Latest news with #MicheleNewell
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Serial smasher accused of tossing rocks through windows of Cobb businesses
A man is accused of throwing rocks through windows and glass doors of numerous businesses in Cobb County. Investigators aren't sure what the motive was, but told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell the cost of the damage is in the thousands. Security camera video from some of the businesses helped police identify and arrest the suspect the same day. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'In the video, you can see where he was out on the street and threw that rock through the window, you can see where the glass comes in,' said Michael Harner, Chief Instructor of Yongsa Martial Arts. Bryant Philpot is accused of targeting six businesses in Smyrna and two others in Cobb County on May 20. 'Thousands of dollars worth of damage was caused at these businesses,' said Meredith Holt, Public Information Officer for the Smyrna Police Department. TRENDING STORIES: Tornado touches down in Henry County, 18-year-old critically injured 'Life doesn't feel real:' Family mourns GA 9-year-old found shot in car SWAT team, multiple DeKalb police units respond to barricaded suspect on Lavista Road Harner said he and his team spent hours cleaning before students arrived for martial arts classes. 'Four to five hours of cleaning up, we had to be really cautious of getting everything up off the ground because we didn't want anything to happen to our students. Their safety was the most important thing to us,' Harner said. 'They did a show up at one of the businesses where they actually brought him back to the business location and were able to positively identify him through that. This was solved the same day,' Holt said. Philpot is in jail facing criminal damage charges. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Marietta Youth Detention Center assistant director punched, choked 14-year-old girl, police say
A former Marietta Youth Detention Center employee is charged with child cruelty. Police say the victim is a 14-year-old girl who was in custody at the youth detention center. Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell reported three witnesses listed in the arrest warrant allegedly saw the former assistant director, Vanderia Britton, punch and choke the girl at the facility. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police say he also hit the victim with a portable radio. Now, Britton is in the Cobb County Jail, less than one mile away from where he worked, and charged with cruelty to children, a felony. It's unclear what led up to the alleged attack, but court documents reveal how violent police say it was. Investigators say he punched the girl in the face before he placed his hands around her neck, choking her until she was on the floor. Investigators say the victim's injuries required stitches to her face. According to the arrest warrant, the incident happened in April. Britton was arrested earlier this week. He is being held without bond. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice said he resigned from his position while he was under investigation, and his behavior represents a clear violation of his oath of office. 'The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for actions like those exhibited by Britton, and we are committed to operating safe and secure facilities,' the agency said in a statement. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dance studio trailer stolen in April back with owner in Austell
A stolen dance studio trailer, filled with props, is back with its owner. Someone stole the trailer in April. The owner of the dance studio told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell how her reporting helped reunite the owner with the trailer. A man found the stolen trailer in another county, about 40 minutes from the dance studio. Lisa Pillow, who owns Lisa's Dance Spot, said a report by Channel 2 Action News in April helped a man, who found the trailer, get it back to her. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'How and who would come to the studio and steal a trailer,' Pillow said back in April. In the more than a month since we last spoke to Pillow, she said she still doesn't know who stole the trailer just days before a competition. TRENDING STORIES: GA middle school teacher accused of holding scissors to student's throat Driver says 'great-grandmother was dying' after leading GA deputies on chase Shooting at GA graduation, prom after-party that injured 2 teens started over cellphone charger But she's glad somebody found it. 'I was just in shock, I really couldn't comprehend what he was saying,' Pillow said. As for what happened, a neighbor told the man who found the trailer that they might have seen a news story about the trailer on the news. 'It was not in front of any homes, just sitting there and he noticed the trailer did not have a tag or locks and he knew something was just off,' Pillow said. 'He googled WSBTV and saw the interview and walked over to the trailer and he could tell you could still see the logo but it was covered with black paint.' Inside, the man found Pillow's contact information and returned the trailer. 'Everything is still inside the trailer, it's unbelievable nothing was touched,' Pillow told Channel 2 Action News. Pillow now has two trailers, including a brand new one, thanks to donations from the community and a dance studio in Cobb County. Police said they don't know who stole the trailer and Pillow said the investigation is closed. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Families who were ordered to leave ‘unsafe' Cobb apartments now suing owners, property managers
Some families have been living in an apartment building that Cobb County deemed unsafe. The county ordered them to leave more than 8 months ago. Now, some of the families who remain there are suing the owners of the apartments and the property management. Before the City of Mableton took over code enforcement in April, the county says it took action, but once the lawsuit was filed they couldn't force residents out for management to renovate the building. Much of building 600 at Silver Creek Apartments is deemed unsafe. Photographs given to Channel 2 Action News show rats and roaches caught in traps. Others show a ceiling partly collapsed in the breezeway. Inspectors say they found mold, mildew, extensive water damage, problems with the structural integrity of the building, and more. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Cobb County ordered the families living there to vacate nearly a year ago, but some remain. 'Tell me why you're living in this building?' Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell asked one resident. 'We don't have nowhere else to go,' the man, who wanted to remain anonymous, replied. He and his wife were among those who filed a lawsuit. 'We were complaining about it when we first moved here,' he said. They say if management fixed the problems years ago they wouldn't be in this situation. County officials say they worked with families and property management to relocate families. John Marti is the CEO for the Embra Property Management Group, which manages the property. 'A handful of residents refused to move despite the Fire Marshal's order. We've been in the process of tryin to formally evict them,' Marti said. 'Since the lawsuit was ongoing, the county could not impose a vacate order,' Cobb County Commissioner Monique Sheffield said. That makes it impossible for management to make any repairs. Marti says repairs on the entire property will cost $1-$2 million, money he says the owners don't have. 'There are not enough funds right now to fix the property, which is why we are getting more capital to be invested in the property,' Marti said. Mableton Mayor Michael Owens says the fairly new city just recently formed a code enforcement department that has visited Silver Creek Apartments. '(We) advised them clearly, clean up the property. Right? Address the trash issues, the overgrowth issues, the other challenges that may be there and if I need to tell them, I'll tell them again myself. This will not be tolerated,' Owens said. Embra Property Management told Channel 2 that they take over distressed properties. When they took over Silver Creek Apartments in 2023, they say they were trying to make repairs. TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta HVAC technician among 19 arrested in 'child predator' operation Have you received a random package you didn't order? It could all be part of a scam to defraud you Suspects found guilty in trial for man killed walking on Atlanta BeltLine [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
1 person critically injured after being hit, dragged by reckless driver in Marietta
Channel 2 Action News obtained exclusive video of a scene where a driver hit a 19-year-old in a Marietta parking lot just before police arrived on Friday night. It happened in the Westside Plaza at the corner of Powder Springs Road and Sandtown Road. The video shows two cars doing burnouts, spinning in circles in a parking lot for several minutes before police arrived. Police provided Channel 2's Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell with photos of a silver Infiniti G35. Police said the driver of that car is responsible for hitting and critically injuring the victim. As each of the two cars reached high speeds, people stood so close, some with phones in their hand to record videos, that they nearly got hit. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] At one point, you can see people hanging out of the window of one of the cars before it speeds off. A smaller car then comes into view and does the same behavior. For nearly 10 minutes, each car spun in circles until police arrived. Police said Jeremias Perez was either standing or walking at Westside Plaza, and as the Infiniti was leaving the parking lot, the driver hit and dragged Perez with the car, failing to stop. Police are hoping the images will give them leads as to who was driving. Police said they have located the suspect's vehicle and have identified a person of interest. Their investigation is continuing. If you have any information about this incident, you are urged to contact Marietta police at 770-794-5300 or call 911. TRENDING STORIES: 2 deputies shot, 1 dead after traffic stop in Columbia County Bystanders describe DeKalb grocery store shooting that seriously injured 2 innocent people Family of murdered Fulton Co. teacher shines a light on loved one's life [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
