Region Digest: Investigators ID shooting victim

LAFAYETTE, Ga.

Investigators ID shooting victim

The Walker County Sheriff's Office has released the name of a LaFayette man who died from an accidental gunshot wound Monday afternoon.

Jeremy Jackson, 24, was pronounced dead Monday evening at Erlanger hospital.

He was shot in the head when his .22-caliber rifle accidentally went off as he got out of a truck on Arnold Road in Rock Spring, Ga., about 4 p.m. Monday, according to authorities.

Jackson and his brother Jason had driven to Arnold Road to fish and shoot the rifle.

"It's just a tragic accident," Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said. "We're just all very sorry for what happened."

The body has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Decatur for an autopsy, Wilson said.

CALHOUN, Ga.

Body discovered in Coosa River

The body of a Calhoun man was pulled from the Coosa River on Monday.

The death of 56-year-old Billy Brock is under investigation after someone spotted his body floating near the Chief John Ross Memorial Bridge in Floyd County, authorities said.

Brock's body had been in the water for several days, Deputy Coroner Gene Proctor said.

Proctor said he identified the man from tattoos.

While Brock's family hadn't reported him missing, they had been looking for him, Proctor said. Brock's son told the deputy coroner family members noticed he was missing several days ago.

Brock's body was sent to the GBI crime lab to determine the cause of death, Proctor said.

WAYCROSS, Ga.

Man charged in son's death

Ware County authorities say a Nicholls man is charged in the death of his son, who died in what originally was reported as a single-vehicle accident.

Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal said 45-year-old Michael Southerlan Carter struck his son's truck with his own pickup truck, running the son, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Carter, off the road.

Royal says the elder Carter was charged Monday with aggravated assault and felony murder in his son's death on April 5. He's being held at the Ware County Jail.

Officers say the father did not realize his son's truck held a passenger, who was slightly injured.

The passenger told investigators that Michael Carter drove his truck into his son's truck several times, finally causing it to overturn.

ATLANTA

GED testing fee cost to be raised

Thousands of Georgians soon will have to pay more to earn their general educational development certificates, or GED.

The American Council on Education, which administers the exam for GED testing, is raising the fees for the test. Students will pay up to $250 for the five-part test measuring reading, writing, social studies, science and math skills.

That's up from $95 for the full battery of tests. The Technical College System of Georgia approved the fee increase this month.

Upcoming Events