Public records
By Other
Published in News on December 22, 2005 1:47 PM
Chief disputes
report of arrest
LA GRANGE -- LaGrange Police Chief John Sullivan is disputing a published report that a fourth person has been arrested and charged in the armed robbery of a LaGrange bank.
Three people have been arrested and charged with the Sept. 6 holdup of the Wachovia Bank branch at 119 W. Railroad St.
The Kinston Free Press reported Wednesday that a fourth suspect was in custody in Port Wentworth, Ga.
"My investigator says that person was not believed to be one of the robbers," Sullivan said. "If he was, no one has bothered to tell us about it."
Sullivan said his department was still actively investigating the case and was expecting additional arrests to be made.
A former Mount Olive resident, Kareem Abdul Salaam, 22, was arrested Oct. 22 in Port Wentworth, a city near Savannah on the Georgia-South Carolina border. He was charged with the bank robbery. The other man, identified as Breheem Timothy Earl Whitfield, 24, was with Salaam during the arrest.
Two other people have been arrested and charged in the bank robbery.
LaGrange police arrested LaShonda Marquette Johnson, 25, of Lincoln Street in LaGrange on Sept. 12. She was accused of driving the getaway car.
Fremandeus Connell Williams, 26, of Devereaux Street in Goldsboro was arrested Nov. 29 in Union City, Calif. He was charged with armed robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, kidnapping and trafficking in cocaine. He also was charged with assaulting a Union City police officer and resisting arrest.
Clerk robbed
A convenience store was robbed Wednesday night of $246, according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
A clerk told deputies that a black man, armed with a handgun, entered the Friendly Mart at 1464 N.C. 111 South at about 9:40 p.m. The suspect displayed the firearm and said, "You know the deal!" The suspect grabbed the cash and fled north on Spring Bank Road, the report said.
A deputy with a search dog tracked the man for a short distance before losing the scent.
The suspect was described as 5-feet-9 and 180 pounds with a medium build, black hair and brown eyes. He wore a black and gray jacket and a black bandanna.
Anyone with information on the holdup was asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 731-1481 or Goldsboro-Wayne County Crime Stoppers at 735-2255. Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for a cash reward.
Two hurt in wreck
Two people were injured and damages were estimated at $42,400 in three recent traffic collisions in Wayne County, the Highway Patrol said reported.
*Two people were injured and damages were estimated at $11,400 in a two-vehicle collision at 12:52 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. 70 near Luby Smith Road, the Highway Patrol said. One driver, Donald David Burgess, 64, of Raleigh, and his passenger, John McFadyen, 60, of Smithfield, were treated and released from Wayne Memorial Hospital, a spokeswoman said. Another westbound driver who was following Burgess' car -- James Tyler Peacock, 17, of Whitley Church Road, Princeton -- was charged with failure to reduce speed.
*The driver of a New Hope Gas Co. truck was charged with driving left of center after a wreck at 11:50 a.m. Monday on Pecan Road near Mitchell Road, the Highway Patrol said. Gary Connell Baldwin, 28, of Artis Road, Pikeville, was going north. The truck ran off the right side and struck a ditch, the driver overcorrected, and the truck crossed the center line, ran off the left side and overturned, the report said. Damage was estimated at $10,000.
*The driver of a tractor-trailer loaded with hogs was charged with failure to reduce speed after a rear-end crash at 5:33 p.m. Monday at U.S. 13 and Central Heights Road, the Highway Patrol said. William Shannon Carter, 27, of Clinton was driving the big rig for Premium Standard Farms of Clinton. The other motorist, Darrell Lynn Tarrant, 46, of Stevens Mill Road, had stopped for traffic, the report said. Damages were set at $21,000.
Investigations
Wayne County law-enforcement officers are investigating these reports:
*About $2,720 worth of tools was stolen between Tuesday and Wednesday from a garage at R.B. Lancaster Farms at 4031 N.C. 222 East, Stantonsburg, sheriff's deputies said. The property included two pressure washers, two chain saws, an impact wrench, a hammer drill and drill bits. No sign of forced entry was listed.
*A 32-inch television, a home stereo system, a cell phone, two DVD players and a video cassette recorder were stolen Wednesday from a home in the 900 block of Fifth Street, Goldsboro police said. The resident, Michelle Chambers, put a $1,237 value on the property.
*A gray, four-door 1985 Buick was stolen between Sunday and Wednesday from the 900 block of Isler Street, police said. The owner, Thomasina Jones, said the unregistered car was worth $800.
*Keys to two vehicles were stolen between Tuesday and Wednesday after two windows were smashed and a door lock was damaged at Holloway's Car Wash at 1801 N. William St., police said. The keys were valued at $20. Damage was estimated at $250.