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Father dies, sons could face murder charges Save Email Print
Posted: 5:23 PM Oct 29, 2007
 Last Updated: 9:18 PM Oct 29, 2007
 Reporter: Lynnsey Gardner
Email Address: lynnsey.gardner@wrdw.com
15 comments Photos
A | A | A

News 12 at 6 o'clock, October 29, 2007

HEPHZIBAH, Ga. -- A father hit in the head with a tent pole died today. Now his sons could face murder charges.

Coroner Grover Tuten says Tony Powell Senior died this morning around 5 am.

Now, Richmond County Investigators are consulting with District Attorney Danny Craig to determine if the pole was thrown by accident, or on purpose.

The incident happened last Tuesday night near the family's Hephzibah home. Powell's family says he was dropping off a neighbor at his home across the street, and once he was back at the road, investigators say his sons met him with the lightweight tent poles.

The 15 year old and the 16 year old son have maintained all along that this was a freak accident. The 16 year old is the only one charged so far in the case, he's facing aggravated assault charges as a juvenile.

Last week, the 16 year old spoke exclusively with News 12. See his story here. "All it was was an accident. When I threw the pole the back of the truck was facing us and then he spun the truck around and that's how it hit him. I just wanted my dad to be okay. I love him and I'm sorry."

An autopsy was preformed on Tony Powell Senior this morning at the crime lab. Investigators have not released an exact time frame when to expect more charges to be filed, if any.
Tony Powell, Sr.
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Posted by: Anonymous Location: 30815 on Nov 19, 2007 at 12:13 AM
if only matthews knew what he was talkin about...there was no taunting. they were tryin to help tony, and to the rest of you, the family is not perfect but they all love each other. and thier mom might have done a few things in her life but its not like shes always drinkin or ever on drugs, so back off
Posted by: MATTHEWS Location: 30906 on Nov 4, 2007 at 03:29 PM
F.Y.I.If you shoot a person in the back and because of the injuries the person dies, It is called cold blooded murder If any thing I hope we all learn a lesson from this, think before you act and sometimes its just beter to walk away.This was an act of taunting that went to far
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Augusta on Oct 31, 2007 at 03:49 PM
I agree with Anonymous30906, I knew the entire family, too, and they have never been a structured family by any means. Drugs and alcohol have always been in their life. The boys should have conseqeunces,but eveyone should leave that up to the judicial sytem to decide. I believe some type of punishment may influence them not to continue living the same life,that they really have been forced to live. I also hope that the mother realizes how much needs to change in her life to make sure nothing like this happens with her other three kids. May God be with all of them whatever happpens.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: 30815 on Oct 31, 2007 at 10:49 AM
to anonymous in 30906......say what u want about them they werent angels but they would not do that to tony on purpose and eventually u people will see that. they might have been wild but they loved their dad and i know them to, they are not murderers so u need to chill
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Augusta 30906 on Oct 31, 2007 at 10:16 AM
I knew Tony and all the kids in the family and even though they are good people,there is a side that everyone has seen thats not so good.All the children has a wild side they do what they want,cuss out adults,including mom&dad.tear up others things.I realy dont think this was a freak accident. to many things dont add up.Both sons should be charged and be taught that actions always catches up with you.What does this say to the younger children in the family if the get away with this. They are bad enought already without the influnce this is going to leave.We will miss Tony&pray for the others,but I hope you look at everything and see this was not just a freak accident. Theres no way possible for a tent pole to do that much damage to the truck and window,Then to hit their father to stick in his brain the way it did.Its true the kids have to live with the results of their actions,but we all do,it still dont mean we should get away with murder meant to or not it happened.Age shouldnt matter
Posted by: Sad story Location: Augusta on Oct 30, 2007 at 07:29 PM
To these boys: May God be with you in your lifetime of sorrow & loss. Too bad your dad would not stop & "REALLY LISTEN" before something bad happened. You did what you thought was right.
Posted by: Lana Location: canton,texas on Oct 30, 2007 at 05:22 PM
Have you had a parent that didn't grow up. Try and walk in these boys shoes. The father may have been a good person but there is no telling the stress he put on his very own children. You have the what ifs....what if he had left and killed someone driving like he was. Did anyone step in or did the kids have to take the responsibility the way they probably have been all along. This isn't what i would say is murder. This is an accident that happen because an adult did not take responsiblity for what he was doing and the kids had to. I feel sorry for them and i hope they don't charge them with murder. That would not prove anything and they are having to deal with this anyway. All the were doing was trying to protect him and anyone meeting him on the road. Why didn't he stop for his kids anyway? Who really cared more? Imagine the frustration the boys felt when he drove away and probably many times before then...just throwing a pole and dad made a turn...can you imagine how they feel.
Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 30, 2007 at 03:46 PM
Tony, you will be missed, but you are in a better place now. Rest in peace.
Posted by: Becca Location: Hephzibah, GA on Oct 30, 2007 at 02:53 PM
I know these boys.....I am sure they never intended for this to happen. They probably never even fathomed this could be a possible consequence......they thought they were doing the right thing.....we reach to our kids to do whats right and don't let people drink and drive.....I hope the investigators and prosecutors see this was really not something intentional...the boys are suffering a great loss and something that will take them a lifetime to deal with already....isn't that bad enough....I am sure a lesson has been learned. God be with them all. My prayers are with the boys and thier family.
Posted by: Cindy Location: Martinez on Oct 30, 2007 at 02:07 PM
May God have mercy on these two boys who were trying to intervene with their father. I knew the family along time ago and I was shocked to hear that the father had not changed his life style from so long ago. I hope this will be a life lesson for more than just the immediate family. It sure did make me stop and Thank God that I found his salvation when I did. Cheryl, you and the whole family will be in my prayers.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: 30815 on Oct 30, 2007 at 12:38 PM
hey tiffany butler. pay a lil more attention to the facts hun. they didnt beat him with it they threw it at the back of the truck and he spun the truck around so it hit him. these boys arent violent at all. they are very sweet and loved thier father more than anything. and thier dad was a great man as well, i love them all but drugs and alcohol make people do crazy things (like drive crazy) and they were trying to help thier dad and others nearby
Posted by: Peggy Location: CALAIS, ME on Oct 30, 2007 at 10:06 AM
This was a sad and tragic accident. What would make it a crime would be criminal intent. I believe there Dad was probably a great guy, but he had been drinking, and these kids cared enough about him to try to stop him from committing a criminal act: DUI. It seems clear they loved him; they have to live with this and they are kids. They will live with it for a long time, punishment enough.
Posted by: Tiffany Butler Location: Atlanta, GA on Oct 30, 2007 at 09:20 AM
I think that they should serve time in prison because of the simple fact that they killed their father. It really doesn't matter what their intentions were. The fact still remains that this is bloody and cruel homocide. What sense does it make to bludgeon your father to death to try to save his life? It's a total oxymoron! It's backwards, and it really sounds hideous! It's murder whether they want to accept the reality of it or not. To every action there is a consequence; be it a positive or negative one. I do feel that they should be taught a valuable lesson...and charged with the murder. They had to be FULLY aware of the consequences of beating their father in the head with a pipe in hopes of saving his life. Let's face reality. They should pay!
Posted by: Erica Location: Hephzibah on Oct 29, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Tony was the kind of person who would give you his shirt off his back and in no way deserved what happened to him.
Posted by: Christina Location: South Carolina on Oct 29, 2007 at 08:39 PM
This is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen. What gets me is the fact that they might only have to spend 10 yrs in jail. They get 10 yrs of free food, warmth, shelter, baths and all she got was death. That poor women. And the sad part of it is she probably didn't know the difference and yet they probably knew that as well, that is why they did not care. I am a firm believer in God and I believe that he has punishment for them. I hope that the judge will be on Christina's side. The best part of this is she is in a much better place. As far as the house, it needs to be burned down. So memories will not haunt the people who live on that street.
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