Friday, July 5, 2013
Detectives continue to sort out details of a downtown shooting early this morning in which a bystander received non-life threatening injuries.
A 22-year-old man was transported to Memorial University Medical Center with a shoulder wound after the 12:15 a.m. incident near Bay and Whitaker streets.
The area of the shooting was "immediately saturated with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police officers who were in the area for the annual July 4 festivities," a police spokesman says.
Four males running from the shooting were detained for questioning but none have been connected to the shooting at this time. One of those, Joseph Roscoe Marshall, 18, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm after an officer saw him running from police on the 300 block of West Broughton Street. He is not a suspect in the shooting.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.
Tags: shooting , crime , Bay Street , Whitaker Street , July 4
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The merger of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography with the University of Georgia, effective July 1, was initiated by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia as part of efforts to streamline operations.
Those involved expect the new alignment between the institute and the university will enhance the research efforts of both the Skidaway Institute and UGA’s marine and coastal programs.
“This historic merger creates new opportunities in research, instruction and outreach while facilitating collaboration among University System of Georgia institutions,” says new UGA President Jere W. Morehead.
The Skidaway Institute is a research institution on a 700-acre campus on Skidaway Island. It was created in 1967 by the Georgia General Assembly and operated as a stand-alone institution for four years before coming under the responsibility of the university system. With the merger, the institute's executive director, Jim Sanders, now reports to the UGA’s Office of the Provost.
“Combining the intellectual and physical resources of the Skidaway Institute with those of the University of Georgia will strengthen an area of research whose impact extends far beyond the coast,” said Libby Morris, interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
According to Skidaway Institute executive director Jim Sanders, in addition to strengthening pre-existing collaborations with UGA researchers, the merger creates new opportunities for cross-disciplinary research with faculty in units such as the College of Engineering.
“Also, we expect Skidaway Institute to continue to maintain the historically strong relationships with other university system institutions, such as Georgia Tech and Savannah State,” Sanders said.
UGA already has a strong presence on the Skidaway Institute campus. The UGA Marine Extension Service Aquarium provides educational programs for approximately 18,000 students annually. The Marine Extension Service Shellfish Laboratory is also located on the Skidaway campus.
Tags: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography , University of Georgia , UGA , Skidaway Island
Monday, July 1, 2013
New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Kay Andrews will sign copies of her new book Ladies Night on Friday, July 5, 1-4 p.m. at Seaside Sisters, 1207 Highway 80 on Tybee Island.
The event will feature nibbles, cocktails, giveaways, and a raffle benefitting Tybee Tatas. The author will also sign copies of her previous releases, which will also be available for purchase at Seaside Sisters.
A Savannah man is in custody following his arrest in connection with a series of fires at a Southside apartment complex in late March and early April.
Savannah Fire investigators say 24-year-old Juwan Johnson of 10612 Abercorn St. was arrested this morning at a business in the 10400 block of Abercorn Street.
Johnson was charged in June through a federal indictment with three counts of arson in connection with the fires at Stratford Arms Apartment complex at 126 Tibet Ave.
Savannah firefighters responded to three separate fires at the apartment complex on March 31, April 2 and April 8. All three fires were reported by Johnson and SFES investigators deemed at least two of them to be suspicious at the time. Two of the fires occurred near a maintenance storage building and the third was in a vacant apartment at the complex.
Through their investigation, SFES investigators developed a link between Johnson and the fires and were assisted by agents of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. In addition to the three arson charges, Johnson is charged with lying to a federal agent. He is currently in the custody of the US Marshal’s Service awaiting an initial court appearance.
One man has died and another has been arrested after an early-morning shooting on the Southside.
Marco Cruz, 54, of the 100 block of Tibet Avenue died after being transported by an acquaintance to St. Joseph Hospital with gunshot wounds about 3:13 a.m. this past Sunday.
Homicide detectives charged Venturino Ruiz Suchiapa, 46, of the 10900 block of Queen Ann Court, with murder after Southside Precinct officers saw him driving back to the area of the shooting.
The shooting on Queen Ann Court was reported to have followed a confrontation between the two men.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.
