Teen Dies of Injuries Sustained in Auto Accident

A 16-year-old DeKalb County teen has died from the injuries he suffered in a weekend crash that also claimed the life of a 43-year-old woman.

According to authorities, Benjamin Bynum, 16, died late Tuesday evening from injuries he sustained in a crash last Saturday night on Rockbridge Road in south DeKalb County.

Bynum was a passenger in a car that allegedly crossed the center line and hit a car being driven by Lisa Hutchinson.

Hutchinson died on impact and her young daughter suffered broken bones.

Family Seeks Answers Following Suicide

Family members are continuing to seek answers to their questions in the case of a DeKalb County youth who killed himself last week after reportedly being bullied at school.

Jaheem Herrera, 11, a fifth-grader at Dunaire Elementary School, died after using a belt to hang himself from a bedroom closet. Herrera reportedly returned from school last Thursday and soon after went upstairs and locked the door to his bedroom. He was later discovered by his 10-year-old sister, who attends the same school.

Family members say they complained to school officials that Herrera was being bullied at school, but their pleas went unanswered. Herrera was reportedly being bullied because he spoke differently and looked different than other kids in his grade.

The family relocated to DeKalb County from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands less than a year ago.

School officials have not commented for the most part on the incident, other than to say that they sent a letter out to parents regarding the incident, and that there is an anti-bullying program in place in the school system. Dunaire Elementary School serves students in pre-K through fifth grades.

DeKalb Co. Police Nab 2 in Connection to Robberies

DeKalb County police reported that they have arrested a pair of men in connection with recent armed robberies in a sweep of Briarcliff Road.

According to police, the investigation is looking into whether the suspects arrested over the weekend may be linked to three recent attacks in the area against women. The duo are charged with robbing a pizza deliveryman and a taxi cab driver.

Three women have been assaulted in the vicinity in less than a month.

The most recent attack was approximately 5:30 a.m. Saturday at the Park At Briarcliff apartment complex when a woman was physically assaulted and robbed.

DeKalb County Woman Assaulted at Apartment Complex

DeKalb County police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted a woman in an apartment complex off Briarcliff Road Tuesday afternoon.

The incident was centered less than two miles from where a 54-year-old female jogger was stabbed in March.

According to authorities, the woman was taking her items into her new apartment and came face to face with a masked attacker shortly before 4:30 p.m.

Anyone with information about today's attack is asked to contact the DeKalb County Special Victims Unit at (770) 724-7710.

Search Continues for Former DeKalb Co. Deputy

Authorities were continuing their search on Sunday for a former DeKalb County deputy sheriff who is awaiting trial on murder charges.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, Derrick Yancey, who had been under house arrest, had not been seen or heard from since Friday when he went missing from his mother's residence.

Yancey's, who has been added to the national crime database, allegedly murdered his wife, Linda Yancey, and a day laborer, Marcial Puluc, in 2008.

Female Jogger Assaulted in DeKalb County

Police in DeKalb County are on the hunt for an attacker who assaulted a female jogger Tuesday morning before running off.

According to authorities, the victim, Kim Ellen Tunkle, was stabbed a number of times, but is expected to live. The woman was assaulted at the intersection of Southland Vista Court and Briarcliff Road around 7 a.m.

A male passerby scared off the attacker, according to authorities.

Man Shot to Death at DeKalb County Texaco

A man apparently attempting to purchase gas was shot to death Thursday evening at a Texaco station in the 4300 block of North Peachtree Road in DeKalb County.

According to police, the victim was shot around 7:15 p.m. The deceased was a white male in his 20s, according to a police spokesperson.

The name of the victim had not been released as of Friday morning, nor would police say if they had any suspects in custody.

Columbia High Lockdown Ends; Student Questioned Over Gun

A lockdown at Columbia High School in DeKalb County is over after police attempted to interview a student who allegedly brought a gun to school last week.

According to authorities, police were interviewing a 17-year-old male student after he fled from them. Another student reportedly informed police that he witnessed the boy bring a gun to campus last week.

The student who allegedly brought the gun to school last week was being interviewed when he reportedly fled from a school resource officer. Police then ordered a lock down of the school until they could sort the matter out.

According to authorities, they now do not know if a gun was ever on campus.

Early Morning DeKalb Co. Fires Claim 1 Life

Several early morning fires in DeKalb County resulted in one death, with no other injuries reported

According to authorities, the fatal blaze happened at a home on Browns Mill Road in Lithonia around midnight. Authorities reported the deceased as 79-year-old Virginia Hardy.

Two other blazes took place at a vacant house on Magnolia Street and at The Avenues Apartments on Northeast Expressway.

Officials have not released a cause in any of the fires.

Legal Defense Fund: Former DeKalb Co. Cop Unfairly Indicted

The chairman of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund ( LELDF: www.policedefense.org) claims that the charges against a former DeKalb County police officer are unjustified.

David Martin said LELDF is aiding the former Marine's legal defense team.

Torrey Thompson, 31, a former police officer in the DeKalb County Police Department, was charged last year with murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, and violation of oath in connection with the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Matthews during an attempted arrest in September 2006. The charges may send Thompson to jail for life if convicted.

"Officer Torrey Thompson and his partner had a confrontation with a dangerous wanted criminal wielding what they thought was a pistol," Martin said in a statement. "When Lorenzo Matthews refused to stop, despite constant requests, and repeatedly made threatening gestures toward the officers with what appeared to be a gun, both policemen fired in self defense. Torrey Thompson thought his partner was in grave danger and both policemen feared for their lives."

According to Martin, Thompson received four commendations during his service in the DeKalb County Police Department, and he was never disciplined.

Thompson voluntarily resigned from the force in November 2006 and took a job in the Barrow County Sheriff's Office until he was indicted in July 2008.

DeKalb County Fire Claims 2 Lives

An early morning fire in DeKalb County has left two people dead.

According to fire investigators, an adult and a child, whose names have not been released, were discovered dead inside an apartment in the 1600 block of Briarcliff Road. The two-alarm fire reportedly started shortly before 8 a.m.

The fire reportedly damaged four apartments in the 16-unit building.

Missing DeKalb County Man Found Dead Near Duluth

Authorities reported they discovered the body of a missing DeKalb County man over the weekend near Duluth.

According to investigators, the body of 38-year-old Marc Stewart was discovered inside his Ford Explorer late Saturday evening.

The Stone Mountain resident had been missing since last Wednesday evening. Stewart reportedly phoned his wife that evening to tell her he was on his way home from work.

Bank of America officials reported that hours after Stewart phoned his wife, "irregular activity" took place on his bank card.

Stewart had work as the head of Island Coast Entertainment, a 10-year-old event planning company headquartered in Atlanta.

Alleged Icing of DeKalb County Roads Leads to Arrests

What may have started as a prank last week led to serious consequences for three DeKalb County teens who have been charged with criminal damage to property, a felony, and misdemeanor reckless conduct.

The three allegedly vandalized several fire hydrants on Womack Road near Dunwoody High School and along Chamblee Dunwoody Road last Wednesday when temperatures fell into the teens. The result was several icy spots on local roadways, which could have led to accidents.

Police arrested Grant Michael Romeo and Michael John Tache, both of Dunwoody, and Joel Peter Mehler of Atlanta on Jan. 23. All three were eventually bailed out of jail.

DeKalb County Teen Found Unharmed

Police have a happy ending to a strange case, as authorities in DeKalb County reported that they located a missing 13-year-old girl Thursday.

According to police, Andrea Lois Key, who went missing on Dec. 10 from her family home, was located safely in a north DeKalb apartment.

Key, who reportedly left her home on her own free will, was reportedly discovered residing with a group of adults and teenagers at the Jasmine Apartments on Pleasantdale Road.

Police had reported initially when they began searching for her that she had reportedly been chatting online with an adult male.

DeKalb County Police Need Help to Find Teen

DeKalb County police need your help in locating a 13-year-old girl who has been missing since early December.

According to police, Andrea Lois Key was last spotted at her residence at 1930 Audubon Drive on Dec. 10. Detectives say she had been communicating online with an unknown male.

Key was last seen wearing a red shirt and dark blue jeans. She is described as a black female, 4’10, 100 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Key is asked to contact the DeKalb County Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit at (770) 724-7710.

Woman Found Dead in Car at Spring Harbor Condos

Police are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who was found shot to death Sunday evening inside a vehicle in DeKalb County.

According to authorities, a resident returning home discovered the woman slumped behind the steering wheel of the vehicle shortly after 11 p.m. at the Spring Harbor condos on Bayshore Drive.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot in the head.

Arrest Made After Dog Beaten With Hammer

DeKalb County authorities reported an arrest has been made in the beating of a dog.

According to authorities, Joseph Waters, 48, was taken into custody today and charged with one count of felony cruelty to animals.

Waters allegedly beat a dog (Murphy) with a hammer and left the animal for dead in Murphy Chandler Park.

The dog is recovering in a DeKalb County animal hospital.