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March 2007
Fire evacuates Tech science building
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A fire in the Howey-Physics Building at 800 Atlantic Drive on the Georgia Tech Campus prompted evacuation of the building around 3:30 Friday afternoon.
No one was injured and the blaze, contained to one room, was extinguished by crews from the Atlanta Fire Department.
Matt Nagel, a Tech spokesman, said investigators don’t know what started the fire. He said students and staff will not return to the building until smoke has cleared.
MARTA resumes rail service to airport
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MARTA rail service to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was closed for almost four hours Thursday after a construction crane became stuck with its load of steal beams dangling near the tracks.
Passengers were taken by bus between the College Park and airport station until service resumed about 7:45 p.m.
The crane was being used by the airport to build a tram between the terminal and a new car rental facility. Construction crews bought in a new crane to move the load.
Permalink | Categories: Traffic
Overpass jumper snarls I-85
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A person believed to have jumped from an I-85 overpass was critically injured Wednesday afternoon, and all northbound lanes of the interstate were shut down at North Druid Hills Road as police investigated.
Shortly after 3 p.m., a Georgia Department of Transportation web site camera showed traffic moving on all lanes at the site of the incident on I-85 northbound.
DeKalb police spokesman Michael Payne said preliminary reports suggested the jumper, who was not immediately identified, was attempting suicide when they fell or jumped from the overpass about 1:30 p.m.
Permalink | Categories: Traffic
Son of former Lt. Gov. to be imprisoned
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The son of former Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor was sentenced today to three years imprisonment in the drunken driving death of his good friend two years ago in Charleston, S.C.
Fulton Fletcher Taylor, 23, will serve one year with the balance suspended. After his release he’ll be on probation for five years.
Taylor pleaded guilty to a felony charge of driving under the influence where a death resulted.
He was arrested Aug. 19, 2005, after his 2000 Lincoln Navigator hit a retaining wall on I-26 in Charleston and flipped upside down.
A passenger, Joseph Victor Gennert, 22, of Charleston, was thrown from the vehicle, pinned beneath it and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
“I know I have broken the hearts not only of Joe’s family, but of my own,” Taylor told the judge before sentencing.
Mark Taylor said to the court, “We’re here as a family to apologize to the Gennert family. We’re here to apologize to the state of South Carolina.”
“I’m asking you to have mercy on my son.”
The victim’s mother, Anna Gennert, also asked the court to show mercy.
“As Joe’s mom, I’m asking the court to spare Fletcher a term of imprisonment,” she said. “Please don’t make this a double tragedy.”
Permalink | Categories: courts
2 eastbound lanes of top-end I-285 closed by wreck
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two eastbound lanes of I-285 in Sandy Springs are closed because of a collision involving a fuel spill, Sandy Springs police said.
The 10 a.m. accident, which involved a tractor-trailer and a vehicle, is just east of Roswell Road near Glenridge Drive. Police said the ramp from Ga. 400 to eastbound 285 also is affected.
The state Department of Transportation estimates all lanes will be reopened shortly after 1 p.m.
Permalink | Categories: Traffic
Truck flips, scatters cars across I-85
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A wreck involving a tractor-trailer carrying a load of cars caused temporary closure of all lanes of I-85 south between the Clairmont and Shallowford exits Monday afternoon.
A dump truck, carrying what appeared to be gravel, flipped and its roof separated from the body of the truck.
The tractor-trailer carrying five cars was driven by Reginald Hines, an employee of Newnan-based Trade In Transport Inc., said Richard Casey, the company president.
The incident took place around 1 p.m., Casey said. The two vehicles collided and the tractor skidded to the median in the center of the highway.
DOT spokesman David Spear said cars were thrown from the tractor-trailer, resulting in closure of four lanes on the northbound highway. Two Toyota Tacomas spilled onto the northbound highway, said Casey, who rushed to the scene.
Small bulldozers were sent to clean up the debris and by 4:20 p.m., all lanes were open.
No serious injuries were reported.
Permalink | Categories: Traffic
Cyclists descend on Capitol
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A horde of cyclists from three area cities descended on the state Capitol today to promote biking and the need for more bike paths.
An estimated 2,000 bikers were to participate in the “Mayor’s Bike Ride to the Capitol,” including Roswell Mayor Jere Wood, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Marietta Mayor Bill Dunaway and Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd.
A rally at the Capitol in downtown Atlanta will run until 1 p.m.
Washington Street will be closed from Martin Luther King Boulevard to Mitchell Street until 2 p.m.
Visit www.georgiabikes.org for more information.
