UNREVIEWED: Georgia Briefs

Police report shows why woman jumped on hood during car theft

ATLANTA — A woman who was saved during a car theft gone awry expressed gratitude to the armed citizen who came to her rescue, Smyrna police reported Monday.

Ashley Tate said she jumped on the hood of her Honda Accord when she saw someone try to drive off in it from a car wash Friday, according to a police report. She thought the move would halt the theft, but once on the hood, she realized she could not get off and thief ignored her screams to stop, said the report released Monday.

Another car wash patron pulled a pistol and also shouted several times for the thief to stop before firing a shot, which shattered the driver-side window and struck the thief’s shoulder, the report said.

Other witnesses backed up the victim’s account. “They said she was screaming and the man in the car would not stop to let her off the hood,” the report said.

The suspect is a juvenile from Atlanta and was charged with car theft and aggravated assault, Officer Christopher Graeff said.

Van carrying heavy metal bands involved in deadly wreck

ATLANTA — Three people died Monday when a van carrying members of two heavy metal bands wrecked in northeast Georgia, authorities said.

The wreck happened about 7 a.m. on I-85 southbound near Maysville Road in Jackson County, about 65 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Members of the Atlanta-based band, “Khaotika,” and the Huntsville, Ala.-based band, “Wormreich,” were in the van.

Georgia State Patrol Cpl. Scott Smith said the driver of the 15-passenger van “apparently fell asleep and allowed the vehicle to leave the roadway, at which time the vehicle struck a tree on the passenger side.”

Three of the van’s 12 occupants were ejected, Smith said.

He said there were three fatalities on the scene. Eight other people were taken to Athens Regional Hospital and Northeast Georgia Medical Center, three in critical condition.

The driver of the van was uninjured, according to a GSP spokeswoman.

Man accused of tossing bottle from car ID’d through Facebook

ATLANTA — Maybe he thought he was being funny when he tossed a plastic bottle at a landscaper as he drove on Towne Lake Parkway.

But the witness who took pictures of the man and got his tag number was not laughing. And neither was the landscaper, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

The witness reported the crime to authorities after it happened Friday, Lt. Jay Baker said. At the time, investigators didn’t have a victim, Baker said.

Enter Facebook. The witness posted the pictures of the suspect on the social media site, and the post was shared. Again and again, Baker said.

It didn’t take long for someone to identify both the alleged bottle tosser and the landscaper. Turns out, they work for the same company, but aren’t friends, Baker said.

On Sunday, Michael Dotson, 22, of Woodstock, was arrested and charged with simple battery, according to police.

DeKalb stabbing victim so badly hurt doctors had to amputate leg

DECATUR — DeKalb County police Monday were investigating an overnight stabbing that left the victim so badly injured that doctors were forced to amputate a leg.

The incident happened just after midnight at the Peachcrest Gardens Apartments on Glenwood Road, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Officers responding to reports that a man had been attacked and stabbed found the 27-year-old man lying in the parking lot with multiple stab wounds.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was in critical condition early Monday after doctors amputated the man’s leg to save his life, Channel 2 reported.

Investigators told the station that the area where the attack happened was so dark no one was able to get a description on the number of attackers.

Police have not released a motive for the attack.

Police prepared for Masters ticket scalpers

AUGUSTA — Selling tickets to the Masters Tournament is illegal near the Augusta National Golf Club, but each year police find themselves dealing with visitors trying to score last-minute tickets.

The state scalping law prohibits the sale of tickets within 2,700 feet of a large sporting event.

That boundary during the Masters runs from Taco Bell on Washington Road to Calhoun Expressway and Highland Avenue. The same rules apply for licensed brokers.

Signs placed around the Augusta National remind potential buyers and sellers about the law, but violations still occur.

In 2012, more than 40 people were jailed in connection with buying or selling tickets, but only two were charged with violating the scalping law. Most of the others were charged with disorderly conduct and made to post a $500 bond.

The majority were not from Georgia and claimed ignorance of the law. Most forfeited their bond money in lieu of a fine, but 17 chose to go to court and had their cases dismissed.

Although the sheriff’s office has not charged anyone in connection to violating the law since that year, there have been plenty of warnings.

Lt. Allan Rollins, who has worked outside the gates looking for scalpers in the past, said they try to be as nice as possible, but there’s still a possibility for some undercover observations by deputies.

“We just basically tell them to move along,” he said.