Local and State Headlines for Wednesday, April 24th, 2019

Water Main Breaks In Downtown Asheville

(Asheville, NC) -- The city of Asheville is dealing with more water problems. Several businesses along Patton Avenue were without water for part of Tuesday when a water main broke during construction on the new Hotel Arras. A boil advisory remains in effect for the area although water has since been restored. Water is also back on for residents in the Bee Tree Road area in Swannanoa after crews repaired a pipe rupture there.

City Council Delays Flatiron Building Decision

(Asheville, NC) -- A decision on the future of a historic building in downtown Asheville is being delayed until next month. A developer is planning to turn the Flatiron Building into a boutique hotel. A public hearing on the proposal was pulled from the city council agenda at the last minute yesterday. Asheville's Planning and Zoning Commission gave its approval for the project earlier this month.

Gaston County Man Guilty In Child Porn Case

(Asheville, NC) -- A Gaston County man is guilty of recording nude videos of underage females. The U.S. Attorney's office says Richard Hilliard pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to producing and possessing child pornography. He was arrested last June after the FBI discovered he had filmed at least 16 children at different locations across the Carolinas. One of those locations was aboard a boat he called 'Yachts O' Trouble.'

Restaurant Employee Accused Of Charging Fraudulent Tips

(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville restaurant employee is being accused of racking up thousands in fraudulent tips. Asheville police say Leah Wehrmann used 14 prepaid credit cards to make purchases at Juicy Lucy's Burger Bar and Grill on Hendersonville Road. She allegedly charged tips in excess of three-thousand-dollars for funds that didn't exit on those cards. Wehrmann made her first appearance in Buncombe County court yesterday.

Animal Rescue Group Selling Land

(Asheville, NC) -- An animal rescue organization is selling off land it uses for a sanctuary in western North Carolina. Brother Wolf announced this week that it will sell nearly 83-acres in Leicester due to a one-million-dollar shortfall in its budget. The organization is now looking to find homes for two dozen pigs who live on the property.

Health Report Mixed For WNC

(Undated) -- Western North Carolina is mixed when it comes to a list of healthiest counties in the state. Numbers from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps released this week show Buncombe, Henderson and Polk counties rank in the top 25-percent for health outcomes and health factors. Swain County listed close to the bottom. The healthiest parts of North Carolina were in Orange and Wake counties.

Judge Orders Release Of Full Video Of Shooting

(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is being ordered by a judge to release the full video of a deadly shooting. A shortened video of just over two minutes was released last week that shows Officer Wende Kerl shooting Danquirs Franklin outside a Burger King on Beatties Ford Road in March. Pressure has been mounting to release the full version after the Charlotte Observer reported the city council viewed a video that was eleven minutes long. The judge ruled yesterday that the extended video will be released this afternoon at five.

Pedestrian Injured In Hit-And-Run

(Charlotte, NC) -- The search is on for a driver who ran away after allegedly hitting a pedestrian with a car in south Charlotte last night. The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The hit-and-run happened at South and East Carson boulevards. The suspect's car was left in the middle of the road.

Early Voting In Ninth District Race Starts Today

(Charlotte, NC) -- Early voting begins today for the ninth congressional district Republican primary. The period will last until Friday May 10th in the district's eight counties, including Mecklenburg and Union. There is no Democratic primary since Dan McCready was the only one to qualify. Primary election day is May 14th.

CMPD Believes Four Shootings Are Connected

(Charlotte, NC) -- Four shootings that happened early Tuesday morning are being investigated by the CMPD. One man was reportedly shot on Bradford Drive, while a woman was injured on Esmerelda Drive. Shots were also fired on Thriftwood Drive and West Sugar Creek Road, but no injuries were reported. All of the shootings were within 15 minutes of each other. The CMPD believes they're connected.

Suspect Allegedly Punches, Robs Boy In Park

(Charlotte, NC) -- A suspect who allegedly robbed a boy of cash at a Charlotte park Sunday night is at-large. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the 12-year-old accused the suspect of shoving him to the ground and punching him at Therasea Clark Elder Neighborhood Park. The suspect reportedly got away with 20-bucks.

Amazon Starts New Delivery Service In Charlotte

(Charlotte, NC) -- Amazon customers in the Queen City now have the option for having packages delivered inside their garages. A program called Key by Amazon allows the delivery driver to place it inside if the customer has a garage door that opens wirelessly. It will take a specific garage door or a kit made by Amazon, so customers will need to check with the company first. A similar program is available to allow delivery inside your front door.

Duke Removes Confederate Name From Building

(Durham, NC) -- A name with roots in white supremacy has been removed from a building at Duke. The Carr Building had been named for Julian Carr, who fought for the confederacy. Carr actually gave a passionate speech at the Silent Sam statue dedication in 1913. Trustees voted to remove his name from the Carr Building earlier this year, and last week his name was covered. The building will now be called the classroom building until a new name is chosen.

Cop Who Shot And Killed Man Didn't Need To Have His Body Camera On

(Raleigh, NC) -- State investigators are looking into a police-involved shooting that ended a man's life. The Raleigh Police Department says Officer W.B. Edwards' body camera wasn't on when he shot Soheil Mojarrad at a Raleigh shopping center Saturday night. Departmental policy gives leeway as to when officers need to activate their body cameras. Family members say they want to know exactly what happened, but radio transmissions indicated Mojarrad had a knife.

Former Duke QB Could Be First Round Draft Pick

(Durham, NC) -- Former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones is expected to be a first round pick in the NFL Draft. Jones was named the MVP of the Reese's Senior Bowl earlier this year. The New York Post reports that Jones is one of two quarterbacks that the Giants might be gunning for. Others speculate that the Redskins might want Jones. We will have to wait to find out, because the draft begins tomorrow.

Orange County Superintendent Steps Down

(Orange Co., NC) -- Orange County is looking for a new superintendent. Yesterday, it was announced that Superintendent Todd Wirt would be stepping down after the school year ends. He says this was a decision he made by himself and his family is with him. Wirt has been with Orange County since 2015 when he left the Wake County Public School System as an assistant superintendent. It isn't known who will replace him.

Raleigh Man Accused Of Trying To Rape Delivery Woman

(Raleigh, NC) -- A Raleigh man is accused of trying to rape a woman delivering Amazon packages. Police say on Saturday, 26-year-old Jaron Safran approached the delivery woman and tried to sexually assault her. Witnesses say he had been riding around the neighborhood on a bike, and looked like he was up to no good. The victim escaped and Safran was charged with attempted rape, kidnapping and sexual battery. He's being held on nearly three-thousand-dollars bond.

Mantle Kills Young Boy In Henderson

(Vance Co., NC) -- A Vance County boy is dead after a tragic accident. A GoFundMe account has been started for six-year-old Jayden Baskerville, of Henderson, whose family says he died Saturday after a fireplace mantle fell on him. They say he was reaching for a toy on the mantle when it happened. The GoFundMe has raised nearly two-thousand-dollars of a five-thousand-dollar goal.

Pilot Killed In Rowan Co. Plane Crash ID'd

(Rowan Co., NC) -- We're learning the name of the pilot who was killed in a plane crash in Rowan County on Monday. AirCare Wake Forest Baptist Health officials identify him as former AirCare pilot Guy Maher. His plane departed from Statesville Regional Airport around 9 a.m., bound for Twin Lakes Airport in Davie County. It was found wrecked that evening. It's still not clear yet what caused the crash.

Deaf Man Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In High Point

(High Point, NC) -- High Point police are looking for the driver of a beige Toyota Camry who hit a deaf man and then fled the scene. The accident happened just before rush-hour Monday afternoon at Eastchester Driver and North University Parkway. Police say 46-year-old John Boone was on his bike when he was hit from behind and tossed into the air. They say Boone is deaf and does not speak. Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

High Point Teen Accused Of Shooting Another Teen Who Was Filming Fight

(High Point, NC) -- A High Point teenager is accused of shooting another teen who was recording a fight on his cellphone. The scene unfolded Sunday night at a home near Carter Street and Franklin Avenue. Police say 18-year-old Javontai Cooke shot into a crowd and hit the 18-year-old victim twice. Witnesses say the victim was videotaping the fight, but he wasn't involved. He's expected to survive. Cooke was arrested and booked into the Guilford County Jail.

Man Shot In Drive-By Shooting In Winston-Salem

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A man is hurt after a drive-by shooting in Winston-Salem. It happened late Monday night near North Liberty and East 15th streets. Police say 25-year-old Raymond Crowder was getting into a vehicle when a blue SUV pulled up and someone inside of it opened fire. The SUV took off before officers arrived. Crowder was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries but is expected to be okay.

College Student From Winston-Salem Wins Lottery

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A college student from Winston-Salem is celebrating after winning the lottery. Torey Hicks, who's a junior at Shaw University in Raleigh, says her Lucky 7 Bonus ticket won her 200-thousand dollars. She purchased it at the Laxmi Food Mart on Reidsville Road in Walkertown. Hicks tells NBC 12 she's going to use the money to help her mother pay off her car and help her buy a home.


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