The Thanksgiving holiday travel period ended Sunday night with 15 traffic deaths reported to the Georgia State Patrol, including a Blakely teen.

While the number of traffic deaths was lower than expected, rainfall across the state since Friday contributed to a higher than normal number of traffic crashes and injuries on Georgia roads.

On Friday, Nov. 28, 17-year-old Anthony Leon Early Jr., of Blakely, was killed in a wreck which happened after he lost control of his 2000 Toyota Corolla on the curve at the intersection of GA-39 and Old Lucille Road in Early County. Early’s car slid sideways and collided head-on with a Ford Super Duty pickup truck hauling a trailer.

The final count for the 102-hour holiday period was 4,542 traffic crashes, 1,073 injuries and 15 fatalities. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period began Wednesday November 26 at 6 p.m. and ended at midnight Sunday. Traffic estimates had been for 3,325 crashes, 950 injuries, and 19 fatalities.

Rain that began Friday morning was a contributing factor to numerous crashes and injuries over the holiday period. Between Friday noon and the end of the holiday count Sunday night, there were 3,514 traffic crashes and 811 injuries reported.

There were 15 fatal crashes reported across the state during the holiday period resulting in 15 traffic deaths. During the 2007 Thanksgiving holiday travel period, there were 21 fatal crashes that resulted in 27 traffic deaths.

Contraband found by guards

Decatur County Correctional Institution (DCCI) guards discovered contraband in a county building used to store work tools used by inmates.

On Dec. 1, Decatur County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigator Gale Bowyer was called to the building located behind the EMS station. DCCI guards showed Bowyer contraband they found while checking the building before allowing the inmates to enter. The contraband included two pouches of tobacco containing tobacco and a plastic bag of marijuana in each, two cell phones and two phone chargers. The contraband was found inside a five-gallon bucket, apparently placed there through a window that had been broken.

Bowyer collected the items for fingerprinting.

School bus shop burglary

The West Bainbridge Middle School bus shop reported a burglary on Nov. 24.

The bus shop manager and school resource officer reported a container containing new bus tires had been broken into and tires were stolen. The value of the tires was approximately $2,000 with each tire valued at $400. The chain and lock had been cut to gain entry into the container.

Arrests & Citations

The following arrests and citations, occurring between Dec. 1-5, have been reported by Bainbridge Public Safety and the Decatur County Jail:

• Albert Lamar Wimberly, 42, 355 Prosperity Church Road, Bainbridge, DUI, driving while license suspended or revoked, failure to maintain lane, GSP;

• Jamie Laveren Carlton, 25, 1502 Potter St., Bainbridge, disorderly conduct, BPS;

• Samantha Faye Parker, 29, 1209 Sharpe St., Bainbridge, DUI, failure to obey stop sign, BPS;

• Amanda Rambo, 44, Donalsonville, Ga., theft by conversion, BPS;

• Stanly Carl Simmons, Jr., 24, 203 Lamar St., Bainbridge, contempt of court (two counts)—original charge child support, SO;

• Brittney Whittaker, 18, 125 Waddell Road, Bainbridge, disorderly conduct, BPS;

• Christopher Thomas, 18, 1706 Belcher Lane, Bainbridge, aggressive driving, BPS;

• Kenneth Oscar Hunt, 70, 1025 Palmetto St., Apt. A-1, Bainbridge, driving without valid license, BPS;

• Shenesi Lashaun Beard, 24, 112 Adams Drive, Bainbridge, driving while license revoked, BPS.