Miracle Man Survives Tree Topple On Truck
Meet Mike Johnson. The Columbus man is a walking, talking miracle after a 150 foot Oak tree landed in his lap during the morning commute Thursday. The tree fell on the roadway hours…
Robbie Watson
Articles
Court: Deputy Tried To Save Inmate
A Muscogee County Sheriff's Investigator told Municipal Court Judge Steven Smith that a Deputy rushed inside the bloody cell where he personally witnessed Jayvon Hatchett on top of inmate Eddie…
Sheriff Unaware Jail Inmate Wanted To Kill White People
It was a failure to communicate the Sheriff said noting her staff wasn't tipped off in police reports or any paperwork that inmate Jayvon Hatchett told detectives he wanted to…
Mom Demands Answers After Son Beaten To Death In Jail
New details are emerging about what happened inside the Muscogee County Jail early Saturday morning when Eddie Nelson was allegedly beaten to death by his cellmate Jayvon Hatchett. Nelson was…
Text Messages Detail Alleged Child Abuse Of Toddler
A Fort Benning soldier and his wife are being detained in the Russell County Jail for aggravated child abuse and First News has obtained new details about the allegations. MSG…
Court: Stabbing Suspect Enraged After Watching Police Shootings
A stabbing suspect was allegedly enraged after watching videos of police incidents on social media. The shocking motive behind the random attack at a Columbus Auto Zone was revealed during…
Missing Autistic Teen Arrested
A local autistic teenager who was reported missing by police 24 hours ago appeared in front of a Recorder's Court judge this morning. The 17 year old was charged as an…
Court: Advocacy Worker Did Not Report Child Rape
A detective with the Columbus Police Department's Special Victims Unit recounted in halting detail court testimony that is too disturbing for our television viewers. The young victim told investigators about years…
Biker Speeding Over 100 mph Before Crash
A motorcycle driver died and another man continues fighting for his life after a high speed collision in Columbus Friday night. The incident occurred at the intersection of Veterans Parkway and the Manchester…
Public Safety Proposal Prompts Fiery Response
"I am calling for the immediate resignation of Chief of Police, Rick Boren immediately," Justin Allen said in response to a recent video published on social media showing the arrest of two men…
Veterans Demand VA Secretary Change Clinic Location
Some of the most well known local veterans in the Chattahoochee Valley are sounding off over the construction of a new V.A. clinic on River Road in North Columbus. The group of leaders…
EXCLUSIVE: Hector Arreola's Death Changed To Homicide
In a stunning reversal, the state's medical examiner has officially ruled Hector Arreola's death a homicide. The amended report comes three and a half years after he called local police for help and…
Local Family Pursues Excessive Force Claim Against Columbus Police
The family of Hector Arreola tells First News they know all to well the anguish that George Floyd's family is experiencing now. They are angry too as they observe a vastly different response…
Deadly Phenix Lumber Accident Under Investigation
Evidence is still being collected at the scene in Phenix City and it's too graphic to detail for our television viewers but we got an up close look at the lumber company, a…
Good Samaritan Killed Helping Woman
Richard Watson was one of ten children and described as a quiet man who stayed in his own lane. When the Good Samaritan allegedly saw a woman being pummeled outside a Cusseta Road…
Local Election Showdown On Democratic Ballot
Two of the most important races in Muscogee County are partisan races and voters have to choose Democratic, Republican or Nonpartisan ballots during the primary election June 9th. Nat "Good morning, thank you."…
Johnny Lee Gates Free 43 Years After He Claimed Innocence
Johnny Lee Gates' 43 year saga in the criminal justice system is over. Gates was convicted of killing a 19 year old woman in 1976 but claimed he was wrongfully convicted. His defense…
Central Principal Uses Combat Experience To Comfort Students
The decision to move forward with in person graduation ceremonies for Central High School has generated some controversy and thrust principal Thomas Vickers into the glare of the national media spotlight. But this…
Ex-Con Charged With Killing 4 In Alabama Was Free On Bond
An ex-con charged with killing four people in Alabama last week was free on bond in Muscogee County. Derrick Hightower was sitting inside the Muscogee County Jail on drug charges just 2 short…
BWP Cares Delivers to Frontline of Deadly Pandemic
BWP Cares feeds thousands of local healthcare workers one week after launch. Brooke Peak told First News she was sitting around her house like a lot of other people wondering what she could…
Criminal Citations For City Employees Shooting Hoops
Phenix City Police doled out criminal citations to two City employees for violating the shelter in place order. TJ Bryant and Quadarius Woods were cited for violating a health code after pictures surfaced…
Keep Calm And Carry On....From A Distance
Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson urged people not to panic after word spread that the city officially recorded it's first case of the Coronavirus. "There's no shortage of food. The shelves are getting restocked. Just…
Debt Collector Posed As Cop To Harass Clients
A local debt collector was hauled into court this morning charged with impersonating a police officer. Jason Lovegrove posed as law enforcement on Facebook targeting clients from his work place and others according…
It's About To Get Real
It's about to get real as they say and as this pandemic spreads to our little corner of the Universe. The question everybody has is how will I know if I'm sick and…
Driver, Inmates Pick Up Reefer On Garbage Route
A garbage truck driver is behind bars tonight after a scheme to get prison inmates marijuana behind bars. Taurean Steele is employed by the city's Public Work's Department and is now facing felony…
City Worker Arrested For Sex Crimes Wants Bail
A City worker wants a Muscogee County Judge to set bail so he can return to work. Patrick Conway's defense attorney told the court during last week's hearing that the 53 year old…
"It's Still Very Tough" One Year Later
Sheriff Jay Jones says even though a year has passed, the worst natural disaster in Alabama's history is still fresh on the minds of people in Lee County. "It's just still even after…
Veteran Guilty of Combat Medic's Road Rage Murder
Lorenzo Freeman Sr. and Justin Davidson were both army veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder when their worlds collided according to court testimony. Davidson was hurling racial slurs at Freeman's son during…
Vote To Eliminate Marshal's Office Follows Controversial Tenure
The unanimous vote by Georgia Lawmakers to eliminate the Muscogee County Marshal's Office this past week came at the behest of city officials as a budget matter last October. The move also comes…
Victim Dies After Driving Through Street Basketball Game
A Columbus man who was severely beaten after driving through a street basketball game has died. Danny Jones never regained consciousness after the altercation on Wimbish Court last Thursday according to his family.…
Dispute Over Construction Payment Ends With Murder
A business dispute over money ended with one man dead and another claiming he fired his weapon in self defense. The incident happened February 9th a home on Rice Street. Trey Campbell was…
Drive By Shooting In Broad Daylight Leaves One Dead
Columbus Police are investigating a drive by shooting that left one man dead. The incident happened just a few miles from our Buena Vista Road studio on Brighton Road. Patrol officers responded shortly…
Attorney: Million Dollar Drug Figure Is Fuzzy Math
An attorney representing Autumn Tillery says the million dollar figure cops assigned to the amount of drugs found in her Upatoi home was formulated using some fuzzy math. Tillery is now facing multiple…
Man Charged After Neighbor Critically Injured During Fight
There are new details tonight about a neighborhood fight that left one Columbus man clinging to life and another facing multiple felony charges. WLTZ first reported on the incident last Friday. A Columbus…
Columbus Man Critical After Interrupting Basketball Game
A Columbus man is in critical condition one day after he was severely beaten at his family's North Columbus home and now police have a man in custody charged in connection to the…
Judge: Vigilante Justice Not Okay After 13 Year Old Murdered
Dramatic new details about the night a 13 year old child was killed with a shotgun in South Columbus were revealed in court Wednesday morning. That's where the dead teen's brother appeared facing…
Man Shot Dead In Broad Daylight Blocks From Police Headquarters
A Columbus man was shot dead Tuesday morning right down the street from the Public Safety Building. The incident happened in the 600 block of 5th Avenue. Ronnie Jackson Jr. was shot in…
Dad Charged With Infant Death Said Baby Was Choking
A Columbus dad charged with the death of his own infant son appeared in Recorder's Court Monday morning. Jikevious Scott told police he shook his baby but not to hurt the seven month…
Rape Suspect Lured Victims Away From Local Group Home
There are shocking new details about a rape suspect charged with multiple sex crimes involving minors under the age of 18 and how the victims landed in his custody. Patrick Conway was arrested…
The Miraculous Comeback of Mark Jones
A local businessman who weathered his own storm is making a miraculous comeback after a near fatal crash. Mark Jones has spent two years recovering since that crash. You might recognize his name…
Lawmakers Weigh Fine Increase For Distracted Driving
Georgia drivers are still using their cell phones despite a concerted effort to educate people about the dangers and now one Lawmaker wants to hit them where it hurts if caught, right square…
FBI Honors Providence Baptist Pastor
The FBI and Lee County Sheriff's Department teamed up to honor one Beauregard Citizen who has gone above and beyond they said since the deadly tornado ripped through that Community last March.…
Suspect On Pretrial Release When 13 Year Old Was Killed
The teen accused of killing a 13 year old boy was out of jail on a pretrial release for an unrelated felony charge according to court testimony. Jaquayvius Jones is charged with murder…
Drug Deal Prompts Deadly Shootout
A drug deal gone bad ended with the death of a Central High School student and another teen fighting for his life. The Lee County Sheriff's Department responded to shots fired in the…
Defense Attorneys Target Mom In Deadly Home Invasion
Columbus Police Investigators identified the armed bandits arrested for a deadly home invasion as members of the FNG Gang and testified that these same suspects showed up at the house in Upatoi just…
EXCLUSIVE: Horrific Details Emerge About Upatoi Home Invasion
As friends and family gathered to mourn the loss of Cross Henderson , horrific details are emerging about the home invasion in Upatoi where he was killed and the suspects charged with his…
Severe Weather To Saturate Viewing Area
Severe weather has descended on our area and weather forecasters have been talking about this weekend's winter storm system for several days now but not everyone heeds their warnings, why not? That depends…
Love Triangle Sparks Phenix City Shootout
A love triangle reportedly sparked a deadly shooting on the Phenix City Riverwalk Monday. According to a source familiar with the case, the gunfire erupted on 1st Avenue and 19th Street where a…
Couple Parking Led To Hurtsboro Murder
A couple parking prompted a deadly confrontation in Hurtsboro. Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor initially said he thought a Hurtsboro murder case was personal, indeed it was. Deontra Jones was allegedly engaged in…
Teens Kill Man For $70 Worth of Marijuana
Two Columbus teens allegedly killed a man for $70 dollars worth of marijuana according to court testimony. 17 year old Dequarius Richarson and his 16 year old accomplice appeared in Recorder's court charged…
