Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—The office of DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry  Boston is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who tied two dogs to the back of a car and dragged them along the roadway, killing one of them.  At approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, surveillance camera video showed a man pulling into the parking lot of the Redan Recreation Center on Phillips Road in Lithonia dragging two dogs behind his vehicle.  The man got out of the car, untied the dogs from the bumper, and then left them for dead.  The driver appeared to back…

By Mark Brock DCSD Athletics Specialist Ten DeKalb County School District(DCSD) football teams are playing for either a playoff berth or seeding heading into the state playoffs in two weeks as the regular season finishes this weekend. Lakeside (4-5, 3-3) and Dunwoody (3-6, 2-4) need wins to keep playoff hopes alive as they play key Region 4-5A contests on Friday. Lakeside needs a win over region leader Woodward Academy (6-3, 6-0) and a win from Dunwoody against Shiloh (3-6, 3-3). A Lakeside loss and a Dunwoody win puts the Wildcats into the playoffs. Losses by both teams eliminates them from…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – A Duluth man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a 19-year-old woman at his home and dumping her body in Flowery Branch.  Timothy James Krueger, 52, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the June 16, 2022 stabbing death of Sarai Llanos Gomez, a mother of two children. Krueger was convicted in August 2024 of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault for the death. “We are grateful for the Court’s decision in this sentencing,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “This victim’s two young children were left motherless. Our hearts…

DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections (DeKalb VRE) formally announced the winners of the “I Voted” Sticker Design Challenge, a creative initiative to foster civic engagement among young artists in the community, during the DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections meeting on Thursday, October 10. The winners of the challenge are as follows: Grand Prize – Charlie Anderson, 11th grader at Druid Hills High School 1st Runner-up – Laylah Lewis, 12th grader at DeKalb Early College Academy 2nd Runner-up – Kamryn Pierce, 11th grader at DeKalb School of the Arts “These talented students have demonstrated exceptional creativity in designing…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Eric W. Lee, pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, is refuting a blogger’s post that he was arrested on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, and that he had a previous arrest in 2018. Lee lives in Newton County. Springfield Baptist Church is located in neighboring Rockdale County.  The allegations were made by The Newton Exposer on Wednesday, Oct. 30.  On Common Ground News checked jail records, but did not find any arrests concerning Lee in the Newton County jail’s database. The post was removed late Wednesday. Lee spoke with On Common Ground News, saying he put put out on social media that…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department is seeking help locating two home invasion suspects. On July 29, officers responded to a local area hospital and met with the victim in this case. The victim stated that just hours before, a known associate of his, Jian Sun, 41, of Norcross, and an unknown male who was later identified as Stephen Carlos Valenzuela, 24, of Atlanta, assaulted him at his home in Duluth. The victim said that Jian Sun knocked on his door, and when he opened the door, he was beaten and zip-tied by the two suspects. The victim…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Habitat for Humanity Conyers-Rockdale recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Taloria Johnson’s new residence in the City of Conyers.  The ceremony took place on Sunday, Oct. 27. The 3-bedroom, 2-bath home symbolizes a personal milestone for the homeowner and a commitment by Habitat for Humanity Conyers-Rockdale to foster community growth and development.  Local officials, community leaders, and neighbors gathered to mark the special event, highlighting homeownership’s importance in enriching lives and strengthening our community. 

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– A street racing event that took over the intersection of Oakland Road and Cruse Road in Duluth resulted in a car chase with police and numerous people going to jail. On Oct. 26, officers with the Gwinnett County Police Department responded to the intersection after it was reported that numerous vehicles were blocking the roadway so that other cars could do burnouts and set items on fire.  As police units approached, they were able to block the escape routes of the cars that were blocking the roadway.  When officers arrived, people began to flee on foot and…