(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*A former Bibb County jail deputy sheriff is heading to prison for beating an inmate. A judge sentenced Quency Barnes to serve seven-years of a 20-year sentence after a jury found him guilty of aggravated assault, battery and cruelty to an inmate last Friday. He and another jailer were accused of tasing, choking and punching a female inmate while escorting her to a cell in May 2023.
*A Taylor County father is facing charges in the accidental shooting death of his young son. The sheriff’s office says Dante Vinson was arrested this week on a charge on involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. His three-year-old son allegedly shot himself after finding a gun inside their Butler home in March.
*Jefferson County commissioners (not to be confused with the City of Jefferson) passed a measure Tuesday that that allows data centers, which is opposed by residents who are concerned over protections for agricultural land. Companies will be required to go through a rezoning process since no land is currently zoned that way. There are no data centers under construction in Jefferson County right now.
*Auto insurance rates are coming down for millions of Georgia drivers. WSB-TV says dozens of insurance companies are slashing costs, which will affect 3.6 million policies in Georgia. The savings are expected to add up to $500 million.
*With Halloween around the corner, a new survey reveals what scares Georgians most. Forget ghosts and goblins. A new survey from casin.ca found heights top the list of fears for Georgians. And researchers say it was among the most common phobias nationwide, with some people admitting they’ll go out of their way to avoid bridges, tall buildings, or steep overlooks. The survey also found most Americans think about their biggest fear several times a week, proving Halloween isn’t the only scary season.