Thomas Pickle and James Sexton

Two arrested on meth charges

Whitfield County, Ga. - Two men, one from LaFayette, Ga., and the other from Chattanooga, were arrested Wednesday after a high-speed chase and charged with methamphetamine trafficking and other offenses, a news release states.

The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit received information that Thomas Pickle, of LaFayette, was distributing meth in the Whitfield County area, and on Wednesday officers heard that Pickle would be delivering a large amount of meth in Tunnel Hill.

Sheriff's office and Georgia State Patrol personnel doing surveillance in the area about 4:30 p.m. saw Pickle in the passenger seat of a Toyota pickup truck driven by a man later identified as James Sexton, of Chattanooga. Officers tried to stop the truck but the driver raced away, according to the release.

Officers chased the vehicle on Highway 201 from Tunnel Hill to Varnell, and Pickle was seen throwing items out of a window of the truck during the pursuit, authorities said. The state patrol managed to stop the truck in Varnell, and Pickle struck an officer in the face as they tried to arrest him, the release states. Both men were taken into custody.

The items thrown out the window during the chase were recovered. They included about a quarter-pound of meth and several different types of prescription pills. Recovered from the suspects were $ 1,436 in cash and scales, authorities said.

Thomas Eugene Pickle Jr., 39, was charged with trafficking in meth, possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of meth, possession of diazepam, alprazolam, and phendimetrazine tartrate. He also is charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer.

James Alan Sexton, 50, is charged with all the above offenses and with traffic violations during the chase.

Kid with cellphone places 162 911 calls

NASHVILLE - A child's curiosity led to quite a stir at Metro Nashville's Emergency Communications Center.

Police say a child playing with an old cellphone placed 162 calls to the center in less than 24 hours Tuesday and Wednesday.

The cellphone was deactivated, but because it still had a battery the child was able to call 911.

WTVF-TV in Nashville reported 911 call takers tried to persuade the child to give the phone to an adult or provide them with her location. By Wednesday, a worker was able to keep the child on the line and trace her location.

Patrol officers went to the home and talked to the girl's parents.

The center processes more than 3,500 calls a day. There was no indication the calls delayed service.

Downtown fire guts historic buildings

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. - A large fire did heavy damage to historic buildings in downtown Clarkesville when flames swept through the downtown area in the mountain town about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Firefighters responded to the initial blaze at the Sweet Breads Cafe, housed in an old warehouse that dates to the 1930s on East Water Street, around 11 p.m. Wednesday.

WXIA-TV reports that at least a half-dozen businesses were damaged in the Habersham County town.