News (1608)
Street Racing Ring Reportedly Shut Down Sunday In Catawba County
Written by Rob Eastwood
Vehicles were seized and charges have reportedly been filed in connection to a street racing ring in Catawba County. According to multiple published reports, at least five vehicles were seized Sunday evening (July 16) and drivers were charged with pre-arranged street racing. No names have been released.
The published reports say that the North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a group of people were blocking traffic to race along Highway 321 around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in Newton. Authorities say the individuals were creating hazardous conditions for other drivers and reports say they nearly caused several wrecks.
The highway was shut down near Exit 37 to stop the street racing. According to the published reports, five BMWs were racing and those five vehicles were seized. Two of the vehicles that were involved in the street racing managed to escape troopers.
The vehicles were reportedly racing at speeds over 100 mph. None of them were registered in North Carolina. An SUV was also on the scene for the purpose of filming the race, video footage has reportedly been seized. The published reports say if the drivers are found guilty they will have their licenses suspended for three years.
Vale Woman Charged With Selling Meth From Her Home
Written by Rob Eastwood
54-year-old Tammy Lynn Crawley of Knoll Drive in Vale was arrested last Thursday (July 13) by Lincoln County Sheriff's Officers. She's charged with three felony counts apiece of sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to sell and deliver a schedule II controlled substance, and maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances.
Crawley's arrest came following an investigation into allegations that the suspect was selling methamphetamine from her Knoll Drive home. According to a news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Detectives used undercover and surveillance techniques to make purchases of meth from Crawley over several months. Most of the sales were street level deals during which she sold various amounts of the drug.
Following the arrest, Crawley's bond was set at $15,000 secured. Her next District Court appearance is scheduled for August 1.
City Parking Lot In Morganton To Close For Repairs
Written by Rob Eastwood
Morganton city staff plan to close a section of the parking lot behind the Morganton Community House in downtown to make some repairs. Staff plan to close the parking lot at approximately 5:00 p.m., Tuesday (July 18), and hope to have the lot open by Friday (July 21), barring any unforeseen problems. The lot will be closed to all traffic during repairs.
City Engineer Mark Young said workers are checking for compaction issues around utility service lines that run under the parking lot. If the ground isn’t properly compacted before paving or after making repairs, the ground can sink causing cracks and potholes in the pavement. The City will repave the parking lot in the near future.
30-year-old Ashley Elaine Pope of 18th Avenue N.E. in Hickory was arrested by Hickory Police shortly after midnight today (July 14) on one felony count each of breaking & entering and larceny after breaking & entering. The warrants for her arrest were issued on the Fourth of July.
Pope was taken into custody without incident at the National Guard Armory on 8th Street Drive N.E. in Hickory. She was placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility with bond set at $1,000, secured. She’ll appear in District Court Monday (July 17) in Newton.
46-year-old Keri Ann Hoyle was arrested Thursday (July 13) by authorities in Lincoln County. She's charged with felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana and two misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Hoyle was arrested at approximately 2:45 p.m. Thursday at an address on NC 16 Business in Denver. She was placed in jail in Lincolnton under $10,000 bond. A court appearance is scheduled for Monday (July 17).
Lenoir Man Arrested in Hickory on Felony Drug Warrant from Caldwell County
Written by Ralph Mangum
58-year-old John David Dula of Alfred Harley Road in Lenoir was arrested by Hickory Police early this morning on one felony count of possession of a schedule II controlled substance. The warrant for his arrest was issued in Caldwell County in August of last year.
He was taken into custody at 2:30 a.m. at a hotel on 13th Avenue Drive N.W. in Hickory. Dula was processed and released under a $5,000 unsecured bond. A Superior Court date was set for September 11 in Lenoir.
27-year-old Brittany Danielle Sain of 19th Street N.W. in Hickory was arrested by Hickory Police at about three o’clock yesterday afternoon (July 13) on one felony count each of obtaining property by false pretense, financial transaction card and identity theft.
On July 8, Hickory Police took a report involving credit card fraud. The suspect was identified as the result of two transactions at Hickory businesses and a review of surveillance footage.
Sain was taken into custody without incident at an address on 1st Street. She was processed and released under a $2,500 unsecured bond. An appearance in Superior Court was scheduled today in Newton.
Harvelee McClough, Jr. of Hickory is a $200,000 winner in the North Carolina Education Lottery’s Mega Fortune scratch-off game. McClough bought the winning ticket at the Speedway store on Highway 127 South.
McClough claimed his prize Thursday (July 13) at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal withholdings, he received a check for $139,003. McClough plans to use his winnings to buy a second car and to pay bills.
The $5 scratch-off game launched in December 2016 with five top prizes of $200,000. One top prize remains.
Ticket sales from instant games like Mega Fortune make it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars a year for the state. For details on how lottery funds have been used in Catawba County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website (nc-educationlottery.org).
Man Charged With Felony Drug Offense In Burke County
Written by Rob Eastwood
38-year-old Archie Matthew Davis was arrested Thursday (July 13) by authorities in Burke County. He's charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver schedule II controlled substance. Following the arrest, Davis was placed in jail in Morganton under $30,000 secured bond. A court appearance is scheduled for Monday (July 17).
Felony Drug Possession Charge Filed Against Woman Arrested In Burke Co.
Written by Rob Eastwood
30-year-old Jamisue Darrelene Myers was arrested Thursday (July 13) by authorities in Burke County. She's charged with felony possession of schedule II controlled substance along with two misdemeanor counts of failure to appear. Myers was placed in jail in Morganton under $20,000 secured bond. A District Court appearance is scheduled for Monday (July 17).
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Felony Break-in, Theft Charges Lodged Against Newton Man
Written by Rob Eastwood
39-year-old Dustin Tyrone Jackson of Startown Road in Newton was arrested Thursday (July 13) by Newton Police Officers. He's charged with felony counts of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering along with a misdemeanor count of injury to real property. Jackson was detained in the Catawba County Detention Facility under $10,000 bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled for today (July 14).
Burke Woman Charged With Heroin, Stolen Vehicle Offenses In Catawba Co.
Written by Rob Eastwood
29-year-old Elizabeth Grace Hughes of U.S. 70 West in Morganton was arrested by Conover Police Officers. She's charged with possession of heroin, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting a public officer. Hughes was jailed this morning (July 14) in the Catawba County Detention Facility under $20,000 bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled for today.
Warrants Obtained For Suspect In Fatal July 2016 Crash
Written by Rob Eastwood
Statesville Police Department Investigators have obtained warrants on a suspect in a fatal hit and run that occurred July 4, 2016. The accident took the life of 43-year-old Reynaldo Carbajal Hernandez of Statesville.
The suspect, 26-year-old Kerry Zockime Ravenell Jr. of Statesville is being charged with: felony death by vehicle, driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, and felony hit & run with serious injury or death.
Ravenell is currently serving a prison term in the NC Dept. of Corrections on unrelated charges. The charges filed Thursday (July 13) come as a result of lab examinations that were recently received, in addition to other evidence Investigators have gathered during the course of this investigation.
On Monday, July 4, 2016, at approximately 5:45 a.m., Officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash at the intersection of Garner Bagnal Boulevard and Buffalo Shoals Road. Upon arrival, Officers found a Blue in color Chevrolet Cavalier off of the roadway against the utility pole guide wires at the southwest corner of Garner Bagnal and Buffalo Shoals. The driver was still in the vehicle and EMS was called to the scene.
A short time after EMS arrived on scene, they pronounced the driver of the Chevrolet Cavalier, Reynaldo Hernandez, dead. The second vehicle involved was a 2016 Toyota 4 door passenger car with a Maryland tag. It was off the right side of the roadway further South on Buffalo Shoals Road. It was discovered this was a rental vehicle through Enterprise Rental Car. The driver of this vehicle fled the scene on foot.
20-year-old Zavier Zeus Hatcher of Georgetown Road in Lincolnton (formerly of Clyde Wehunt Road in Cherryville) was arrested yesterday (July 12) by Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Narcotics Officers. He was charged with one felony count each of trafficking LSD by sale, trafficking LSD by delivery, trafficking LSD by transport, trafficking LSD by possession and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. He was also charged with two felony counts each for the sale & delivery of LSD and possession with intent to sell & deliver a schedule I controlled substance.
The arrest comes at the conclusion of an ongoing investigation into LSD (or, acid) sales in different parts of the county. Detectives say Hatcher sold various amounts of LSD over a three-to-four month period. On at least one occasion, the suspect sold a trafficking amount of the substance. Detectives used surveillance and undercover techniques to purchase the LSD.
Detectives say LSD comes in various forms, including what looks like a postage stamp or small tab, referred to as blotter paper or blotter acid. Users often place the stamp under their tongues until the LSD absorbs into the bloodstream. LSD is a psychedelic drug that affects the brain and causes hallucinations. Detectives say most people who use the drug are young adults. It is most often seen on college campuses.
Following his arrest, Hatcher was placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $250,000 secured bond. He was scheduled to make a first appearance in Lincoln Co. District Court today.
