May 13, 2015 — Gwinnett Daily Post

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‘PRETTY SHOCKING,’ 6A

RAMS WIN IN SEMIS Grayson girls beat Peachtree Ridge for spot in soccer title game. • Sports, 1B

Senate Democrats delay fast-track trade bill

Gwinnett Daily Post WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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75 cents ©2015 SCNI

Vol. 45, No. 137

Cops: Would-be robbery victim shoots, kills suspect By Joshua Sharpe

attempted keep the to force assailants their way out before through the firing on PEACHTREE CORsame door, them, NERS — A woman cracked with plans killing her door leerily Tuesday to rob the one as the afternoon at Valencia Park occupants, others fled, Michael Saveion Apartments and rubbed her which includ- JohnBush authorities Wylie Bush eyes, still tired from the long ed four small said. previous night. children. Also behind the On Tuesday, as the groggy At about 11:30 p.m. door was an armed man who woman said the shooter lay Monday, police say five men lives there. The man tried to sleeping, still recovering, joshua.sharpe @gwinnettdailypost.com

the Gwinnett County Police Department announced the arrests of two of the four remaining suspects. John Michael Bush, 32, and Saveion Wylie Bush, 33, both of whom reportedly live at the complex, face charges of home invasion, aggravated assault and felony murder, though police say the bullet that killed their alleged co-conspirator was the

resident’s. In Georgia, there is a distinction between felony murder and traditional malice murder. The former occurs when a suspect commits a felony, such as home invasion, that results in someone’s death, whether they physically killed the person or not. Warrants obtained by the Daily Post charge the

Bushes, whose relationship wasn’t immediately clear, on those grounds with the death of their alleged partner, whose identity hasn’t been released as attempts to locate his next of kin are underway. Meanwhile, the resident faces no charges. The Daily Post has chosen not to publish his name because he See ROBBERY, Page 5A

Police look into deputy firing at car Person allegedly drove at cop serving warrant By Joshua Sharpe joshua.sharpe@gwinnettdailypost.com

For the third time in a week, an officerinvolved shooting is under investigation in Gwinnett County. The most recent incident happened Monday at about 6 p.m., when sheriff’s deputies from Gwinnett and Walton counties attempted to serve a misdemeanor arrest warrant from Polk County on a home at 4960 Braselton Highway in unincorporated Hoschton. Cpl. Michele Pihera, spokeswoman for the Gwinnett police department, said it doesn’t appear that anyone was hit, but a Gwinnett deputy fired on a car that had been parked at the house and began to drive toward him. The driver of the Ford Escape — not the woman named in the warrant deputies had — was circling around the side of the house to flee.

aiming

See DEPUTY, Page 5A

GWINNETT CENTER

HIGH Ignacio Montoya pauses for a moment while outside near his assisted living residence in Atlanta on May 5. Montoya, who was a soon-to-be commissioned Air Force pilot, was confined to a wheelchair after a motorcycle accident in 2012 that left him paralyzed. (Staff Photo: David Welker)

Air Force recruit paralyzed in wreck takes his first steps since late 2012

By Joshua Sharpe

Rosser International Partner John Wyle shows Gwinnett commissioners a drawing of what the Gwinnett Center could look like with a town center concept during a meeting on Tuesday at the center. (Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans)

Arena, other facilities may get overhaul By Curt Yeomans curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com

DULUTH — A new Marriott hotel may be the beginning of a major overhaul of the Gwinnett Center. Consultants from Rosser International presented several ideas which have been proposed for inclusion in a new master plan for the center on Tuesday during a meeting with county commissioners. The proposed ideas include a seating expansion in the Arena at Gwinnett Center, more exhibit and meeting space, new gateway entrances and a multi-lane roundabout on Sugarloaf Parkway. Another proposal is to convert the parking areas into a town center-like area with shops, residential housing, a small theater and an outdoor lawn and performing space. “The whole idea with this master plan is ‘Come Early and Stay Late,’” Rosser See CENTER, Page 5A

For a second I just looked forward, looked straight ahead, looked everyone in the eye. It was an incredible feeling. I had forgotten how tall I was.”

joshua.sharpe @gwinnettdailypost.com

Ignacio Montoya walked. He’d rather fly, but he knows he first must walk. The longtime Duluth resident crossed that milestone in April after nearly three years of work since his dreams of becoming an Air Force pilot were dashed in a motorcycle accident. Following the Dec. 4, 2012, wreck, Montoya made a vow to take a step before his 1,000th day of being unable to walk. With the help of staff and equipment at Roper St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, S.C., he says he took “more than a few steps” on Day 863. The moment was at once amazing and strange. “For a second I just looked forward, looked straight ahead, looked everyone in the eye,” Montoya said. “It was an incredible feeling. I had forgotten how tall I was.” Montoya stood 5-foot-11 before the accident. Since then he has been less than 4 feet tall in his wheelchair. Montoya, who is living temporarily at an Atlanta assisted living facility, traveled to South Carolina to try a Rewalk Exoskeleton, a machine that attaches to the body and aids in walking. He had been reading

— Ignacio Montoya, Air Force recruit

about it since waking up from his coma. The machine was only approved by the U.S. government for use last year.

Dec. 3, 2020. The date and the year have Ignacio several layers of significance. Montoya He’ll turn 30 on that date. takes a It is the year his sister will few of his first steps graduate from high school. since “When I woke up from my being coma, she told me she wanted paralyzed me to walk with her,” Montoya in a mosaid. “I promised her I would do torcycle everything in my power.” accident Also, on his 30th birthday, in 2012. a potentially grim fate looms. (Special Photo) That’s the day he will become ineligible to begin training to become an Air Force pilot, because of his age. Montoya has held to his dreams of flight since he was a 6-year-old boy moving to America from Cuba with his father. He found his desire on the flight from Cuba to Miami. The father and son moved to the Atlanta area after a few days in Florida. Montoya learned After trying many other opEnglish, became a U.S. citizen tions, Montoya was skeptical it and graduated from Brookwood would work. High School in 2008. Now that it has, he’s setting See STEPS, Page 5A his focus on the next deadline:

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