Bainbridge -A stabbing in a domestic dispute was reported to 911 on Saturday afternoon at about 3:30 p.m. and resulted in a husband and wife charged with aggravated assault.

Bainbridge Public Safety Officers responded to the scene at 728 South Sims Street. Outside the home, Officer Hank Day spoke with Lisa Close who stated that she and her husband, Xavier Close, had an argument. Officer Day noted potted plants broken and thrown in the yard.

Inside, Xavier Close was found to have some blood on his shirt and pulling down his shirt revealed a stab wound. At first Xavier said he was cut doing yard work but then admitted that he was stabbed by his wife. Officer Day discovered the blade of a large butcher knife in the kitchen trash can. Xavier Close was arrested and transported to the hospital where he obtained a number of stitches.

In an interview with Investigator Jordan, Lisa Close stated she tried multiple times to walk away from Xavier. She stated Xavier came into the living room, and she walked into the bedroom. Xavier followed her, and the argument continued until Xavier threw her onto the floor and began choking her to the point where she began to throw up.

Lisa Close stated she managed to get away from Xavier and ran into the kitchen and picked up a butcher knife. She stated she told Xavier if he came any closer to her she was going to stab him. Xavier then picked up the microwave and threw it on the floor making her very angry. She stated Xavier then walked toward her again, and she stabbed him in the chest with the butcher knife.

She stated she then ran back into the bedroom whereupon Xavier threw the knife at her, and the blade stuck into the door.

Xavier Lanard Close, 38, and Lisa Marie Close, 45, of 728 South Sims Street were each charged with aggravated assault. This was far from the first time that Public Safety had responded to this residence for domestic disputes.

Blakely - The News has learned that a Blakely man was killed recently when he was struck by a vehicle on Highway 273 between Blakely and Cedar Springs.

According to the GSP accident report, pedestrian Paul Allen Jr., 50, was struck by an east bound 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Nancy Diane Williams of Colquitt around 12:40 a.m. on June 19.

Williams was meeting another vehicle and did not see Allen before he was struck by the vehicle.

Allen was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Community Funeral Home in Blakely. No charges has been filed.

Cairo - A young Cairo man was killed in a car accident, and a Florida driver is charged with his death and driving under the influence while the Georgia State Patrol continues its investigation.

Miguel Encina-Cornado, 24, was killed in the single vehicle accident on Highway 111 South Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. Encina-Cornado was a passenger in a 2000 Dodge Stratus.

The driver of the car, Radael Zuniga, lost control of the vehicle, crossed over the north bound lane and into a ditch before the passenger side of the car crashed into a tree.

Zuniga and Encina-Cornado were trapped in the car by the force of the crash. Two other male passengers were not trapped.

Zuniga was airlifted to Southeast Medical Center in Dothan, AL, for treatment of his injuries. Two other passengers were taken to Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville.

Encina-Cornado was dead at the scene.

According to GSP reports, Zuniga is charged with DUI, failure to maintain lane, driving while unlicensed, and homicide by vehicle in the first degree.

Cuthbert -What started as a happy Fourth of July weekend with family became deadly after a domestic depute broke out in Shellman on the morning of the fourth.

According to the Randolph County Sheriff Gary Yocchum, 50-year-old Carolyn Johnson was killed on Cemetery Street at her home in Shellman.

Johnson was shot and killed as the result of a domestic dispute by her boyfriend, Ricky Starling who then shot himself in the chest, according to witnesses in the home at the time of the shootings.

Starling survived the gunshot and was taken to Phoebe Putney Hospital in Albany.

According to witnesses, Johnson and Starling had been arguing the night before and got into another argument on July 4 which quickly turned deadly as Starling pulled out a shot gun shooting Carolyn twice in front of her grandchildren and several family members.

Responding to the call, Randolph sheriff’s department found, upon arrival, that both Johnson and Starling had been shot; Johnson was deceased. They then called the GBI and roped off the crime scene.

Starling is still in Phoebe Putney Hospital in intensive care, as of press time, according to Mike Lewis of the GBI.