Citizens lose thousands of dollars to scams

Local residents have lost thousands of dollars due to scams recently, and Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills says he is frustrated that it’s happening so often.“It’s why we don’t have bank robberies anymore,” Sills opined.

Accused truck thief found in Florida

After eight months of searching, local authorities found an accused truck thief in Florida and brought him back to face charges in Putnam County.Around 5:30 a.m.

Driver distracted by cell phone at fault in crash

A high school student was reportedly ticketed for distracted driving after looking down at his cell phone, which subsequently caused a serious crash.Nicholas Sills, 18, of Eatonton, was driving home from Putnam County High School on March 6 in his 2011 Ford F-150.

Six-time felon arrested with guns and drugs

An unidentified man attempted to break into a house in which some teens were home alone, but the family’s dogs scared him off. A short time later, an arrest was made across the street on charges unrelated to the attempted break-in, according to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.

One surrenders; one still sought in fatalities

An Eatonton man accused of being at fault in a December fatality turned himself into authorities Monday and was arrested on a litany of charges.

Cameras help authorities solve crimes

Putnam County authorities are searching several counties for a wanted man, while in a separate case, they searched far and wide until locating and arresting two men believed to be involved in stealing from a local business.

Murderer gets life with possibility of parole

Jurors deliberated a little more than one hour before returning a guilty verdict on the man who fatally shot another man at the Shell Food Mart in Eatonton last summer.

Jury trial in progress for Shell Station murder

A murder trial is underway this week in Putnam County Superior Court with a panel of jurors hearing presentations by attorneys regarding the shooting death of 32-year-old Frederick Lamar Scott, Jr. of Eatonton.

Foot chase yields a ‘threefer’ for authorities

Jumping into shoulder-deep water on a winter day didn’t help a wanted man from escaping Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies, and neither did it help two other men who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, Sheriff Howard Sills said.

Man jailed for stalking teen encountered at stop light

A 17-year-old Eatonton girl stopped at a red light on the Eatonton Bypass/U.S. Hwy. 441 last week, and it was there that a nightmare began for her. She noticed a man following her and, at some point, when it was obvious he was not going to stop, she became so scared that she called 911.