in the wreck that happened on  Gray Highway around 10:40 a.m. crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic according to evidence at the scene as well as witness statements and the motorhome ran over the top of the Kia See this week’s Eatonton Messenger for more details The Plaza announced a bonus performance of “The Color Purple,” scheduled for 2 p.m though ticket sales were not yet available online as of press time A musical version of “The Color Purple,” based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Eatonton native Alice Walker completed a five-show run Sunday afternoon playing to near-sold-out crowds for each performance at The Plaza Arts Center in downtown Eatonton demand grew so high for tickets that shortly after the final scheduled show first-time director Rashawd Ford did a masterful job of auditioning and selecting actors then providing them with the freedom to execute and excel within a carefully and effectively choreographed performance Work is well underway on the expansive Ralin Construction site behind Putnam County Middle School alongside Hwy Current students add their names to an already well-covered structural beam destined for use in the new Putnam County Elementary School Putnam County Charter School System Superintendent Derick Austin adds his signature to a large metal beam that will soon be added to the structure of a brand-new Putnam County Elementary School Scan to take a first look at new Putnam County Elementary School To access content, please login or purchase a subscription A Ford F150 driven by 21-year-old Omar Palacos-Balderas shows severe damage from an early Friday morning crash into parked construction equipment alongside Hwy A Milledgeville man was taken by ambulance to a hospital in serious condition Friday morning after his pickup crashed head-on into a piece of road construction equipment Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said the condition of the driver was unknown Tuesday at the newspaper’s press time Balderas was driving a blue 2008 Ford F150 north on State Route 24/U.S where construction is underway to widen the road into a fourlane highway Balderas’ pickup left the roadway and hit some construction barrels lining the right side of the road Apparently in an attempt to avoid the barrels which caused his truck to go into the construction zone and hit head-on into the dozer blade of a parked Caterpillar 815F soil compactor According to an accident report by Putnam County Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Fazio the impact forced the F150 to deflect off the construction equipment and spin around and face the opposite direction before coming to a rest “The road was wet due to heavy rain the previous evening and construction barrels were on both sides of the road due to the construction,” Fazio noted in his report The road construction crew called 911 and reported the crash shortly after 7 a.m “The driver was unresponsive and could not give me a statement,” Fazio wrote in his report “I was unable to determine an estimated crash time; however the [F150] was captured by a Flock camera traveling north on State Route 24 at 2:25 a.m.” Eatonton and Putnam County law enforcement officers are actively handling widespread panic that resulted from an alleged threat made by a middle school student Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell and Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills told The Eatonton Messenger that schools are reportedly still in session because the threat has been dealt with and the accused student is no longer in school “The kid that allegedly made this threat has been removed from the school and we’ve got officers at every public school and Gatewood,” Cardwell said “I’m walking down the hall at the Putnam Middle School right now as I’m talking to you and the students are stopping me in the hallway to tell or ask me things.” panic results from a woman’s post on Facebook “She said her child had said some child told her child that some other child was going to bring a gun to the middle school,” he explained their investigators) immediately stopped everything we were doing and tracked down this child who made the threat Sills said the child supposedly made the statement on the school bus on the way home from school Thursday.  Harry Luke met face-to-face with the parents and the child several hours later The law enforcement officers made sure that the child had no access to a firearm The parents brought the student to the principal’s office at the middle school the next morning before school and met with the principal The student repeatedly denied making any threats but Cardwell and Sills said they are actively investigating the alleged threat.  “The crime of terroristic threat in Georgia requires corroboration not just one person saying they heard something,” Sills explained “So that’s what we’re doing – looking at videos looking for evidence – but the (kid) is not at the school We immediately jump on every one of these things and investigate them as soon as we discover them Cardwell said some of the calls he’s receiving reveal yesterday and today’s situation as being confused with another incident that happened 10 days ago He said a 14-year-old boy made threats toward another student.  “But the threat was not made toward the school and it was directed at one particular student,” he said “That 14-year-old was charged with terroristic threats and is in custody at YDC.”  “I just urge parents to closely monitor their kids’ social media activity,” he said