From the Blotter

No pay, no stay

A local builder says a Florida woman who filed a complaint against him is way off base.

Several weeks ago, the woman told deputies she paid the builder $40,000 to construct a house on Bates Road - but three year's after the projected finished date, it was still uninhabitable.

The builder confirms that the house isn't finished but says it's because the woman refused to pay.

"It's a $200,000 house," he said, noting that the $40,000 was just the down payment and that the woman added 500 square feet to the original plan.

"We didn't finish it because she didn't pay," he said.

Thou shalt not ...

A Pennsylvania preacher has been ripped off but is willing to forgive the thieves.

Last Tuesday, someone stole thousands of dollars worth of materials from his construction site at 2033 Winter Road.

Elder Jimmy Bowman, 64, was in the process of building the Holy Sanctuary of Jesus with his own two hands. That is, until he realized his generator, saws, tools and materials disappeared overnight.

The elder's wife said building the church had been their mission … but now plans to move to Blythe are indefinitely on hold.

"We're devastated. It's just sad," she said. "If whoever took it would just put it back, there would be no questions asked."

Anyone with information is asked to call Burke County investigators at 706-554-2133.

Blow out

A suspected drunk driver gave police a mouth-full last week.

According to a report filed at the Waynesboro Police Department, 38-year-old Angela Etterle was pulled over on East Seventh Street when an officer saw her weaving.

She was asked to take the breathalyzer several times but refused. The questioning ended when she told the female officer, "I'd rather bl** you than blow into that machine."

Etterle was arrested for DUI (second offense) and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

ER complications

An irate prisoner added more charges to his rap sheet after lashing out at the Burke County Jail and Burke Medical Center last Thursday night.

Eric Council, 21, had been arrested by the Sardis Police Department and taken to the county jail, where he was tasered while fighting deputies. When he was transported to the emergency room to be evaluated, he screamed profanities and pushed a doctor who attempted to examine him.

The prisoner was eventually taken back to the jail and has been charged with public drunkenness and two counts of obstruction of a law enforcement officer for his sortie at the hospital.