MedleyStory

Corporal punishment in N.C. public schools

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:40:00 -0500

Corporal punishment is not allowed in North Carolina prisons but it is in some NC public schools. Nineteen of the 151 districts in North Carolina still allow corporal punishment as a form of discipline for children as young as age five.

WATCH Dave Fahrety's Behind The Story video

Channel 9 Eyewitness News discovered hundreds of instances when corporal punishment was used and cases involving children with disabilities. An overwhelming majority of parents in districts that allow corporal punishment support the policy and often prefer their child receive corporal punishment over traditional in-school suspension. Would you allow a principal or teacher to discipline your child with a wooden paddle?

Tomorrow starting at 5pm on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

Two Teen Boys Arrested in Slashing of Shelby Mother

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:22 -0500

Two teenage boys are charged with attempted murder after a woman’s throat was slashed outside of her home in Shelby.

According to police, Miguel Lopez, 16, attacked 32-year-old Lindsay Wood with a knife last Wednesday as she and her son returned to their Royster Avenue home from a church service.

Police said after her throat was cut, Wood spent more than an hour talking with her attacker about the Bible before he apologized and ran off.

Lopez was arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

A 15-year-old boy also was arrested in the attack, but police are not releasing his name or any additional information because of his age.

Police said Wood knows both boys, but would not elaborate on the extent of their relationship.

Eyewitness News learned both teens were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, which means the attack was planned.

The Shelby Star spoke with Miguel Lopez' father, who said he didn't think his son would slash someone's throat.

“I think he’s protecting someone,” Aurelio Lopez told the paper.

Wood’s neighbor, Gary Martinsen, said he's relieved police made the arrests. He also said his prayers are with Wood as she continues to recover from this tragic ordeal.

“I hope she gets some closure on this and definitely recuperates to what she was before,” said Martinsen.

Lopez is being held in the Cleveland County Jail without bond.

Students escape school bus fire unharmed

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:23:35 -0500

Neighbors were confused when a school bus stopped on Bearmore Drive Wednesday afternoon. There are no children who typically get off the bus there, but on this day neighbors saw six kids hurry off the bus at the direction of the bus driver.

"I think she got them off pretty quickly," said neighbor Sharon Broxterman.

Witnesses gave credit to that school bus driver for unloading the kids quickly before the bus began to smoke and ultimately became fully engulfed by flames.

While the children, six students from Chantilly Montessori School, were all kept out of harm's way, neighbors had some concerns of their own while watching the fire spread.

"It was only scary because my husband is handicapped in a wheelchair," said Broxterman. "The flames were big enough that they were coming toward the trees in our front yard."

Luckily, Charlotte firefighters showed up in time to keep that fire from spreading to nearby trees and homes. Firefighters have not released the cause of the fire.

Surveillance video key in solving robberies, police say

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:34:34 -0500

In the moments following an armed robbery, once police have made sure no one was hurt, they immediately ask about surveillance video.

Surveillance pictures of a crime can give detectives a wealth of valuable information. However, what may seem like a win for police ends up slowing down an investigation at a critical time.

"The quicker we get that information, the quicker we can get that suspect's description," said York County Det. Mike Baker.

In York County, two armed robberies in less than 24 hours have detectives working around the clock.

The Exxon station on Cherry and Celanese roads at Interstate 77 was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday morning. A black man in all black clothing with a mask on and a gray furry hat was seen leaving the store.

Then Tuesday night just before midnight, someone held up the BP station on Highway 160 in Fort Mill. The suspect was also a black man in all black clothes. He was wearing a white surgical mask and carrying a gun and a plastic bag.

In both of the robberies, police still don't have surveillance video. Both businesses apparently have working camera systems, but there's an issue with downloading the video and getting it into a format that police can use.

What police do have is the suspect's description from both clerks, and a customer, Sean Wilson. He was walking into the Fort Mill BP when the robber was walking out.

"He walked right past me with the gun, and a bag, around behind the building," Wilson said. “It happened so quickly, it didn't seem real at first.”

"It's one of those things where you don't really know what you saw until afterwards," Wilson said. "The truth is, my thought was, ‘I'm a single parent; I have two kids. Stay out of it,’" he said.

However, he did not. He went inside the store, made sure the clerk was OK and stayed to tell sheriff's deputies what he saw.

Fortunately no one was hurt in either robbery. However, deputies are on alert after two violent crimes near I-77 on the same day.

They are not certain if the two crimes are linked.

CMS bus caught fire during afternoon route

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:21:03 -0500

Six children on board CMS bus No. 295 were evacuated from a bus that caught fire Wednesday afternoon.

CMS officials said everyone on the bus is OK. The bus was reportedly traveling from Chantilly Montessori School.

The bus is currently at Bearmore Drive in southeast Charlotte.

Officials have not commented on the cause of the fire. There was another bus sent to pick up the five children and take them home.

9 Investigates: Losing Track of Sex Offenders

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:20:09 -0500

Channel 9 Eyewitness News investigates how some dangerous sex offenders are not being tracked by the state of North Carolina.

TAKE A LOOK 'BEHIND THE STORY' - WATCH VIDEO

Reporter Mark Becker reveals a case where a convicted criminal wearing an ankle monitor had moved to Charlotte and authorities were not aware until after he was accused of committing a crime. Channel 9 investigates how this could happen and what is being done. Thursday starting at 5pm on Channel 9 Eyewitness News – Covering the Carolinas.

Stallings police chief on leave for ‘hostile work environment’

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:06:57 -0500

The Stalling police chief is under fire from his own employees on charges he has created a hostile work environment.

Chief Mike Dummett was placed on paid administrative leave Monday morning, according to town officials.

Town Manager Brian Matthews emailed the department's officers, informing them of the move but said it is not a disciplinary action.

Matthews has been meeting with officers for interviews as part of an internal investigation, but said he is considering asking the town council for funding to hire an independent investigator.

Dummett would not comment on the allegations, saying he is "waiting on the completion of the investigation."

Town officials are defending Dummett, saying he has created an exemplary performance record since his hire in December 2010.

In a statement, Mayor Lynda Paxton said, "The Chief is providing excellent leadership and service to the town. It is not unexpected that there might be some difficulty adjusting to new standards and procedures and I anticipate that any complaints will be resolved quickly."

Another council member, Wyatt Dunn, said he was shocked by the news.

Dummett has been praised for instituting new accreditation standards for the department, paring down the budget by eliminating costs on uniforms and Tasers, and raising the case clearance rate to nearly 55 percent, which is well above national standards.

Matthews said he does not know how long the investigation will take.

Group suggests splitting CMS into 3 districts

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:02:55 -0500

Support is growing for a group that wants split up the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district.

An online petition created by a group called SPARK Education Performances continues to get signatures.

The group hasn't drawn defined boundaries, but suggests CMS split into three districts.

A north district would include Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville and the Mountain Island Lake area.

A south district would include Mint Hill, Matthews, Pineville and the Steele Creek neighborhood.

The remaining center part of the county would be its own district.

Each district would have its own board members and taxing authority.

The group's organizer, Tom Davis, said a change is necessary to address different needs in urban and suburban areas.

"You can keep doing the same old thing and get the same results," Davis said. "Something has to change."

Lawmakers would have to approve any change to CMS.

Any decision likely wouldn't happen until next year.

Regional Partnership making changes after bonus controversy

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:53:41 -0500

After a backlash of negative attention over a $64,000 bonus given to the Charlotte Regional Partnership CEO Ronnie Bryant, the nonprofit is making changes.

Rowan County commissioners were so upset over the bonus, they voted to withhold $37,000 in funding in December.

Two weeks later, Cabarrus County leaders said they were considering the same action.

The CRP proposed changes to calm members' concerns, including holding meeting with each county.

"I feel the one-on-one meeting is important to eliminate a negative perception and work together as a team," said Charlotte City Councilman James Mitchell.

Mitchell said regional teamwork is crucial especially with the Democratic National Convention scheduled for September.

Other changes include freezing Bryant's salary and benefits at the 2011 level and using at least 60 percent of CRP's budget for business development.

The nonprofit has always used only private money from companies such as Bank of America and Bobcats Sports to pay Bryant's salary and benefits. The new proposal clearly defines that.

"For any great organization, the best thing they can do is listen and be proactive," said Mitchell.

Cabarrus County leaders said Wednesday they decided to remain a partner.

"CRP executives have created a new plan, which allocates more resources to recruitment and marketing Charlotte USA. The EDAC has accepted the new allocation and has agreed to move forward. We will continue to monitor the process while remaining as a financial investor in CRP," said John Cox, president & CEO of Cabarrus Regional Chamber & Economic Development Corporation.

Rowan County leaders are still deciding whether they will join the nonprofit again.

They are asking to schedule a meeting with Bryant in the near future.

The budget issues will not be settled until their budget is set in June.

Group offering DNC special access, perks for financial contributions

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:52:03 -0500

There are still six months until the doors open at the Democratic National Convention in uptown Charlotte, but one group of party leaders is already handing out perks and special access.

The perks include choice hotel rooms and access to the skyboxes and the convention floor.

A fundraising letter from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sent to Democrats in the House of Representatives breaks down the offerings.

The DCCC is a Washington-based group that helps Democrats running for the U.S. House.

The letter offers a “premier package” to the convention to House members who contribute enough money to the party. The package includes two rooms at some of the best hotels in the Queen City, credentials for the convention hall and access to the skyboxes.

“When you go to a conference, or a convention, or the Super Bowl, you get the early bird special. What you’re seeing leadership say is, ‘You get in early; here’s the early bird special. You get in early, and here’s some incentives,’” said Paul Braithwaite, the former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Charlotte Democrat Mel Watt said these offerings are standard practice. The Democratic Party regularly asks its congressmen to chip in money for future Congressional candidates and they use political conventions as leverage, he said.

However, there’s a problem.

Convention leaders said they have not yet allocated any hotel rooms or convention credentials. There is also no guarantee the DCCC is getting a slate of hotel rooms, let alone premium rooms in the best Charlotte hotels.

And government watchdog groups do not like the idea of party leaders using the convention to squeeze elected officials for money.

“You have great pressure to go out to special interests to raise that money, and the special interests give that money because they have an agenda,” said Meredith McGehee with the Campaign Legal Center. “That money buys access and influence, and that troubles many Americans.”

A spokesman for the DCCC responded to questions about its fundraising appeal with a brief statement.

“Members have enjoyed participating in conventions in the past and look forward to doing so again in Charlotte,” he said.

Condo price tag creating sticker shock

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:37:31 -0500

Some uptown Charlotte condos are up for sale again, but the prices are causing some sticker shock.

The Garrison on North Graham Street is nestled between the Brookshire Freeway, a gas station, a plant, and train tracks.

It is six stories tall and the condos start in the $200,000 range, but the penthouse is roughly $1 million.

Compare that to The Vue a few blocks away. Its penthouse is around the same price, $1.3 million, but much higher and even it has not sold.

"That's entirely too much," passerby Leon Crisp said about the Garrison's penthouse. "Absolutely. I'm astonished, really."

The Garrison's sellers said they could not talk about the price Wednesday.

A realtor familiar with the building admitted the location is not great, but said the Garrison's price per square foot is less than many condos and that the million-dollar penthouse has one of the biggest terraces in Center City.

A website shows uptown Charlotte penthouses and how they range in price from roughly $600,000 to $3 million. That's why Maggie Wyman, who lives in uptown Charlotte, heard the Garrison's price tag and thought it was reasonable.

"I guess I'm not very surprised considering there's million-dollar townhomes all around," she said. "It sounds about right to me."

New program helps veterans in prison

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:35:08 -0500

More than 1 million veterans are in jails and prisons in the U.S. More than 2,000 of them are in North Carolina prisons, arrested for crimes ranging from theft, to drugs, to murder.

Many incarcerated veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injury or other mental health issues. The problems are side effects of their service that they might not recognize until it’s too late.

But there is a new effort in Mecklenburg County to help them.

Wesley Woodling will never forget the night he killed an innocent man, someone he mistakenly thought was trying to rob him.

“I was using tactics when I did it. I did it from a tree line where nobody could see me,” he said. “Like I was trained to do.”

He was trained in the National Guard and served in Iraq and Kuwait.

He was diagnosed with PTSD and bi-polar disorder and discharged in 2008. He said he was suicidal and hearing voices after he returned to his Charlotte home.

“I was paranoid whenever I went somewhere. I thought everybody was talking about me; everybody was planning to hurt me,” he said. “I think if I would have gotten the help that I needed, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

But there may be help for Woodling and other veterans who are having trouble adjusting to civilian life.

Joe Rapley works with a new pilot program in Mecklenburg County called Operation Recovery. His team identifies veterans in jail and advocates for them before they go to trial.

“We will talk to public defenders and judges and let them know what we have here is a veteran who has post-traumatic stress or a traumatic brain injury and they’ve never received any care for it,” he said.

If the court agrees, Veterans Affairs benefits cover their care. And if the veterans stick to their treatment plan, the criminal charges may be reduced.

Before the program, no one was even tracking the number of veterans behind bars, Rapley said.

“Judges have been key. We’ve had judges say, ‘We want to help out military folk, so what can we do?’” Rapley said.

Now the program has helped more than 200 jailed veterans in Mecklenburg County in the last year. Most of the veterans helped by the program had never connected with veterans services until after they were incarcerated.

The program might have worked for Woodling. “I wanted help. I was crying for help,” he said.

As he serves his sentence at Alexander Correctional Institution, he said he is finally stabilized and on the right medication.

“I think I have a chance at a normal life now, but it’s not fair because someone else doesn’t,” he said.

Operation Recovery was launched in Mecklenburg County and 13 other sites around the country. If it is successful, it could be expanded statewide or nationwide.

To learn more about the program, click here.

Action 9: Contractor damaged man’s septic tank

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:32:00 -0500

Joe Ford said a contractor he hired to pump out his septic tank damaged it while removing the top.

“What they done, they took the shovel and steel bar and just beating on it,” he said.

Ford said he complained to workers from Autry Septic Tank and Concrete and made several calls to the office. But after nearly a year, Ford said the company has done nothing but make promises.

He’s concerned rain will seep in through the cracks and overflow the tank.

“And once that tank overruns and it starts backing up in the house, that’s the problem,” he said.

So Action 9 called Autry Septic.

The owner, Steve Autry, declined an on-camera interview, but said he had been busy and forgot about Ford. He said the damage to the tank would not affect how the septic system operates.

But the company replaced the top a few days later. When the top was removed, it was clear the tank had a large crack in it.

Autry promised Action 9 he would return to Ford’s home and fix the crack, too.

TSA expands fast screening program to Charlotte, 28 other airports

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:18:38 -0500

The TSA announced Wednesday that 35 airports will allow expedited screening at checkpoints for prescreened passengers by the end of 2012.

The list of airports includes Charlotte, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Seattle-Tacoma airports.

The announcement expands a pilot program at seven airports.

According to information from the TSA, prescreened passengers will be able to pass through security checkpoints with jackets, shoes and belts on. They will also be allowed to keep laptops in bags and liquids in suitcases, officials said.

"I'm a big fan of that," frequent flyer Jeff Dolan said at Charlotte-Douglas Airport. "That makes a lot of sense."

The TSA said participating airlines will contact their frequent flyers who are eligible.

Other air travelers who are interested in the program can enroll in a government-trusted travel program such as Global Entry, which does require paid membership.

TSA officials say if a traveler is accepted into the TSA Pre-Check program, the information will be embedded into their boarding passes.

Approved travelers go through a separate line where a machine checks their passes for approval.

"The key is that we have done pre-screening before somebody ever gets to the checkpoint," TSA Administrator John Pistole said.

But he was quick to add there are no guarantees.

"Even if you qualify, you may, on your next time, be asked to go through regular screening or even additional screening," Pistole said, referencing the TSA random check policy.

He said the system allows the TSA to focus more on people they are not familiar with or people who are on their watch list.

"The expansion of TSA PreCheck to the nation's busiest airports will increase our security capabilities and expedite the screening process for travelers we consider our trusted partners," said Department of Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano.

TSA PreCheck will be implemented at the following airport locations throughout 2012:

· Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

· Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

· Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

· Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)

· Denver International Airport (DEN)

· Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

· George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH)

· Honolulu International Airport (HNL)

· Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

· John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

· LaGuardia Airport in New York City (LGA)

· Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)

· Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

· Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)

· Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey (EWR)

· O'Hare International Airport in Chicago (ORD)

· Orlando International Airport (MCO)

· Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

· Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

· Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

· Portland International Airport (PDX)

· Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

· Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

· San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

· Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

· Tampa International Airport (TPA)

· Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)

· Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Several Charlotte politicians eyeing Myrick’s open seat

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:12:43 -0500

The scramble is on for candidates who want to take Rep. Sue Myrick’s seat.

Former sheriff and current county commissioner, Jim Pendergraph, officially announced Wednesday that he was joining the race.

City Councilman Andy Dulin has assembled a campaign team and is all but certain to run.

And Councilman Bill James announced Wednesday he would not run after saying he was seriously considering it Tuesday night.

On the Democratic side, Jennifer Roberts said Tuesday night she was thinking about stepping into the race, but she was also eyeing the Lieutenant Governor’s race.

Myrick said she would not endorse any one candidate, but said she expects a flood of interest when filing begins next week.

“The seat doesn’t come open very often, so we can expect a lot of people to sign up,” she said.

Pendergraph, Dulin and Roberts have strong support in Charlotte, and name recognition, too. But the newly redrawn 9th District could give some candidates a big advantage over the others.

Dulin and Pendergraph will likely face off, possibly with others, in a battle for voters in a district that political expert Dr. Michael Bitzer says the district now heavily favors Republicans.

“Basically, it cuts the heart of the Charlotte Democratic base out,” he said.

The new 9th District now cuts a ring from western Union County, across the southern and northern parts of Mecklenburg County and into Iredell County.

Pendergraph believes the Republican majority plays to his strengths. But so does Dulin, whose city council district lies directly over the biggest concentration of south Charlotte Republican voters.

While Roberts has not committed to a run, she said she believes a Democrat could win the seat. But Bitzer said the district stacks the odds against any Democrat.

“It voted for John McCain 54 percent last time. It’s 40 percent Republican right now. It’s going to be a hard road for any Democrat to really overcome,” Bitzer said.

Winthrop SC poll: US headed in wrong direction

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:47:39 -0500

A Winthrop University poll finds 59 percent of South Carolinians think the nation is heading in the wrong direction and 46 percent think their state is also on the wrong path.

   Results of the Winthrop Poll released Wednesday show residents believe the most important issues facing the country and the state are the economy, jobs and the budget deficit.

   The survey found respondents split equally on whether economic conditions in the country are getting worse or getting better, with both groups at 45.8 percent. Eight percent say they aren't sure.

   The poll also found that 23 percent of respondents have worried about running out of food before they could afford more.

   The poll surveyed 878 adults by phone between Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.

Affair between council members sparks alienation of affection suit against other woman

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:03 -0500

A former Indian Trail mayoral candidate has filed an alienation-of-affection complaint against a councilwoman. The councilwoman is accused of having an extra-marital relationship with another Indian Trail councilman, the former candidate's husband.

Council members Robert Allen and Darlene Luther admit to having a physical relationship, but said it started after Allen separated from his wife, Teresa Jacob-Allen. Teresa Jacob-Allen filed a complaint against Luther seeking restitution for the loss of her husband's affection and alleges the two slept together before the separation.

Teresa Jacob-Allen contends she separated from her husband on Nov. 25, 2009. Robert Allen contends they separated on Nov. 4, 2009, according to court documents. Robert Allen and Luther campaigned together in 2009, the year they won. Teresa Jacob-Allen ran for mayor in 2007, but lost to John Quinn.

Teresa Jacob-Allen further alleges Robert Allen took more than $100,000 from accounts they shared and filed to recover money from Robert Allen. Teresa Jacob-Allen is seeking more than $10,000 in each of three complaints against Luther.

Read Teresa Allen's complaint against her husband Robert. Click here.

"It's unfortunate. I never wanted any of this," Robert Allen said. "This should have been a situation where we handled it and just turned the page. ... It's a domestic issue that spilled over into the public."

The Allens have no children. Darlene Luther is married, but separated; she has three children.

In her filing for post-separation support, alimony and equitable distribution, Teresa Jacob-Allen claims she is the dependent spouse and is "substantially in need" of support from Allen in order to maintain her "accustomed standard of living." She claimed Luther "unlawfully, willfully, recklessly and maliciously obtained the affection" of Robert Allen, something that caused Teresa Jacob-Allen "extreme emotional and mental distress."

In their responses, Robert Allen and Luther deny allegations.

Luther admits to having "sexual intercourse" with Allen, but only after he separated from his wife. Robert Allen claims he "has been a faithful and dutiful spouse," and Teresa Jacob-Allen's allegations "have been without justification," according to court documents.

Robert Allen made counter claims against Teresa Jacob-Allen.

In his filing, Robert Allen claims his wife "belittled (him) in public," "treated (him) as if he were nothing but her servant," "ignored (his) needs and feelings," and "had frequent temper tantrums in which she would rage at (him) and scream at him about her hatred for him."

Robert Allen claimed that he was the dependent spouse and Teresa Jacob-Allen was the actual breadwinner. Teresa Jacob-Allen owns and operates The Bear's Lair in the Sun Valley Commons shopping center and Robert

Allen was the president of R.W. Allen Financial Services, Inc, a commercial and residential mortgage business, but had to close the doors due to the slow economy, he said.

Robert Allen said he could not expound on the details of the complaints, referring questions to the court documents.

The domestic complaint will not affect Robert Allen's ability to govern Indian Trail, and residents in the town should look to his and Luther's body of work as leaders, not a private matter, he said.

"I really don't see this as being an issue," he said.

Quinn said, "Anytime something like this happens, its a tragedy, especially for the innocent people involved."

A hearing is scheduled for May 26 at the Union County Judicial Center.

Rockingham bouncer charged with manslaughter after headlock incident

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:07:06 -0500

The bouncer at a Rockingham night club was charged with voluntary manslaughter after he was restraining someone in a headlock and accidentally choked them to death.

Kaleb Gabril McDonald, 23, was trying to break up an argument involving 36-year-old David Terrill Malloy and another person at Club P3 on East Broad Avenue, police said.

According to police, McDonald put Malloy in a hold to subdue him and it killed him.

The incident report states Malloy was found lying on the floor by the pool table with his eyes open and his lips moving.

EMS was called.

According to police, a woman identifying herself as a nurse determined Malloy had no pulse and started CPR on the man.

Malloy was taken to First Health Richmond Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

McDonald was arrested and taken to the Richmond County Jail with bail set at $100,000.

A court hearing Monday reduced the bond amount to $50,000.

Police: Man robs Kings Mountain home, store at gunpoint

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:18:25 -0500

Kings Mountain police have arrested a Shelby man in connection with two Jan. 30 armed robberies in Kings Mountain.

Nicklous Lance Poston, 31, from the 4000 block of Homeplace Drive, faces two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Poston is accused of robbing a 53-year-old man at his North Railroad Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Poston also allegedly robbed a One Stop convenience store on Shelby Road less than three hours later.

Poston used a semi-automatic handgun in the robberies, according to court documents. Around $94 was taken from the home and convenience store, arrest warrants state.

"I'm very pleased with how the public helped us with tips," Kings Mountain Police Detective K.L. Hamrick said. "It was extremely helpful."

Hamrick said the cases are still under investigation. A second suspect is still at large in the One Stop store robbery, he said.

Poston was booked into the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office without bond Monday.

Car hits house in Catawba County

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:55:16 -0500

A driver was questioned by the North Carolina Highway Patrol after driving into a house near Hickory.

The accident happened on Section House Road.

The accident pushed the house’s refrigerator across the room and knocked cabinets off the wall. Part of the car landed in the kitchen sink.

Sitting just feet away was Thomas Shotwell and his wife.

"It sounded like brakes screeching. All of the sudden there was a big boom, and you see the refrigerator topple over, just the front end of the car hanging out," said Thomas Shotwell.

The Highway Patrol said the driver went off the road and then over-corrected, crossing the center line. She traveled about 40 yards through a yard and a fence before hitting the home.

"I was just in a state of shock. We thought this was one of the safest houses you could live in. We are just so thankful no one was hurt," said Barbara Clemmons, the homeowner.

The Highway Patrol charged the driver, Annette Turnmire, with driving left of center.

She was able to walk away from the accident, but it could be a while before anyone can live in the home again.

Shotwell and his wife plan on staying with family. He is thankful they were far enough away not to be hurt.

"If we had been in the kitchen, we'd probably be dead," he said.

2 injured in accident on Billy Graham Pkwy

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:51:25 -0500

Two people were injured in an accident on the Billy Graham Parkway shortly before noon Wednesday, Medic said.

The accident involved a USPS tractor trailer.

Currently, traffic is moving in both directions on the outside lanes of the parkway.

Officials have not said what caused the accident.

Teen charged in stabbing of Bible-reading Shelby woman

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:10:33 -0500

Police arrested a teenager who they say slashed a woman’s throat then listened to her read from a Bible for an hour.

Miguel Lopez, 16, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

The teen is being held in the Cleveland County Detention Center with bail set at $1 million.

According to police, Lopez attacked 32-year-old Lindsay Wood with a knife on Feb. 1 as she and her son returned to their Royster Avenue home after a church service.

After the attack, Wood started reading verses from the Bible to the teen, police said. Wood called 911 after her attacker left.

According to her church members, Wood is attached to a ventilator and a feeding tube.

A magistrate signed an arrest warrant Tuesday, and Lopez was taken into custody shortly before midnight.

CrimeStoppers had issued a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest od Wood's attacker.

Convicted cop killer appeals, citing mental competency

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:55:07 -0500

The man convicted of killing two Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers appealed his case Wednesday in Raleigh.

Demeatrius Montgomery is spending life in prison for killing officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton.

Sherry Clark and Jennifer Shelton sat together in the front row of the courtroom as attorneys for the man who killed their husbands argued that he should get a new trial.

Montgomery’s mental competency was the key issue the three appeals court judges will be considering.

“He had regressed to the point where he was refusing to leave his cell in the physical presence of his lawyers and doctors,” said his lawyer, Andrew Desimone.

But Deputy Attorney General Jonathan Babb argued that Judge Forrest Bridges was right in ruling that Montgomery’s silence was his choice and not a sign of serious mental illness.

The hearing was over in less than an hour, but it was clear for the officers’ families that it will not be the end.

“It won’t ever be behind us. We just go on. Hopefully, we’ll get a good decision out of this,” said Bob Clark, Jeff Shelton’s father.

SLIDESHOW: 2 CMPD officers shot in the line of duty (4/1/07)

Montgomery's mental capacity has been a big issue since Montgomery was arrested for the murders of Shelton and Clark in 2007.

For three years, he did not speak to police or his own attorneys, who had argued before the trial that Montgomery was not able to help in his own defense.

Prosecutors pointed out that Montgomery spoke to other people and even made phone calls from jail during that same time.

Montgomery’s attorneys are also expected to argue that the officers’ widows should not have been allowed to testify at his trial because they prejudiced the jury.

2010 TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Thursday, Sept. 30: Montgomery found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. He is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences with no parole.

• Wednesday, Sept. 29: Prosecutors and defense attorneys give closing arguments. Jurors begin deliberations just after 3 p.m.

• Tuesday, Sept. 28: Prosecutors rest their case after presenting 240 exhibits and calling 70 witnesses. Defense attorneys also rest their case, choosing not to present any evidence.

• Tuesday, Sept. 21: Prosecutors enter as evidence a .32-caliber revolver, which they said was used to kill Clark and Shelton.

• Friday, Sept. 17: Bridges decides that jurors can hear about Montgomery’s past behavior toward police, saying that similarities in his past interactions with officers created a sufficient pattern of which jurors should be aware. Officers give testimony regarding Montgomery’s past arrests and say he has been violent toward police officers.

• Thursday, Sept. 16: Transcripts of police radio traffic and 911 calls from the night of the shootings are released. Click here to read them.

• Wednesday, Sept. 15: Prosecutors begin calling as witnesses police officers who responded to the shootings. Officers describe chaos at the apartment complex in the moments and hours after the incident.

• Friday, Sept. 10: Attorneys, the judge and Montgomery leave the courthouse to hear testimony from Joe Robinson, a witness who is terminally ill with cancer and could not come to court. Montgomery is taken to CMPD’s Hickory Grove division office under heavy security. The testimony is recorded so jurors can later see it.

• Wednesday, Sept. 8: With no witnesses to the shootings, prosecutors build their case against Montgomery by piecing together a fragmented picture of what happened the night the officers were killed. They call some witnesses who can place Montgomery at the complex, and others who can recount the moments just before and just after the shootings, but can’t identify the killer. Defense attorneys fire back, telling jurors no one can say who pulled the trigger.

• Tuesday, Sept. 7: Prosecutors and defense attorneys give opening statements and testimony begins. Sherry Clark, Sean Clark’s widow; and Jennifer Shelton, Jeff Shelton’s widow, take the stand. Both women recount the day and night of the shootings.

• Thursday, Sept. 2: Attorneys approve two more jurors, completing the panel.

• Wednesday, Sept. 1: Attorneys approve three more jurors, bringing the panel to 10. Twelve must be chosen, along with two alternates.

• Tuesday, Aug. 31: Prosecutors and defense attorneys approve seven jurors.

• Wednesday, Aug. 25: Prosecutors say they will not appeal the judge’s decision to take the death penalty off the table. Jury selection begins.

• Tuesday, Aug. 24: Judge Forrest Bridges rules that Montgomery cannot be sentenced to death if convicted as a result of Fant’s mistakes.

• Monday, Aug. 23: Trial begins. Arvin Fant, a detective with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, admits discarding notes related to the investigation into the fatal shootings of Clark and Shelton. Defense attorneys ask the judge to dismiss charges against Montgomery or issue sanctions against prosecution.

SWAT team enters Charlotte house in drug raid

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:44:40 -0500

SWAT officers raided a home in the Belmont neighborhood near uptown Charlotte early Wednesday morning.

Police took Lucas Baldwin and Shawanna Famer into custody and charged them with drug possession, but officials have not said if either person lived in the Kennon Street home.

“It sounded like a car crash or thunder but it was just one bang," said Dustin Olsovsky.

Dustin Olsovsky said he woke up Wednesday morning to the sound of police raiding his neighbor's house on Sennon Street. "I came out here and there was SWAT everywhere and cops going in," Olsovsky said.

SLIDESHOW: SWAT team enters house on Kennon Street

But family members of the woman who lives in the house said Baldwin and Farmer were not the only people inside the house. They said there were eight people, including three children under the age of 7 in the house at the time.

Shayla Jenkins is the mother of one of the children.

"They could have knocked on the door like regular people and presented their search warrant," Jenkins said.

Police have not said where the children are staying now.

But police said because of Baldwin's criminal history, the raid was considered a high-risk search warrant, a situation where SWAT is called in to ensure everyone’s safety.

Police said Baldwin has been arrested 15 times in Mecklenburg County for offenses that include robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a government official, and resisting a public officer.

Jenkins said Farmer was watching her daughter, but did not know anything about drugs.

Olsovsky said he has lived in the area for more than a year, and in the past, drug activity has been a problem.

"People standing on the corner all the time, late night," he said.

He's glad to see police cracking down.

Accident knocks down power pole in south Charlotte

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:03:51 -0500

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

A bad accident knocked down a utility pole and shut down part of Highway 51 in south Charlotte Tuesday night.

Investigators said a driver ran a red light at the Johnston Road intersection and collided with another car.

Two people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, but are expected to be OK.

Crews spent hours replacing the utility pole.

The road is back open.