Black Ice Expected To Cause Trouble This Morning (Asheville, NC)
Widespread black ice is expected on Western North Carolina's roadways this morning. The National Weather Service says any melting from Monday will refreeze this morning as temperatures dive into the 20s. Temperatures are expected to rise back into the 40s this afternoon. Trouble isn't out of the question again tonight when lows fall well below freezing again.
Storm-Related Death Reported In Haywood County (Haywood County, NC)
A death in Haywood County is being blamed on the weekend's winter storm. Governor Roy Cooper said that a woman in hospice care died when her oxygen tank failed during a power outage on Sunday night. Two other deaths in North Carolina have been connected to the storm so far.
Pigs Roam I-40 After Trailer Flips (Haywood County, NC)
The state DOT says a trailer full of pigs flipped on its side on I-40 close to the Tennessee line yesterday. Travelers in Haywood County were backed up as officials tried to wrangle up the livestock walking around exit seven. An Illinois man reportedly lost control of the truck and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. It's unclear if any of the 100 or so pigs died in the accident.
Buncombe County State Senator To Run For Lieutenant Governor (Asheville, NC)
A Democratic state senator from Buncombe County is looking to become North Carolina's next lieutenant governor. Terry Van Duyn announced her candidacy yesterday to run for the seat that is expected to be vacated by Republican Dan Forest. She has represented Buncombe County since 2014. The Citizen-Times says Van Duyn plans to resign as minority whip to focus on the election.
Power Still Out For Thousands (Asheville, NC)
Power crews are still trying to restore service to thousands of customers across the region. Heavy outages are still reported in Haywood, Rutherford, Polk and Transylvania counties. Several other counties including and surrounding Buncombe County are still above one-thousand outages each.
Murphy Running Back Suspended For State Championship (Murphy, NC)
A Western North Carolina high school will be without its star running back in this weekend's state championship. The state athletic association suspended Murphy senior Slade McTaggart after he allegedly kicked a player in a playoff game last Friday. The school lost an appeal with the association yesterday. Murphy takes on Pamlico County at Duke University for the One-A title.
Weight Of Snow Kills Three Horses (Bessemer City, NC)
The snowstorm is being blamed for the deaths of three horses outside Bessemer City. The weight of the snow reportedly caused an open-air arena to collapse at Sunnyside Farms on Sunday night. One horse named Shotgun was able to escape the accident. The owners of the farm believe the beams holding up the arena fell in.
Ninth District Fraud Investigation May Not Finish By December 21st (Raleigh, NC)
The North Carolina Board of Elections says it may not meet its deadline to finish a fraud investigation in the ninth congressional district. The investigation into potential election fraud was originally scheduled to be finished by December 21st. The board noted that numerous interviews and subpoenas are requiring more time than expected. The investigation is looking into fraudulent activity dealing with absentee ballots in the race between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready.
Charlotte Coach Suspended For High School Championship (Charlotte, NC)
A run-in with the law is forcing one Charlotte high school assistant coach to miss out on a state championship game. Frank Garcia was suspended from his duties at Charlotte Catholic High after he was charged with misdemeanor assault over the weekend. The team is set to play for the Three-A title in Chapel Hill. Garcia played as an offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers in the late 90s.
Boats Damaged After Docks Collapse On Lake Norman (Lake Norman, NC)
Some marinas on Lake Norman are reporting damage from snow and ice. WBTV says docks collapsed at Bill's, Midway and SaltShaker marinas. Around 20 boats were damaged when the structures failed.
DNA Evidence Leads To An Arrest In The Hania Aguilar Case (Lumberton, NC)
DNA evidence is linking a Fairmont man to the kidnapping, rape and murder of 13-year-old Hania Aguilar. She was found dead weeks after she was abducted in Lumberton last month. On Friday, police charged 34-year-old Michael Ray McLellan with her murder. Yesterday in court prosecutors said McLellan's DNA was found in the abandoned car used in the kidnapping. The case qualifies for the death penalty, but prosecutors say they don't know if they will seek it.
A Teacher Is Arrested For Allegedly Having A Sexual Relationship With A Student (Hope Mills, NC)
A teacher in Hope Mills is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Deputies in Cumberland County arrested South View High School history teacher Dmitri Pelaez yesterday and charged him with indecent liberties with a 16-year-old student. Deputies are investigating three other possible victims who reported similar incidents. Pelaez is being held on 40-thousand-dollars bond and is due in court later today.
Tanker Truck Collides With Two Cars Injuring Six People (Johnston Co., NC)
Six people are recovering after a crash in Johnston County. State Police say last night two cars crashed on US 701 and a tanker truck hit both cars causing them to flip over. Five people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The truck was leaking brown fluid, but troopers say this wasn't a Haz-Mat situation because the tanker was just hauling unused pig remains.
Divers Are Still Looking In The Neuse River For A Missing Truck Driver (Kinston, NC)
The search continues for a truck driver after his tractor-trailer went into the Neuse River. Troopers say on Sunday the tractor-trailer hit a bridge guardrail in Kinston and careened into the water. The tractor-trailer is owned by a Fayetteville company and was pulled out of the water. Police say they have an idea who they are looking for and divers will resume searching for them today.
Man Arrested For The Murder Of A Pregnant Woman He Met On A Dating Site (Fayetteville, NC)
A man accused of killing a pregnant woman in Fayetteville he met on a dating website is behind bars in Cumberland County. Less than a week ago, 26-year-old Christina Thomas was shot on Spur Drive. She and her baby died. Deputies arrested 21-year-old Markez Mcgriff on Sunday after police pulled him over in a truck matching the description of the one used in the crime. He's charged with murder and attempted murder because he allegedly shot another woman at the home too.