Friday, February 20th: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around the Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your Thursday forecast.
1) GSP: 2 killed, including Hahira Police Officer, during traffic stop on I-75. Georgia State Representative Dexter Sharper identified the officer killed Thursday morning as Caleb Abney. Georgia State Patrol says he died just after midnight when a vehicle hit his patrol car while he was conducting a traffic stop on I-75 in Lowndes County. The crash happened at mile marker 31 on I-75 north.
2) Woman pleads no contest in hit-and-run crash that severely injured 9-year-old. Alfreda Nelson was charged with one count of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury after authorities said she hit 9-year-old Sawyer Crawley with her vehicle in January 2025. With this plea, Nelson waives her right to a trial and will remain in jail until sentencing.
3) Florida advocates return to Capitol demanding protection for HIV patients facing program cuts. 16,000 HIV patients face losing financial assistance as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program faces cuts. Lawmakers are proposing $68-118 million to bridge the gap before the March deadline.
4) Florida House approves property tax rollback, setting up clash with Senate. Lawmakers passed the constitutional amendment resolution on Thursday. The proposal would phase out property taxes on primary residences while preserving levies for schools, marking what House leaders describe as historic tax relief.
5) Weekend Forecast: Today and tomorrow, we'll be in the 80s. It will be warm out there, but not for long. Saturday night, our next system will roll through, bringing showers and a chance of severe weather Saturday night. That will cool us back down. First to Know Meteorologist Ryan Gold has the details below.
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