Q: What happened to Atibi Thomas? Was he convicted? I don’t remember seeing anything about his trial.
— Corey Robinson, College Park
A: Thomas' trial in the shooting of Atlanta police Officer Keith Roach is scheduled to begin Feb. 4, the spokeswoman for Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard told Q&A on the News in an email. Thomas shot Roach, who was wearing his bulletproof vest, three times on May 29, 2010, fracturing a rib and piercing both arms, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Thomas, a Lithonia merchant, was fleeing from being robbed in the West End area of Atlanta and has said he thought Roach was another assailant, even though he was in uniform, the AJC reported.
Q: Recently, a Norfolk Southern train collided with a box truck near the intersection of U.S. 41 and Charles W. Grant Parkway in Clayton County. Because the train was not at fault, will the company who owns the truck be required to pay for replacing the equipment at the crossing? If so, what is the estimated cost?
— Scott A. MacLean, Forest Park
A: A Cintas truck stalled on the tracks at that location on Dec. 28, and the responsible party "is required to pay for damages resulting from an accident," a Norfolk Southern spokeswoman told Q&A on the News in an email. A spokeswoman for Cintas wrote in an email: "The accident remains under investigation and our policy is to not comment on any matters that remain under investigation." Norfolk Southern would not comment on the cost of repairs. The driver exited the truck before it was hit. Cintas "provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types throughout the world," according to its website.
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