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Pete the bloodhound finds toddler
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Special to The News
Updated: Feb 14, 2011, 8:35 PM
Published: Feb 14, 2011, 8:05 PM

Pete the bloodhound was able to track down and find a missing toddler in woods near the Yellow River in southern Newton County on Friday.

According to a release from the Newton County Sheriff's Office, the 2-year-old girl was found after a 20-minute search and returned to her parents.

Deputies responded to the Shenanhoah Drive neighborhood about 1:25 p.m. and began their search, with Pete and the Newton County Fire Department.

 "A call of a small child missing in the woods near a river always gives first responders a sick feeling in their stomach until they are located," Sheriff Ezell Brown said in the release. "Our tracking canines are invaluable, not only are they a very important part of our fight against Burglars and thieves but they are also used to save lives."

 Brown added two tracking dogs to his department in his first year in office.

"I am extremely proud of our K-9 Deputy handlers and their blood hounds who train very hard each week to sharpen their skills to answer the call when the need arises," he said.
April 3 crash kills two young adults, injures third
Newton County Sheriff Car---WEB
Kate Verity
Published: Apr 4, 2025, 10:29 PM

NEWTON COUNTY — Around 10 a.m. on Thursday, a head-on collision on Highway 212 left two young adults dead and a third hospitalized.

Joe Navarro, 21, was driving the vehicle and Breanna Smith, 18, was in the passenger seat. Katie New, 20, sat between them.

According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle lost control while going around a curve and crossed the centerline, where it collided head-on with a box truck. The crash report shows that their vehicle traveled another hundred feet after impact before coming to a stop. It spun, ended up facing the opposite direction on the shoulder of the opposite lane.

Navarro and Smith were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. New was airlifted to Grady Hospital. Her current condition is not known. 

Navarro, Smith and New were not believed to be wearing seatbelts when the collision occurred.

The driver of the box truck was not reported to have suffered any injuries.

This is an ongoing story. The News will post updates as they are made available.