Archived News

Case of student charged in shooting goes before grand jury

The case of Cameron Maddox, a 19-year-old Oglethorpe University student charged with having targeted, shot and wounded an Atlanta Police officer last month, was presented to a grand jury this morning. The young man also is accused of having shot twice into a vehicle traveling on Moreland Avenue prior to shooting the officer.

Former school aide charged with elder abuse

An arraignment and possible bond hearing for Bobbie Ward is scheduled for tomorrow, April 11, at 8:30 a.m. in Judge Tangela Barrie’s courtroom . Ward, a former Cedar Grove Middle School aide, is charged with 29 counts of theft by deception, theft of services, identity fraud, aggravated assault, and abuse/neglect/exploitation of elder adults and disabled adults in two separate indictments.  She faces 270 years total on both indictments.

Ward would invite the elderly and/or disabled adults into her home, obtain utilities in their names without their permission, never pay the utilities which amounted to almost $1,500, in some cases, and then relocate, ruining the victims’ credit, according to the district attorney’s office   She also is accused of having fraudulently transferred their pension and Social Security payments to her name and of adding herself to their bank accounts.  Ward did this even after the victim had died, the district attorney’s office reports.  In one case, she is said to have stolen as much as $60,000. Ward also is charged with having not provided adequate housing, food and care.

“Several seniors and disabled adults were found in deplorable conditions, were malnourished and sickly as they were denied food and their medication for the extent of their stay with Ward,” the district attorney’s office states. “The aggravated assault stems from an incident where she whipped and burned a disabled adult with a curling iron.” The defendant may not appear if her attorney waives arraignment for her.

Weight Loss Lunch & Learn set for Wednesday

In celebration of National County Government Month, DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis announced an information session on weight loss as the first in a series of Lunch & Learn sessions to help area residents get healthy. Presented in partnership with DeKalb Medical Center, Mind, Body & Spirit is set for this Wednesday, April 11, noon to 1 p.m. at Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St.