CLASSIC CITY NEWS

William Gipson, Wendi Gipson, and Chasen Gipson. The following was released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation An investigator with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department was terminated after being arrested alongside two others in connection with a child abuse investigation in Franklin County. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged 18-year-old Chasen Gipson, 54-year-old Wendi Gipson, and 52-year-old William Gipson on May 18. Chasen Gipson was charged

Issued this afternoon by the Gwinnett County Department:: We are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a critically missing adult. Hein The Vu, age 37, left his residence in the area of Wilson Manner Circle in Lawrenceville on May 15, 2026 and has not returned or made contact with his family since then. Vu is an Asian male, 140 pounds, 5’5” tall, with short brown hair, and wears glasses. He was last seen wearing blue jeans with a black shirt. He was also in possessi

file image The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office released the following on Sunday morning: MEDIA RELEASE Barrow County, Georgia, May 24, 2026, at 0:01 a.m. Law Enforcement Response to Barricaded Suspect The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is currently assisting the Winder Police Department with an active barricaded suspect incident in the area of Box Circle in Winder. At approximately 9:12 p.m., law enforcement officers were dispatched to the area following reports that led to an

By Joe Johnson Brian Alberto Ozuna, 16, of Lucky Jones Road in Hull, was hospitalized on the night of May11th after he crashed his car while fleeing from police in Athens. The incident began at around 8:30 pm when a police officer attempted a traffic stop on the teen’s Dodge Charger because it’ appeared to have illegally dark tinted windows, After bringing his car to a stop, Ozuna suddenly raced away as the officer was walking toward him, The officer estimated that during the

By Joe Johnson An Athens-Clarke County grand jury this week returned a 10-count indictment against a man accused of murdering two people and injuring a third during a shooting in downtown Athens last March. Mark Anthony Desousa, 22, of Jefferson, was charged with two counts each of malice and felony murder, and three counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court on Tuesday. DeSou

By Joe Johnson The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the man killed this month during a confrontation with police in Athens as 33-year-old Joe Baythavong.of Hoschton. The incident happened on May 12 in the 1000 block of Hull Road when Athens police officers responded to reports of a man shooting a gun. Upon arrival they encountered Baythavong brandishing the weapon and ordered him to put it down, according to the GBI. “(Baythavong) then pointed the gun to his he

Released today by the Gwinnett County Police Department (Norcross, Ga., May 20, 2026) – Gwinnett County Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Bernardo Antonio Romero-Linarte, who is wanted on multiple felony warrants related to crimes against a child. The warrants obtained for Romero-Linarte include kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, sexual battery, and child molestation. Romero-Linarte’s current whereabouts ar

By Joe Johnson An attorney representing a man accused of murdering two people in downtown Athens has filed a motion that seeks to have his client released from jail on bail. Mark Anthony DeSousa is facing murder charges for fatally shooting Dylan Bentley and Clayton Adams last March in a parking lot off North Jackson Street. A third victim, Landon Skinner, survived being shot in the face. According to court filings, Bentley was killed execution style when Desousa walked up fr

The following was released today by the Clarke County School District Athens, Georgia — The Clarke County School District is pleased to announce valedictorians and salutatorians for the 2026 graduating classes of Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central, and Classic City high schools. These students finished their high school careers with the highest and second-highest grade-point averages, respectively, in their graduating classes. CEDAR SHOALS HIGH SCHOOL Valedictorian – Christopher Ko

graphic illustration By Joe Johnson A University of Georgia student reported that someone tried entering her home this week while she was in the shower. The young woman told police that she was showering at about 10:45 pm on May 7th in her unit at Riverbend Club Apartments when she heard a commotion in the bedroom. She said that upon seeing a pair of hands pushing up the window she let out a scream that scared off the intruder. A witness related that he saw a younger white ma

Cassidy By Joe Johnson A 24-year-old Madison County man was charged with murder this week after he fatally shot his roommate at their home in Comer. According to a sheriff’s office incident report, on the morning of May 18th Jacob Richard Allen Cassidy shot 46-year-.old Billy Jack Swafford during an argument in their home on Osley Mill Road. The victim reportedly had been shot multiple times by Cassidy, who then fled from the scene. When located, Cassidy claimed that he had

Released this afternoon by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On May 16, at approximately 1:55 PM, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to a single-vehicle dirt bike crash near the intersection of Whit Davis Road and Pettit Lane. When ACCPD arrived, the operator of the dirt bike, Worley Lorenzo Robinson, a 28-year-old male from Elberton, Georgia, was located in the roadway with critical injuries. ACCPD’s initial investigation indicated that Robinson wa

By Joe Johnson Athens police this month arrested two men who exposed themselves to women and masturbated in front of them. The first incident happened on the morning of May 3rd at a mental health clinic on Mitchell Bridge Road where 36-year-old Kierre Shamar Ramsey masturbated in front of a woman at the reception deck. After the police were called to the scene it was learned that he had done the same thing to a nurse there and also made sexual comments to her. Ramsey was arre

From the Barrow County Fire Department: Barrow County Fire Department A-Shift recently responded to a residential structure fire with heavy smoke and fire showing from the residence upon arrival. Crews immediately initiated an aggressive interior fire attack and worked quickly to bring the fire under control. During firefighting operations, crews were advised that pets were possibly still inside the home. Firefighters conducted a search and located two cats in critical condit

From ACC Leisure Services Step into the story of how Elvis Presley became a global phenomenon in The Ultimate Elvis Concert: Rise Of An Icon This show is scheduled for Friday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Morton Theatre. This electrifying live show celebrates the music, the moments, and the unstoppable rise of the King of Rock and Roll. Ultimate Elvis Champion, Cote Deonath, and World Champion, Riley Jenkins, unite on stage for a high-energy journey through Elvis’ mos

By Joe Johnson Julio Cesar Hernandez, 56, of Cherokee Road in Winterville, was arrested early the morning of May 10th after he reportedly stabbed another man outside of Tropical Bar on West Clayton Street, According to police, he stabbed 21-year-old Nelson Gomez of Smokey Road during a brawl between two groups of men outside the bar and tried several times to shoot another man but his gun failed to fire. Hernandez fled the scene but was arrested shortly afterwards after poli

From ACC Leisure Services Join ACT for its inaugural Shakespeare in the Park performance. This production of "A Midsummers Night’s Dream" leans into the feeling of summer—its warmth, freedom, and possibility—while embracing the realities of outdoor performance. With lightweight costuming and an airy aesthetic, the world of the play comes to life in a 1920s seaside setting, a time of transformation and rebellion. That lens highlights the journeys of its characters: strong, de

By Joe Johnson Sandy Nashalle Franklin, 45, of Broadacres Court, was arrested last week after she set a fire inside Piedmont Athens Regional that caused extensive damage. According to police, the incident occurred shortly after 10 pm May 8th in a room near the ambulance entrance where Franklin set a trash can fire that burned for about 10 minutes before the sprinkler system was activated. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire but it also flooded the Emergency Department,

From ACC Leisure Services Come gather ‘round the fire with your instrument and play along to campfire classics at this casual open jam session. All skill levels and abilities are welcome, whether you want to sing, play, or just clap along to the music! The next Sandy Creek Park Hootenanny is scheduled for Sunday, May 17 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The program is free, however, the $2 per person park admission fee is still required. For more information, please call 706-613-3631.

By Joe Johnson On the afternoon of May 10th Sharod Pontes Greene called 911 to say that he had just shot his girlfriend. When officers arrived at the man’s home at Arbor Ridge apartments they found 34-year-old Latisha Andrews dead from gunshot wounds to her chest and head, according to a police report released today. Police have not released a motive for the shooting, but jail records indicate that the 52-year-.old killer was charged under the Georgia Family Violence Act with