Former Detective Sentenced For Stealing From Evidence Room
(Haywood County, NC) -- A former Haywood County detective is heading to prison. Kevin Smathers was arrested in 2018 for allegedly stealing items from the evidence room. He pleaded guilty yesterday to 17 counts of breaking and entering, along with drug charges. That lands him between seven-and-a-half to ten years in prison.
Madison County Road Washes Away
(Madison County, NC) -- A landslide in Madison County may cause local residents headaches for months. Walnut Creek Road near Marshal collapsed over the weekend from recent heavy rain. It could take a few months for the repairs to begin. The DOT said yesterday that around 850 people used the road everyday in a survey completed in 2017.
Deputies Seek Info On Two Suspicious Fires
(Haywood County, NC) -- Two suspicious fires in Haywood County remain unsolved. WLOS-TV says a fire that destroyed a Canton barn in late December caused as much as 40-thousand-dollars-worth of damage. Several weeks later, close to three-thousand wooden pallets went up in flames in the community of Bethel. There was no power at either site. There's no evidence at this time that shows the fires are connected.
Suspect Charged In Valentine's Day Shooting In Hendersonville
(Hendersonville, NC) -- A South Carolina man is accused of a Valentine's Day shooting in Henderson County. Deputies found the victim injured at FastMed in Hendersonville on Friday. They believe the shooting took place in Saluda. A 30-year-old from Travelers Rest was arrested for attempted first-degree murder.
Developer Plans 700-Unit Neighborhood In Asheville
(Asheville, NC) -- A developer is seeking to build nearly 700 housing units in Asheville. The Citizen-Times says Fall Line Development in Greensboro submitted an application last week for 83-acres off Pond Road. Neighbors are invited for a drop-in meeting on the project this afternoon beginning at 5:30 at the Heavens Cloud Event Center.
Commissioners Consider Money For Bridge To Nowhere
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County commissioners are considering a plan to complete what's considered the "Bridge to Nowhere." Construction stalled over financing after crews began building the five-lane Enka Center bridge over Hominy Creek five years ago. The board is discussing setting aside 650-thousand-dollars in funding at its meeting today which could spur the project into completion. The North Carolina DOT and Appalachian Regional Commission has already promised several-million-dollars combined.
Woman Dies In West Charlotte Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a homicide in west Charlotte. A woman died after being shot close to a convenience store on Rozelles Ferry Road last night. There's no word on suspects. Investigators say a man was arrested on murder charges yesterday for a separate deadly shooting outside a Steele Creek apartment complex on Sunday.
Plans Makes Emergency Landing At CLT
(Charlotte, NC) -- Transportation crews are looking to find out why a plane made an emergency landing at Charlotte-Douglas Airport yesterday. An American Airlines flight heading to Philadelphia had only been in the air for a few minutes when the pilot had to turn back around to CLT. NBC Charlotte says there was visible damage outside the plane, but none to the engine. The passengers were placed on another flight in the evening.
Two Charged In Deadly Hit-And-Run
(Charlotte, NC) -- A man and his girlfriend are facing charges in a deadly hit-and-run in northwest Charlotte. A 17-year-old girl died after a suspected speeding truck hit her car on Old Plank Road Monday morning. A witness told police that the driver of the truck hopped into an SUV at the scene and left. The CMPD found and arrested Michael Himes for several charges including DWI and felony death by vehicle. His girlfriend was arrested for helping him flee the scene.
SC Community Holding Vigil For Six-Year-Old Girl
(Cayce, SC) -- A South Carolina community is holding a candlelight vigil for six-year-old Faye Swetlik this evening. The city of Cayce is hosting the event on the front lawn of city hall at 5:30. Swetlik's body was found in the neighborhood where she disappeared last week. The autopsy results are expected to be released today.
Two Men Die In Apparent Murder-Suicide
(Concord, NC) -- Two men are dead in what police are calling a murder-suicide in Concord. Officers responded to a shooting at the Candlewood Square Condominiums yesterday, where a man stood outside on a balcony with a gun. The man allegedly went back inside and shot himself. His roommate was found dead inside as well.
Nonprofit Plans Investment To Turn Motel Into Housing
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte nonprofit has plans to turn a motel into transitional housing for families in need. Heal Charlotte tells WSOC-TV they're investing five-million-dollars to help families save money to move into permanent housing. One idea is to convert a local Economy Inn into nearly 140-living units with paid utilities, all for 550-dollars-a-month. The organization is targeting people living around I-85 and Sugar Creek Road.
Tenants Return To Find 20 McDougald Terrace Apartments Burglarized
(Durham, NC) -- Residents returning to the McDougald Terrace public housing complex in Durham were shocked and outraged to learn that their homes had been broken in. After being forced to live in hotels for nearly a month due to the threat of carbon monoxide exposure, some of the displaced families began returning home last Friday. But upon arrival, they discovered that as many as 20-apartment units had been burglarized. As a result, only eight families have been able to return home. The majority of the other tenants continue to live in hotels.
Pilot And Three Young People Injured In Small Plane Crash
(Fayetteville, NC) -- Four people were injured Monday when a small plane went down at an airport in Fayetteville. It happened around 1:50 pm at the Grays Creek Airport on Butler Nursery Road. According to Cumberland County officials, several young people were being treated to an Aviation Career Day event to learn about airplane mechanics and pilot careers. The teens were being taken up for rides in small groups. An initial investigation says the pilot and three other young people received non-life threatening injuries when the Cessna fixed-wing single engine aircraft made a crash landing near the runway. The FAA is investigating.
Person Tests Positive For Tuberculosis At Durham High School
(Durham, NC) -- Health officials are continuing to investigate a report of a person testing positive for tuberculosis last week at a high school in Durham. The Durham School District and the Wake County Health Department has been interviewing students and faculty at Northern High School to get an assessment of who might have come in contact with the individual. A spokesperson said Monday that the screening tests will be offered free of charge.
It's Back To Square One In Fight Over Fate Of Silent Sam
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- Responding to a court ordered deadline to submit a new plan for determining the future of Confederate statue Silent Sam, attorneys for the University of North Carolina System Monday, said they would not challenge a judge's decision last week to void an agreement between the University and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. In a written statement, the UNC System said it would like to return to the place that existed before the deal to give the group 2-point-5 million dollars for care and upkeep of the monument at a separate location from the UNC Chapel Hill Campus.
Wake County Commission Votes To Allocate Millions For Planned Sports Complex
(Wake County, NC) -- Members of the Wake County Commission have voted to approve 2-point-36 million dollars a year for the next 25 years, to help support a planned indoor athletic complex in Carey. The 193-million dollar facility would be located at the site of the Carey Town Center Mall. The sports complex would include a 4-thousand seat arena, a restaurant and 12 full sized basketball courts. The money would come from hotel and restaurant taxes. The agreement must also have the approval of the Raleigh City Council.
Fights Break Out In Courtroom During Double-Murder Sentencing
(Forsyth Co., NC) -- The man who murdered and dismembered a Winston-Salem couple is sentenced to life behind bars. Tyrone Gladden was charged with double-murder in the 2017 deaths of Devette Campbell and Gary Craig Junior. His sentencing ends a three-year journey for all three families involved. Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough says chaos erupted in the courtroom yesterday, and a taser had to be used. The judge tells "FOX 8" emotions were understandably strong, and no one will be charged with contempt of court.
Man Arrested Near Dudley High After Fleeing Troopers
(Greensboro, NC) -- A driver accused of fleeing from state police in Greensboro is under arrest after he was found near Dudley High School. The scene unfolded yesterday on Highway 29, near East Florida Street. Troopers tried to stop a white Mazda before it did a U-turn and hit an SUV. The driver in the Mazda took off running but was caught just east of Dudley High School. It's not clear if the school went on lockdown during the incident.
Eleven Displaced In Burlington Apartment Fire
(Burlington, NC) -- Eleven people are homeless after an apartment fire in Burlington. It started Sunday night near Mebane and St. John streets. Everyone inside was able to get out safely. They're being helped out by the American Red Cross. Officials say the cause of the fire was a malfunctioning electrical device.
Deadly Shooting Under Investigation In Greensboro
(Greensboro, NC) -- A deadly shooting is under investigation in Greensboro. Shots were fired during an altercation Saturday night in the 400-block of Bunker Hill Road. Police weren't notified about the homicide until the following morning, after the victim was taken to the hospital. Detectives are working to identify the victim and notify their family.
Greensboro Man Charged In Overdose Death
(Greensboro, NC) -- A Greensboro man is charged in the overdose death of a person he gave drugs to. Patrick Millner was arrested for death by distribution. Police say the victim overdosed in Reidsville on January 2nd. Millner is in Rockingham County Jail on a 250-thousand-dollar bond. He's due to appear in court on February 27th.