Lilburn Man Arrested after shooting a young man for turning into the wrong driveway

/ 2013 / January

Lilburn Man Arrested after shooting a young man for turning into the wrong driveway

0 Comments
January 30, 2013

Lilburn, Georgia- Phillip Sailers, a 69-year-old man, was arrested after shooting a carload of people that pulled into his driveway on accident. The 22-year-old, Rodgrigo Abad Diaz had pulled into Sailers driveway by a mistake that his GPS made when the group was going to pick up their friend to go ice-skating and started to drive away when Sailers shot Diaz in the head.  There were two other passengers in the car that included a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old. Sailers’ attorney said that he was with his wife and thought that the car had come to invade his home. Sailers felt that he was defending his home and that he had no other intentions beyond that. Sailers and his attorney shared the story very differently than the teens, “He walked toward the vehicle still trying to ascertain what was going on when the vehicle accelerated toward him nearly striking him. That is when the fatal shot was fired.”

The victim’s brother was very confused at Sailers’ actions and stated, “Why wouldn’t you just call 911 and lock yourself inside your home if you are genuinely worried for your safety. You don’t pull out a gun and start shooting then asks questions after. My brother was just trying to turn the car around.”

The Lilburn Police Department released a statement about the incident: “This was an unfortunate and tragic event and our department is in the process of investigating the incident. At this point we have established probable cause to charge Mr. Sailers and when the investigation is complete we will turn over the case file to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office for processing.”

Source: 11Alive News. “Lilburn man claims self-defense in shooting driver.” January 30, 2013.

High climbers — Father-son team to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for orphans -The Marietta Daily Journal

0 Comments

High climbers — Father-son team to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for orphans  -The Marietta Daily Journal

By Sherri Kell

MARIETTA — Marietta attorney Lance Cooper of the Cooper Firm has faced many battles in the courtroom, but his latest undertaking is a steep challenge. Next week, Cooper and his 17-year-old son Asa, are traveling to Tanzania, in Africa to join a team that will climb Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise money for impoverished orphans in Liberia. 

Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – High climbers — Father son team to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for orphans 

Marietta attorney, son climb Kilimanjaro for charity – Atlanta Business Chronicle

0 Comments

Marietta attorney, son climb Kilimanjaro for charity – Atlanta Business Chronicle

By Carla Caldwell

Marietta attorney Lance Cooper, of the Cooper Firm, and his 17-year-old son, Asa, will travel to Africa next week to join a team that will climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for impoverished orphans in Liberia, reports the Marietta Daily Journal. 

Read the full story here. 

Unsolved hit-and-run truck accident devastates Georgia family

0 Comments
January 29, 2013 , ,

Anytime there is a death by car or truck accident, there are often questions as to how it happened or how it could have been avoided. However, when a tragic hit-and-run truck accident recently took the lives of a Georgia mom and her toddler daughter, not knowing who caused the deaths has made the loss even harder to bear. The family left behind from the tragic highway hit-and-run just before Christmas has taken to the media to help find information about the case.

The accident occurred as a mother and her 3-year-old daughter were in their SUV on Interstate 75 in Bartow County, Georgia. According to reports, the SUV was swiped by a tractor-trailer, causing the woman to leave the road and hit the guardrail. The SUV then caught fire. The driver of the truck kept going north on the highway.

The family indicated that the mother and child were Christmas shopping just prior to the collision and that there were presents in the SUV. The fire apparently was so intense that the family says they have not even been able to recover the woman’s wedding ring. The police contend they have not found the truck driver but they have released a description of the truck. It was allegedly a maroon-colored Peterbilt truck and it had orange fenders. There is a reward for information that helps solve this hit-and-run.

The family has stated that they are now financially struggling. Having a tragedy such as this occur on the Georgia highway will surely lead to further financial strain for those left behind. Any kind of hit-and-run truck accident that results in death may possibly lead to criminal charges when the driver is found. Along with the criminal charges and possible sentence, Georgia courts allow for potential civil actions to be filed that may end in the awarding of damages for surviving family members.

Source: wsbtv.com, “Family wants answers in hit-and-run death,” Shae Rozzi, Jan. 16, 2013

A Drunk Driver Causes Wrongful Death and Over a Dozen Accidents

0 Comments
January 28, 2013 , , ,

A Drunk Driver Causes Wrongful Death and Over a Dozen Accidents

Gwinnett County police reported that a 70 year-old man was driving drunk Wednesday January 23, when he caused at least 15 wrecks, killing one person, and critically injuring another. The man was driving a Ford F-250 truck when he caused five wrecks in DeKalb County and 10 more wrecks in Gwinnett. He then caused the fatal wreck near Snellville.

Near Snellville, the drunk driver, rear-ended a Toyota Camry driven by 51-year-old Yeshihareg Abebe, pushing it under the flatbed of a truck resulting in the female passenger, 69-year-old Mintiwab Woldeyhans dying at the scene and the driver being taken to the hospital in critical condition. After the wreck, the driver hit John Boy’s Home Cooking Restaurant resulting damage to the building. No one inside the restaurant was injured.

Dennis Brown, a victim in Dekalb County wrecks said, “He intentionally tried to hit me so that’s when he chased me. It was like a video game. I couldn’t believe he was trying to do that.”

The drunk truck driver was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI, causing serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, and following too closely. Additional charges are expected to be filed in Dekalb County. The driver was being held without bond until Thursday.

Source: WSBTV.com, “Police: Drunken Driver causes 15 crashes, killing 1” WSBTV.com staff, January 24, 2013.

Cobb County Schools Have Had Three Recent Weapons Arrest- Have you talked to your child about weapons?

0 Comments
January 23, 2013 , ,

Administration at Wheeler High School found two unloaded guns after a student tipped off the school officials. The two students were arrested on Friday. The school principal, David Chiprany, sent out a letter to the parents but did not release the students’ names. A 17-year-old student allegedly had a Phoenix Arms Raven .25 caliber handgun in his front pocket. The serial number on the weapon had been defaced and was not able to be read. He faces charges for carrying a weapon in a school safety zone and possession of a gun with altered ID. The teen was released from jail on Saturday on a $16,720 bond.

There are no details about the second student’s arrest yet. David Chiprany said that any student who brings a weapon to school will be expelled. He also praised the student who reported the safety threat. “I want to commend the student who brought this situation to our attention. Students are a critical part of our ability to maintain a safe school campus. Please encourage your child to report any activity that they see or hear that they feel is a threat to their safety.”

Another related case was against Beth Marie Pannell, a 44-year-old woman, who was arrested for cruelty to children in the first degree and carrying a weapon in a school zone. Pannell was accused of hitting her 13-year-old son at Pine Mountain Middle School with a hammer multiple times with the wood size of the hammer. The hammer had fallen out of her jacket and the administration saw it. There was also an accusation that she used the metal claw side of the hammer to hit her son as well. There were marks on the child’s body to prove the damage.

Issues of weapons in school have become very common and are very alarming to parents. An important thing to do as a parent is to be open with your children about the issue and talk to them about their fears. Having an open relationship with your children can make them feel more safe and can increase your peace of mind. Sometimes a good conversation is better than taking away their video games and movies that have violence. You should also make sure your children know the difference between guns in the movies and gun use in real life and who should have a gun, and how it should be used.

Source: The Marietta Daily Journal, “Cobb Schools report 3 weapon-related incidents.” Lindsey Field, January 23, 2013.

Office Depot faces issues with not handling costumers well

0 Comments
January 21, 2013 , ,

The Gibson Office Chair exclusively sold by Office Depot, was revealed to have a bad weld that would break if you leaned too far back in the chair. Office Depot had a similar problem in April with their Biella chair which were made by the same furniture company and shared the same registration number. Office Depot recalled the chair in April in which the staff told customers to look for compensation from the importer who was not available to be reached by the public.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is now investigating to see if the Gibson poses the same problem found in the Biella. The Office Depot had to recall over 307,000 Biella chairs. Testimonies of many came in sharing how the Gibson had caused them injuries. Nancy Losey, from San Antonio, Texas, needed hip replacement after falling to the floor when her Gibson chair snapped. The major difference between to two chairs is that the Gibson was retailing at $40 and the Biella was retailing at $55.

Clearly consumers are very willing to share their opinions about a product defect, especially if the company does not handle the situation with care. It is very important to treat your customers with the utmost respect, because they are what make your company.

Lance Cooper shares abut his trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with Orphan Aid Liberia

0 Comments
, , ,

c4

Lance Cooper shares abut his trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with Orphan Aid Liberia

In 2009, Sonja and I were praying that God would present us with the opportunity to support a new ministry. God answered our prayer when we were introduced to Orphan Aid Liberia. Daryl Roberts founded Orphan Aid Liberia in 2008 after visiting an orphanage in the bush of Liberia. Daryl felt led to reach out to the children of this war-torn country which was ravaged by a civil war that only ended in 2003. Many of the children Daryl saw not only lost their families in the civil war but they suffered unimaginable atrocities as a result of the war. Daryl formed Orphan Aid Liberia to provide humanitarian relief and to help these children have a better future.

Since 2008, Orphan Aid Liberia has made a tremendous difference in the lives of children and adults in and around the village of Balama. In addition to the children in the village of Balama, there are many more orphans in Liberia who are waiting for someone to reach out to them with a hand that will extend love, hope and health. One sponsor at a time, one child at a time, together we can rebuild lives.

A few months ago, Daryl approached me about being part of a team that will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. Daryl told me about his vision of a “From the Ground Up” campaign to raise $150,000.00 to rebuild as many of the orphans’ lives as possible. My oldest son, Asa, and I both agreed to be part of the team. As Asa and I climb with the team from the ground up to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, I ask that you partner with us to help rebuild the lives of these children from the ground up with your sponsorship and prayers. To rebuild these children spiritually, physically and mentally, we need your help.

Our trip will begin on February 9th and we will return on February 22nd. Just to be clear, 100% of all donations will go directly to Orphan Aid Liberia. Asa and I are paying for the entire cost of our trip so that all of the money raised will be used to support the many ongoing needs of this community. Thank you for your support and commitment to this community and the mission of Orphan Aid Liberia.

-Lance A. Cooper

To donate to the “From the Ground Up” campaign click here.

Please visit the website at www.orphanaidliberia.com or www.facebook.com/orphanaidliberia for more information about the climb and how to be a sponsor.

Car accident leads to pedestrian fatality on Georgia road

0 Comments
January 18, 2013 , ,

The roads in Georgia can be hazardous for any pedestrian trying to cross regardless of time of day or exactly where they try to cross. For one particular man, his attempt to cross the road on foot ended in tragedy. The car accident that took his life happened in Mableton early in the morning.

According to police, the 29-year-old who was struck and killed was crossing the road when a Honda Accord struck him. The driver is a 30-year-old Atlanta man. Reports indicate the pedestrian was not in a crosswalk at the time of the accident, though further information about the circumstances of the collision was not revealed.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead. The Honda driver was uninjured in the accident. Authorities are still investigating all of the circumstances, though there was no indication of what issues they were considering and when the inquiry is expected to be completed. Currently, police have stated they are not expecting to press criminal charges against the driver of the Honda.

While the pedestrian who was hit and killed in this car accident may have been walking outside of a crosswalk, there are many details that must be considered to come to a full understanding of what occurred. Was there a crosswalk near the accident site, was the area where the collision occurred well lit and did the driver have a clear chance to see the pedestrian? In any car accident where a driver or pedestrian is injured or killed, there may be many contributing factors that do not necessarily result in criminal charges, but may clearly warrant civil action. If a full investigation suggests that the driver negligently caused or contributed to the fatal accident, the victim\’s family may find they are entitled to pursue a claim for monetary damages in a Georgia civil court.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Mableton man dies after being struck by car,” Fran Jeffries, Jan. 13, 2013

Nighttime Highway Car Accident Leads to Death in Georgia Car Accident

0 Comments
January 17, 2013 , ,

Crossing a busy highway can be a stressful and nerve-racking experience for pedestrians and the drivers who are trying to watch for them. The experience of crossing the highway can lead to tragedy for both Georgia drivers and pedestrians, especially when it is the middle of the night. This was the case in one recent incident as a car accident on a Georgia roadway took a pedestrian’s life.

According to investigators, a man was attempting to cross the roadway when a Pontiac Grand Prix struck him. At the time of the report, his name had not been released to the public. Tragically, he died at the scene of the accident. It is unclear if the driver sustained any injuries.

According to police with knowledge of the situation, the driver of the Pontiac Grand Prix will not be charged with anything criminal. This accident serves as a reminder for motorists and pedestrians alike that car accidents can happen under a wide range of circumstances. Keeping an eye on other vehicles as well as being alert to pedestrians is paramount but can be difficult during nighttime.

When a car accident such as this case in Georgia happens to result in a death, there may be civil action to pursue or contend with even if there are no criminal charges involved. While lack of criminal charges may show the driver did nothing wrong legally, there may still be recourse for families of pedestrians who are struck and killed on Georgia roadways. These avenues for justice could come in the form of civil damages that help pay for funeral expenses, medical bills, lost income or help for caring for children or other family members the victim left behind.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Pedestrian struck and killed trying to cross Fulton Industrial Boulevard,” Mike Morris and John Spink, Dec. 21, 2012


Contact Us

Contact Us