CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson The motorcyclist who lost his life Tuesday morning after crashing on the Athens Perimeter has been identified. According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, 46-year-old Crawford resident Michael Fletcher was traveling west on the highway and approaching Epps Bridge Parkway when his motorcycle left the roadway and struck a cable barrier in the median, causing him to be ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

By Joe Johnson An off-diuty police officer recently got caught racing on an Athens street and was let go without even a speeding ticket. According to an Athens police report, the incident happened on the afternoon of June 28th on the city’s west side. Officer Shane Pepin said in the report that he was with other officers in the parking of Andy’s Frozen Yogurt on West Broad Street just prior to 4 p.m. when the sound of loud car engines and exhaust caught their attention, follo

By Joe Johnson An off-diuty police officer recently got caught racing on an Athens street and was let go without even a speeding ticket. According to an Athens police report, the incident happened on the afternoon of June 28th on the city’s west side. Officer Shane Pepin said in the report that he was with other officers in the parking of Andy’s Frozen Yogurt on West Broad Street just prior to 4 p.m. when the sound of loud car engines and exhaust caught their attention, fol

Two Glock pistols allegedly purchased from a gun shop in Athens on May 15, 2021. (DOJ) The following was released today by the United States Department of Justice: THE GRAND JURY CHARGES: At all times material to this Indictment: GENERAL INTRODUCTION The manner and means used to accomplish the objects and purposes of the conspiracy included, among other things: 1. Defendants RAFAEL ENRIQUEZ, ELIJAH LUCENA, KEONTICE REED, and MELVIN GRIFFIN and others, known and unknown to the

By Joe Johnson Authorities this morning are investigating a crash on the Athens Perimeter that reportedly claimed the life of a motorcyclist, Athens police confirmed that the incident happened on the inner loop of the highway between the U.S.441 and Epps Bridge Parkway exits. The crash is being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol and Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

The following was released today by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On June 26, 2026, the ACCPD Gang Unit, with the assistance of the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force, along with ACCPD’s Strategic Response Team and K-9 Unit, executed search warrants in the 200 block of Rocksprings Court and the 100 block of Madison Avenue. As a result, officers seized seven firearms, approximately 1.5 pounds of marijuana, and $17,339 in U.S. currency. Jaylen Brown (22), T

By Joe Johnson A large block party in the westside Stonehenge neighborhood this weekend came to a tumultuous conclusion with people fighting and ducking for cover from gunfire. The police department reports that officers initially responded to the neighborhood soon after midnight on June 28th to investigate a loud noise complaint on Altarstone Drive. As officers were trying to determine if a man lying on the ground needed medical attention pandemonium suddenly broke out. “Whi

By Paige Brimer It was a warm autumn morning when two friends and I took a stroll along the Greenway off MLK, Jr Pkwy. We decided to stop and sit on some rocks by the riverside to enjoy a little company, coffee and creation. It wasn't long, however, until a pesky side of creation had us unnerved and searching our bags for bug spray. Mosquitoes were swarming, and that's no exaggeration. They were everywhere! After we got ourselves sprayed down, we began to speculate about why

By Jayne Roberts/UGA Today Instead of connecting couples, Aubrey creates musical matches. For more than two decades, Aubrey has been pairing Athens’ musicians with the right rooms, the right crowds, and the right moments. An indie-folk singer who’s perfect for an intimate wedding. A jazz musician to set the mood at a wine event. A college punk band that needs a stage that can handle chaos, sweat, and volume. In 2019, he launched Aubrey Entertainment to make his calling as a “

By Joe Johnson A suspect in a Colorado murder has been taken into custody here in Athens. Gohjan Sierra Delgado, 25, with an address at 190 North Bluff Road, was booked into the local jail on the morning of June 27th on a warrant that had been issued by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. He is being held without bail pending extradition proceedings.

The following was released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Oconee County, GA (June 27, 2026) - At the request of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating an officer involved shooting in Oconee County, GA. Michael Randolph Frohock, age 43, of Watkinsville, GA, was shot and killed during the incident. No deputies were injured. Preliminary information indicates that at about 7:22 p.m., on June 25, 2026, Oconee County E-911 received a call about a s

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that a shooting Wednesday night resulted in the death of two people. “Last evening the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to persons shot at 4538 Gauntt Road. Resident Ralph Edward Mincey was immediately taken into custody. Victim Jennifer Lynn Mincey was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and later succumbed to her injuries,” WCSO public information officer Maj. Scott Whisnant reported. “Amanda Mincey McBrayer was deceased

The following has been released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation The GBI has arrested and charged four people in Gainesville, GA, and Commerce, GA, with Trafficking and Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine following a multi-agency operation in Jackson County and Hall County, GA. The operation targeted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) allegedly responsible for distributing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine throughout North Georgia. The following subjects wer

By Joe Johnson A 23-year-old college student reported that someone apparently took photos of her while she was taking a shower in her home on the night of June 24th. The incident happened at Riverbend Club Apartments shortly after 11 p.m. when the University of North Georgia student stepped out of the shower and saw someone holding a cellphone to the outside of the bathroom window, just below the blinds. She ran into her roommate’s room and told her what happened, at which ti

on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 8 PM. TV Game Show Night, doors opes the voice for both shows' announcing. Real audience members will go head-to-head with a roster of "celebrity" panelists for actual prizes and the kind of game show glory that lasts a lifetime. The show is live, unscripted, and, by all indications, completely unhinged. "TV Game Show Night is exactly the kind of event we dreamed about when we opened the current venue a year and a half ago,” said Kelly Petronis, C

The following has been released by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office On the evening of June 25, 2026, at approximately 7:22 p.m., the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office was contacted regarding a suicidal subject at an address off Friar Road in Oconee County. The information received indicated that the subject had harmed himself with a knife, was still armed, and was making statements that he intended to further harm himself. Deputies with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office respo

Released today by the United States Department of Justice: MACON, Ga. — An indictment was unsealed this morning charging twelve individuals in a vast alleged conspiracy using drones to smuggle contraband, such as drugs and cell phones, into ten prisons across eight states, including Georgia, representing the largest federal prosecution to date involving coordinated drone operations to smuggle illegal items into prisons. The 17-count indictment in Case No. 5:26-cr-00026 was re

Healthy cows graze in an open field. The June 3 detection of a screwworm in a calf in Texas marks the first time in decades that the parasite was spotted on the American mainland. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker) By Leigh Hataway/UGA Today The New World screwwormll is attempting a comeback on U.S. soil. It’s not a welcome one. Screwworms are the larval stage of parasitic fly that lays eggs in open wounds or body cavities of any warm-blooded animal. (Yes, that includes the eyes,

Released by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office: (Gwinnett County, Ga., June 23, 2026) – One year after joining the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, K-9 Dee has helped recover electronic evidence hidden inside walls, placed in vehicles, tucked behind furniture, or disguised as everyday electronics. She has played a major role in investigations throughout Gwinnett County and across Georgia. As the agency’s Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K-9, Dee has participated in 50 de

file photo The following was released today by ACCFD Two employees were injured by an explosion involving oxygen tanks at the Reinicke Athens, Inc. facility located on Commerce Boulevard in Athens-Clarke County on Monday morning. Athens-Clarke County Fire Department units responded to reports of an explosion and arrived to find a large commercial structure with no visible fire. According to information provided on scene, employees were attempting to locate the source of an ox