News (825)
Newton Man Arrested for Statutory Rape in Lincoln County
Written by Ralph Mangum
24-year-old Darrick Wayne Fowler of Duke Street in Newton was arrested by Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Officers for felony statutory rape or sex offense of a 13, 14 or 15 year old by a defendant at least six years older than the victim and felony crime against nature.
He was arrested Saturday (July 5) around 4:30 a.m. after Deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle call behind the CVS Pharmacy on Webb’s Road in Denver.
Officers found a partially clothed male and female inside the vehicle. The male, Darrick Fowler, told Deputies that he and the female were just sitting in the vehicle talking. The female initially said she was 19 years old, but then admitted that she was only 14. Both individuals admitted to having a sexual encounter while in the vehicle.
The female’s mother was contacted and the juvenile was turned over to her.
Fowler was placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $125,000 secured bond. He was scheduled to make a first appearance in District Court today (July 7).
Suspect Arrested in Statesville Wal-Mart Indecent Exposure Case
Written by Ralph Mangum
24-year-old Jared Michael Ward has been arrested by Statesville Police for felony indecent exposure.
Ward is the suspect in a June 15 incident that occurred at the Wal-Mart store on Crossroads Drive in Statesville. Ward allegedly stood behind some display shelves in the children’s clothing department and performed a lewd act while watching some female children.
After the photos of the suspect and his vehicle were released to area media outlets (including WHKY), the Statesville Police Department received numerous calls identifying the suspect.
Investigator Al Pettit followed up on those calls. As a result of his investigation and after consulting with the Iredell County District Attorney’s Office, Investigator Pettit obtained a warrant for Ward’s arrest.
He was taken into custody last Thursday afternoon (July 3). Bond was set at $10,000, secured. Ward was scheduled to make a first appearance in District Court this morning (July 7).
Hickory Career & Arts Magnet High School (HCAM) participated in the recent 50th Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Kansas City.
The conference, a showcase of career and technical education students, represented more than 15, 000 students, teachers and business partners. More than 6,000 outstanding career and technical education students, all state contest winners, competed in 99 different trade, technical, and leadership fields.
HCAM’s Forensics Academy, instructed by Seth Bailey, placed seventh in the national competition. The HCAM student team included Carson Freeman, Noah James and Brandi Jones.
Emily Wright, representing the HCAM Cosmetology Academy, instructed by Kim Ray, was a N.C. state winner and she also competed on the national level at Kansas City.
Students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations including electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, culinary arts, crime scene investigation and cosmetology.
Contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations and labor organizations. The test competencies are set by each industry.
Newton Woman Faces Felony Charges following Civil Disturbance
Written by Ralph Mangum
28-year-old Tamara Charisama Kennedy of Dixie Park Avenue in Newton was arrested at about 8 p.m. Saturday (July 5) on one felony count of assault on a government official and one felony count of malicious conduct by a prisoner. She was also charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer. Also arrested on misdemeanor charges were Rushie Lee Kennedy III of 9th Street S.W. in Hickory, who was charged with disorderly conduct, and 29-year-old Jonathan Wayne Flood of 2nd Street Place S.W. in Hickory, who was charged with resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer.
They were arrested after Hickory Police were called to a civil disturbance on the 400 block of 2nd Street Place S.E. Officers arrived to find multiple subjects in the roadway surrounding a physical altercation. At the center of the group, Officers found Rushie Kennedy with a bloody mouth, a scraped chin and a swollen eye. He was not forthcoming with information regarding the conflict.
As Police separated the parties involved, Rushie and Tamara Kennedy continued to scream at each other. As Police arrested Flood for resisting, Tamara Kennedy jumped on the Officers. She continued to resist, biting and spitting at one Officer. She was taken to the hospital for testing as a result of the bite she inflicted on the Officer.
No additional injuries were reported.
Tamara Kennedy reportedly refused to cooperate with Police as she was fingerprinted during the booking process. She was placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $51,250 secured bond. Rushie Kennedy was given a $350 secured bond and bond for Flood was set at $900, secured. Flood has since been released. Tamara Kennedy was scheduled to make a first appearance in District Court today (July 7). Rushie Kennedy has a September 4 court date and Flood is due in a Hickory courtroom on August 7.
Memorial for Maggie Daniels Set for Wednesday in Newton
Written by Ralph Mangum
Newton-Conover City Schools will hold a memorial service for Margaret Elizabeth “Maggie” Daniels this Wednesday (July 9). The memorial is set for 4 p.m. at Newton-Conover High School, 338 West 15th Street in Newton.
Newton-Conover City Schools staff, students, family and close friends are invited to attend. Ms. Daniels’ family is expected to be in attendance.
Ms. Daniels was a teacher, coach and counselor with Newton-Conover City Schools, most recently serving as a counselor at Discovery High School.
Her body was found in her apartment on June 28. Newton Police announced two days later that the investigation into her death is a homicide investigation, which is ongoing.
30-year-old Laura Christina Dayton and 35-year-old Jeffrey Lynn Mays, Jr., both of 1st Avenue S.W. in Hickory, were arrested by Hickory Police at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday (July 5). Dayton was charged with one felony count of obtaining property by false pretense and four felony counts of identity theft. Mays faces two felony counts of larceny and one misdemeanor count of larceny.
They were arrested after a 35-year-old Claremont woman reported that someone had tried to open a credit line on June 26 at Ashley Home Furnishings using the victim’s personal information. The victim’s bank also notified her of fraudulent activity on her account. Previously, on June 20, the victim reported that her vehicle was broken into and her purse was stolen. The Catawba Co. Sheriff’s Office responded to that incident.
The clerk at the furniture store told Police a white male and a white female had come in to open the credit line, but didn’t purchase anything. The victim told Officers that she suspected Jeffrey Mays might be the male suspect. She said her brother had previously been involved in similar criminal activity with Mays.
The clerk then identified Mays as the suspect in a photo line-up. Police also reviewed surveillance footage from Home Depot where someone purchased a pressure washer after activating a Home Depot credit card using the victim’s personal information. From that footage, Investigators were able to identify Mays and the female suspect, Laura Dayton.
Both were taken into custody without incident and placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility. Bond for Dayton was set at $53,000, secured, while Mays was given a $43,000 secured bond. First appearances in District Court were set for today (July 7) in Newton.
Newton Police Continue to Investigate Killing of Newton-Conover Schools Employee
Written by Ralph Mangum
The latest release from Newton Police regarding the death of Maggie Daniels states that the investigation is continuing. Officers continue to canvass the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Officers planned to work the case over the July 4th holiday and through the weekend.
Ms. Daniels’ body was found in her apartment on the morning of June 28. After autopsy results were received on June 30, the investigation into her death became a homicide investigation. Police have not released a cause of death.
Ms. Daniels was a Newton-Conover Schools employee.
Anyone with any information regarding the death of Maggie Daniels is asked to contact the Newton Police Department at 828-465-7430.
According to published reports, a 52-year-old Lenoir man was seriously injured when a firework exploded in Caldwell County on the Fourth of July.
North Catawba Fire-Rescue responded to a location on Hoyle Drive Friday night (July 4). The victim was injured when a mortar-style firework exploded. According to one published report, the victim may have been taken to the Burn Center at North Carolina Baptist Hospital.
The fireworks used in the accident are illegal in North Carolina.
No further information is available at this time.
Marshals Arrest Newton Man on Multiple Sex Offense Charges
Written by Ralph Mangum
42-year-old Bruce Leroy Donald of East Herman Street in Newton has been arrested by U.S. Marshals on nine counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, three counts of second-degree forcible sexual offense and one count of statutory sexual offense. He was also charged with five counts of breaking & entering, four counts of larceny after breaking & entering, two counts of felony larceny and two counts of possession of stolen goods or property. The sexual offense charges date back to 2010. The charges for property crimes are from 2009 and 2010.
Donald was jailed on July 2 in the Catawba County Detention Facility where he remains. No court dates are currently listed.
Holiday Closings in Hickory and Caldwell County
Written by Ralph MangumThe City of Hickory will close its offices on Thursday, July 4, in observance of the 4th of July holiday, but garbage and recycling pick-up will continue on Friday.
The City of Hickory offices will re-open on Monday, July 7 at 8:30 a.m.
The Hickory Public Library (the Patrick Beaver Memorial main facility and the Ridgeview Branch) will also be closed for the 4th of July holiday. The libraries will reopen at their regular hours on Saturday, July 5.
Parks & Recreation Department’s administrative offices, the Highland Recreation Center, the Ridgeview Recreation Center, the Westmont Senior Center and the Neill Clark Recreation Center’s Main Building will be closed Friday.
In addition, the Neill W. Clark Gymnasium, the Brown Penn Recreation Center and the Westmont Recreation Center Gymnasium will be closed Friday in observance of the holiday.
City parks are open 365 days a year.
The City of Hickory’s Yard Waste facility will be closed on Friday and Saturday, July 4 and 5. The facility is located off Cloninger Mill Road, which is off N.C. 127 (near the bridge that crosses Lake Hickory and links to Alexander County).
All Caldwell County offices will be closed in observance of the Independence Day holiday. County offices will re-open for regular business on Monday, July 7.
The Caldwell County Board of Commissioners will hold only one regularly scheduled meeting in July due to the holiday. The Commissioners will meet Monday, July 14, at 6 p.m. in the city/county chambers at the Alden E. Starnes Administration Building, in Lenoir.
For more information, contact Caldwell County Public Information Officer LouAnne Kincaid at lkincaid@caldwellcountync.org or 828-759-7879.
All Catawba Valley Community College campuses and offices were closed today (July 3), in observance of the holiday. All CVCC campuses and offices are closed on Fridays during the summer semester.
Offices and classes will re-open on Monday, July 7.
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