CLASSIC CITY NEWS

Released today by the Clarke County School District Athens, Georgia — Clarke County School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott today announced the appointment of Dr. Kristina Lerch-Batson as Assistant Principal of Barrow Elementary School beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Dr. Lerch-Batson, whose appointment was approved by the Clarke County Board of Education at its Thursday, April 2 meeting, has been an assistant principal at Clarke Middle School since 202

From ACC Leisure Services Athens-Clarke Leisure Services offers small group swim lessons for children ages 3 and up. All lessons are taught by certified lifeguards. Classes are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. Your child must be 3 years old or older and potty trained to participate in Swim School. The lessons are broken into three, 45-minute classes a week for three weeks, for a total of nine lessons, and are available at the Bishop Park, Lay Park, and Heard Park

By Joe Johnson An Athens man has been found guilty of shooting his marijuana supplier and was sentenced to 25 years with the first 15 years to be served in prison. Following a trial in Superior Court, a jury last month convicted 52-year-old David Ray Wilhelm of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Judge Eric Norris sentenced him to 15 years in prison and 10 on probation. The crime occurred in January 2025 when Wilhelm shot 54-year-old

From ACC Leisure Services The Leisure Services Departments offers a variety of fun and engaging activities for toddlers and pre-schoolers this month: "Tiny Picasso - Paper Plate Hot Air Balloons" at Howard Park "Super Hero Adventure Playgroup" at Howard Park "123 Toddler and Me!" at Lay Park "Storytime in the Park" at Dudley Pak "Jumping Gym" at Howard Park "Fantastic Friday" at Bishop Park "Art in the Park" at Sandy Creek Park "Preschool Takedown" at Lay Park "Tiny Trek" at

By Joe Johnson A University of Georgia student has been sentenced to probation for an alleged drunk-driving incident in which his car struck and killed a man three years ago. Benhur G. Tedfai, a 23-year-old management information systems major, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge for the 2023 incident on West Broad Street that claimed the life of 34-year-old Michael Jerrell Kitchen. He entered the plea in an agreement with prosecutors after a Superior Cour

By Joe Johnson What began as domestic violence in a moving vehicle Monday morning turned into a car chase involving two police agencie that ended with the suspect crashing on the other side of the county. It all started in the Beechwood Pines apartment complex off West Broad Street, where the victim escaped from being assaulted by 33-year-old Evan Sanders Frommer as he drove his Jeep. A witness had followed in his own vehicle until the bloodied victim jumped out of the stil-

From ACCPD Danielsville Rd blocked off from Hull Rd to Calhoun Dr due to a water leak.  Seek alternate route.

By Joe Johnson Jennings Mill Road was closed to civilian traffic this afternoon in connection with police chasing the vehicle of a suspect that eventually ended with the suspect running off the road and being taken into custody. The incident appears to have begun when the suspect fled from a traffic stop and local officers, later joined by state troopers, gave pursuit on Atlanta Highway and then on Jennings Mill Road, ending on Jennings Mill Parkway. Police subsequently issu

Prince Avenue overpass The following was released by Indivisible District 10 Nearly 4,000 people joined the third national “No Kings” action on Saturday in Athens and nearby counties, joining the largest single-day protest in U.S. history. The 4,000 local protestors joined an estimated 8 million Americans who poured into the streets across America on March 28 to speak out against the Trump administration’s authoritarian overreach and its threat to the America’s democratic ins

By Joe Johnson A man who was accused of raping a University of Georgia freshman in her dorm room has been sentenced to 10 years of probation. The probationary period for 20-year-old Theodore Bennett Angell will begin when he completes a brief period of confinement. On Wednesday a Superior Court judge sentenced him in accordance with a plea agreement reached last month between Angell and the District Attorney’s Office. The plea deal was made with the approval of the victim, a

By Joe Johnson A man and his passenger were both arrested Wednesday night after a police officer stopped their car for failing to obey a stop sign on Nellie B Avenue. Charles Justin Walls and his passenger, Ronald Junior Malcom, were both found by the officer to be wanted on felony warrants. Walls was wanted for a burglary in Athens and Malcom had an outstanding felony probation violation warrant. Walls was additionally charged with possession of cocaine after he was searche

By Joe Johnson Athens police are investigating the theft of property valued at several hundred dollars from the Athentic Brewing Company on Park Avenue. According to police, the thief struck on the night of March 16th when he stole a half dozen full propane tanks and an orange outdoor fan from a storage pavilion. Surveillance footage reportedly shows an older man dressed in black walking around the business and pulling on its doors. He then parked his white Hyundai SUV at th

Released by the Clarke County School District The Clarke County School District congratulates Angela Gay, school social worker for Howard B. Stroud Elementary and Cedar Shoals High schools, on being named State School Social Worker of the Year by the School Social Workers Association of Georgia this week. Please see the attached release for more information and photos for your use. Photo 2673: Angela Gay speaks at the School Social Workers Association of Georgia's annual Spri

The following was released Thursday night by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On March 26, 2026, at approximately 2:21 PM, ACCPD officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in the 400 block of Minor Street. Officers located the suspects at 700 US-29, Athens, GA. Stolen property was recovered following the initial investigation. Emory Simmons, a 22-year-old male of Athens, GA; Zachariah Roberts, an 18-year-old male of Colbert, GA; Sherod Porter, a 22-year-old

Jewell By Joe Johnson On the night he fell to his death from an apartment building last year Antonio Jewelll had been attending a gambling party where members of an Athens street gang tried to rob him and other attendees. After the gangsters pistol-whipped him, the 22-year-old victim either fell or jumped to his death from a balcony trying to escape his attackers. Details of that tragic night are found in recently filled search warrants for gang member social media accounts

By Joe Johnson Madelynn Jean Peacock, 23, of Eatonton, has been indicted for a domestic violence incident last year iin Athens. She was charged with aggravated assault for attacking the victim with a concrete flower pot, according to the indictment filed Tuesday in Superior Court. The incident occurred in May 2025 at the apartment on Little Oconee Street that Peacock shared with the victim, a University of Georgia student. Peacock remains free on bond and is scheduled to be a

The Gwinnett County Police Department has released the following: Lawrenceville, Ga. Mar 24, 2026) – Gwinnett County Police Homicide Detectives have charged Glenn Fitzpatrick (18, Winder) and Michael Coker (18, Loganville) each with Felony Murder, Malice Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.  Fitzpatrick and Coker have been arrested and are in the Gwinnett County Jail without bond.  Detectives are still investigating the mo

Desousa By Joe Johnson The Jackson County man who shot three people in downtown Athens has been charged with a second count of murder following the death of another of his victims. Mark Anthony DeSousa committed the murders In the early morning hours of March 14th, when he shot a friend and two other young men in a parking lot off North Jackson Street. Clayton Adams, 22, of Hull, died at the scene and when Desousa was arrested later that day in Jackson County he was charged w

Released by ACCPD: On March 7, 2026, at approximately 1:03 PM, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to a single-vehicle crash in the intersection of North Avenue and MLK Parkway. The initial investigation indicated that a 2000 Dodge Caravan was traveling southbound on North Avenue when the vehicle left the roadway and struck a curb and trestle pillar before striking an embankment and rolling onto its side. The driver was partially ejected. The driver and sole

Thomas By Joe Johnson A member of an Athens street gang has been arrested for an armed robbery last year at University Oaks apartments. Kasten Jamaal Thomas, 24, of Freeman Drive, had been indicted for the robbery in December along with his alleged accomplice, 21-year-old Jordan Xavier Gresham, who was already in custody. Thomas eluded capture until he was arrested io on March 13th. Gresham Although the armed robbery was not indicted as a gang-related crime, both defendants