Restaurant owner accused in bomb threat

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A popular Marietta Square restaurant owner is charged with calling in a bomb threat that emptied the Cherokee and Cobb county courthouses Tuesday morning.

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jay Baker confirmed the threat around 11:20 a.m., but authorities later said it was a false alarm. It marked one of several times a threat has been called into the courthouse on the monthly foreclosure auction day.

Canton police said the courthouse was evacuated during the investigation. North and West Main streets were closed downtown, and reopened around 12:30 p.m.

News Chopper 2 flew over the Cherokee County Courthouse as police search dogs looked for explosives inside, but authorities said they didn't find anything.

Meanwhile, Cobb County deputies were fingerprinting a payphone where authorities believe the threat was called in. The phone is located at a Citgo Quik Mart at Fairground and Roswell streets in Marietta. Authorities said surveillance video nearby led them to their suspect, Jody Wilson.

In a few short years, Wilson became well known around the Marietta Square, running the Starlight Café, a popular breakfast and lunch spot.

Cherokee County investigators confirmed Wilson has a home in foreclosure that was scheduled to be sold on the courthouse steps Tuesday. They have linked him to a similar bomb threat in January, and charged him with eight counts.

WSBTV