Murder, Arson Were Captor's Likely Goals in Taking Firefighters Hostage

The five Gwinnett fire and emergency officials who were held captive last week discuss the ordeal.

Lauren Brown made several demands during the recent Suwanee SWAT standoff with Gwinnett Police, but his desired outcome was obvious to one of his hostages. "My personal opinion," Tim Hollingsworth said Tuesday, "was that he wanted to board up the house, kill us, set the house on fire, and then let the fire department come in and put out the fire. "He wanted so bad to see it on TV." Hollingsworth and the four other Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services officers discussed the incident publicly for the first time at fire department headquarters Tuesday (April 16). The other fire officers were Jody Moss, Jason Schuon, Chip Echols and Sydney Garner. Brown, who lived at 2440 Walnut Grove Way, was shot to death in a gunfire exchange with a …

• Photos (1)

Lightning Sparks House Fire in Dacula

The fire damaged the attic of the home and displaced occupants, according to the Gwinnett Fire Department. A second lightning fire was reported in Duluth.

Gwinnett firefighters responded to a fire reported by an occupant in a home in the 3500 block of Greenside Court in Dacula Thursday night. The fire, reported just after 10:30 p.m., was caused by lightning and damaged the attic, Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge reported in a news release. Firefighters contained the fire to the attic, but the second floor sustained smoke and water damage, Rutledge said. The occupants were displaced from the home due to the damage. There were no injuries. Another fire sparked by a lightning strike in the 3000 block of Oak Hampton Way in Duluth Thursday night caused extensive damage to the attic and displaced three adults and two children. Both fires occurred as strong thunderstorms moved through portions of…

• Photos (1)

UPDATED: Fire Department Investigates Gas Leaks

Gas leaks found near the intersection of Braselton Highway and Hamilton Mill Parkway and on Auburn Road near Bailey Road.

UPDATED March 31 at 7 a.m. Fire crews were out at least two Dacula locations on March 28 investigating reports of a gas odor. Firefighters found a small gas leak near the intersection of Auburn Road and Bailey Road Saturday afternoon, according to scanner traffic. Buford Gas Company was called to the scene and fire crews returned to service at approximately 4:45 p.m. According to fire radio traffic, the leak posed no danger to the public. Fire crews were also dispatched to the area of Braselton Highway near Hamilton Mill Parkway just before 4 p.m. A strong odor of gas was present in the area. One through lane and two turn lanes of Braselton Highway were blocked and firefighters were seen walking in the area of the Hamilton Mill entrance. …

• Photos (3)

White Foam Floating on Alcovy River Not Toxic

The Gwinnett County Fire Department said it may take some time for the foam to dissipate.

Officials don't know who was responsible for the white foamy substance found floating on the surface of the Alcovy River Saturday, March 23, near Lawrenceville, but they believe it wasn't toxic or hazardous. Gwinnett County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge said firefighters responded to a call around 5:30 p.m. Saturday after a report of the substance on a four-mile stretch of the river between Hurricane Shoals Road and Freemans Mill Road. Rutledge said ithe source of the foam was traced to a feeder pipe behind an industrial complex off Petty Road near Lawrenceville. The substance was believed to be a "soap or detergent material." He said the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Division were notifed as…

• Photos (5)

Hamilton Mill Road Business Damaged by Fire

Passerby reported seeing smoke coming from a business in a strip mall near I-85.

No one was injured in a Feb. 18 fire that caused extensive damage to a Hamilton Mill Road business. Firefighters responded to Pak Mail, located at 2590 Hamilton Mill Road in Buford, after a passerby reported seeing smoke coming from the door of the business Monday evening. According to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Capt. Tommy Rutledge, crews found a fire smoldering in the back room of Pak Mail. The sprinkler system had activated.  "The sprinkler system kept the fire at bay and prevented the flames from spreading past the room of origin," Rutledge explained. "This is a prime example of the effectiveness of fire sprinklers to prevent destruction of an entire building from fire." The room in which the…

• Photos (1)

Tractor Trailer Rolls Over on I-85 Near Hamilton Mill Exit, Begins Leaking Fuel

Hazmat team called after fuel tank ruptured.

An overnight accident on I-85 northbound near Hamilton Mill Road developed into a hazmat incident when a fuel tank ruptured and began spilling fuel onto the roadway. At 12:45 a.m., Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services (GCFES) personnel were dispatched after a tractor trailer transporting a cargo of dry pellets rolled onto its side in a ditch. A fuel tank in the cab subsequently ruptured, spilling fuel onto the roadway and grass according to a GCFES press release. "Fire crews with the assistance of Gwinnett police, secured the area and assessed the accident," wrote GCFES Lt. Colin Rhoden in an email to the media. "Gwinnett County Fire’s Haz Mat team was called to the scene to assist the crews already at the incident with leak control…

• Photos (1)

Suspicious House Fire Under Investigation

A fire investigator determined the incident was an act of arson.

An overnight fire in the 5000 block of Pilgrim Lane in Auburn is under investigation as an act of arson. Fire crews were dispatched to the vacant, trailer-type home at 12:36 a.m. on Nov. 9. Firefighters arrived within six minutes and the fire was under control at 1:30 a.m. according to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Colin S. Rhoden. The single family residence was completely engulfed when police and fire arrived at the scene. "Fire hoses were quickly deployed and an aggressive exterior attack was done to the house," Rhoden said in a released statement.   Rhoden indicated that due to the advanced stage of the fire, the structure was burned to the foundation. There were no injuries reported. An …

• Photos (1)

Authorities Investigating Suspicious Car Fire

Vehicle was later reported stolen.

Police and arson investigators are attempting to determine whether a Sept. 4 vehicle fire was intentionally set. Gwinnett County fire and police personnel responded to the 1500 block of Ewing Chapel Road after a 2004 Ford Taurus was found fully ablaze on a secluded section of a long, dirt driveway. According to the police report, the vehicle appeared to have been driven to the scene and set on fire. The following day, approximately 17 hours after the fire, the car was reported stolen. The case is listed as active. You might also be interested in reading:

• Photos (1)

No One Injured in Tour Bus Fire

Bus was not carrying passengers when fire erupted on I-85 near Hamilton Mill Road.

A tour bus was completely destroyed Friday evening after a fire broke out in the engine compartment. According to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Capt. Tommy Rutledge, the bus was traveling on I-85 when the fire erupted. Passing motorists noticed the fire and called the number on the side of the bus to alert the bus company dispatcher. The bus company then called the driver on his cell phone. The driver exited the interstate at I-85 and Hamilton Mill Road. Fire crews responded to the parking lot of Dos Pancakes to extinguish the blaze. "Crews found the bus well involved with fire in the engine and luggage compartments. The bus was a total loss due to the fire," Rutledge wrote in an email to Dacula …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Dacula Police Blotter

Thief Steals GPS, Money but Leaves Neighbor’s Wallet and Camera

Incident one of several car break-ins that took place in Hamilton Mill during the overnight hours of Aug. 4.

On Aug. 5, a Hamilton Mill homeowner discovered his GPS unit and a bag of change had been stolen out of his vehicle but, fortunately for one of his neighbors, the thief left something behind. According to the Gwinnett County Police report, the victim discovered a wallet and camera belonging to a man who lives nearby in his vehicle. The victim, whose vehicle had been left unlocked, also noticed some damage to the dashboard of the vehicle that appeared to have been caused when the thief or thieves attempted to remove the radio. The wallet and camera were returned to the neighbor, who decided not to file a report. The incidents, both on Lake Heights Circle in the High Point subdivision of Hamilton Mill, were two of four that occurred on that …

• Photos (1)