Around the Region: ‘Skimmer’ Sentenced, Pedestrians Killed and 21 Confirmed West Nile Cases

– Alpharetta Patch

More than 175 customers of a BP station in Alpharetta saw a little justice last week when the man who was convicted of "skimming" their credit and debit card information in 2008 was sentenced to five years in federal prison.

Boris Toumasian, 25, of Glendale, Calif., who stole credit and debit card information from BP gas station customers and then used the information to create counterfeit cards, withdraw money from the customers’ bank accounts, and buy electronics, was sentenced Aug. 24 by U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten to serve five years in federal prison on charges of conspiracy, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

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 – East Atlanta Patch

Two pedestrians were killed early Saturday morning while trying to cross Memorial Drive near Hill Street in downtown Atlanta.

According to APD, the two were crossing the roadway around 2 a.m. on Aug. 25 when Bryan Butler struck them with his vehicle.  Both died on the scene.  Police spokesman Sgt. Curtis Davenport said that the suspect was driving at a fast rate eastbound on Memorial Drive when he hit the pedestrians.

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– Canton-Sixes Patch

With the number of confirmed West Nile virus cases in Georgia at 21, state health officials urge residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes that may carry the potentially fatal virus.

"The problem of mosquitoes and West Nile virus appears to be escalating in Georgia and across the country," said Dr. J. Patrick O’Neal, the Georgia Department of Public Health’s director of health protection. "More West Nile virus cases have been confirmed by the third week in August than at any time in the last 10 years."

Of the 21 confirmed cases, three have resulted in death. Dougherty County had two fatalities. The other occurred in Early County.

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