Former APD Officers' Cases Dismissed By DA (Buncombe County, NC)
Buncombe County's district attorney is dismissing 27 cases filed by former police officer Chris Hickman. Todd Williams says Hickman can't be a credible witness for the state after charges were filed against him last week. Those include felony assault by strangulation in relation to leaked bodycam footage from last August. Williams told WLOS News that none of the cases involved violent felonies or sexual offenses.
City Council To Hold First Meeting Since Leaked Video (Asheville, NC)
The Asheville City Council is holding its first regular meeting tonight since the bodycam footage of former officer Chris Hickman beating an accused jaywalker was leaked. The council released a statement with concerns over the leaked footage last week following a closed meeting. The regular meeting is set for 5 p.m. in city hall and is open to the public.
Burke County Lieutenant Under Investigation (Burke County, NC)
A Burke County sheriff's lieutenant is under investigation for possible improper use of seized drug money. Sheriff Steve Whisenant says the State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the actions of Lieutenant Jody Price. Price was fired by the sheriff last week. The investigation into the reported improprieties began internally and were then turned over to the SBI.
Husband Arrested For Allegedly Shooting Wife In Fletcher (Fletcher, NC)
A Fletcher man is being accused of shooting his wife early Sunday morning. The 31-year-old victim was rushed to an area hospital after being shot in her upper body. Fletcher Police arrested her husband, Nosher Chiah. He faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, among others. The woman was last reported to be in stable condition.
No Foul Play In Boone Death (Watauga County, NC)
Investigators in Boone say no foul play is suspected in the death of a woman recently found in a creek. State troopers first found a Toyota Camry in Howard Creek off Highway 194. The body of Linda Osborne of Zionville was then found close to five hours later around 200 feet away. The Watauga County Sheriff's Office says it appears Osborne got out of her vehicle after the wreck and fell into the frigid waters of the creek.
Train Cars Derail In Asheville (Asheville, NC)
Asheville Police say a train derailed on Riverside Drive near Southern States on Sunday. The road was temporarily closed when two cars veered off the tracks and got stuck. No injuries were reported. Norfolk Southern is currently investigating exactly how the train cars became derailed.
Gang Members Enter Guilty Pleas In Federal Case (Charlotte, NC)
The U.S. Attorney's office in Charlotte says 35 accused gang members have entered guilty pleas in charges ranging from murder to drug trafficking. Members of the United Blood Nation were arrested last year in a huge roundup spanning the East coast. Many of those gang members were reportedly active in cities and prisons across North Carolina. Two of the top leaders of the gang are currently incarcerated here in the state.