DRIVER RUN OVER

Police: Man ran over driver after stealing car

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina are asking for help finding a man they say assaulted a driver, stole his car and ran him over as he fled. Asheville police say Michael Lynn Hayes Jr. assaulted a driver on White Pine Drive on Sunday night, then ran over the driver as he fled in the stolen car. The driver was taken to a hospital, where police say he is in critical, but stable condition. People are urged to be cautious if they see Hayes, as police say he is known to be armed. Police say Hayes faces charges including felony hit and run inflicting injury, possession of a stolen vehicle, and felony larceny of a motor vehicle.

TEEN BITTEN-BEACH

Teen gets stitches after likely shark bite in North Carolina

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (AP) — A 15-year-old visiting Wrightsville Beach needed 15 stitches in his leg after he was bitten by what officials think was a shark. Town Manager Tim Owens said lifeguards and emergency personnel tended to the boy’s injury after he walked out of the water on July 27. The teen’s father, Ivan Nekrasov, says the family was visiting from Tennessee and the teen was in waist-deep water when he was bitten. No one got a good look at what bit the boy, but Wrightsville Beach Fire Department Chief Glen Rogers says they believe it was a shark.

ROAD RAGE SHOOTING

Report: Young child among 3 shot in road rage shooting

OXFORD, N.C. (AP) — A young girl is among three people who have been injured by gunfire during a road rage incident that erupted into shooting between two motorists. WRAL-TV reports that both drivers have claimed self-defense. Both cars were driven by men. They had girlfriends and daughters as passengers. According to the Raleigh station, the men exchanged heated words before opening fire on each other. The exact nature of the dispute is unclear. The report says one driver was shot in the neck and his young daughter sustained a wound to a leg. The other motorist was shot in the hand.

FATAL HIT-AND-RUN

Report: Teenage girl killed in hit-and-run crash

HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — A teenage girl was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Hickory and a man later turned himself in. WSOC-TV said police have identified the slain girl as Brianna Nicole Page. The 17-year-old died at the crash scene. Police report that Page was walking to her job when she was struck early Saturday morning. Officials told WSOC that suspect Cesar Lozano-Mendoza later turned himself over to the Hickory Police Department. He’s been charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in injury or death and misdemeanor for traveling left of center.  It wasn’t immediately known if he had a lawyer.

LOLLAPALOOZA-DABABY

DaBaby booted from Lollapalooza after homophobic comments

CHICAGO (AP) — Rapper DaBaby has been cut from the final day of Lollapalooza’s lineup following crude and homophobic remarks he made last week at a Miami-area music festival. The Grammy-nominated artist, whose name is Jonathan Kirk, was scheduled to perform as one of the closing acts Sunday at the four-day music festival. Festival organizers say rapper Young Thug would be the headliner at 9 p.m. instead. In a tweet, Lollapalooza said the festival was founded on “diversity, inclusivity, respect and love” and that DaBaby would no longer be performing. The rapper’s representatives did not comment.

DEADLY MOWER COLLISION

Motorized lawn mower rider killed in road collision

STOKES, N.C. (AP) — A road crash involving a motorized lawn mower and a delivery van has resulted in a man’s death. WITN in Greenville reports that the deadly collision occurred on NC 30, south of Stokes and close to Worthington-Warren Road. It reports that the operator of the lawn mower died at the scene. The dead man has been identified as David Wayne Pervis of Stokes. The driver of the van was taken to an area hospital. WITN quotes Sgt. William Brown as saying that evidence suggests that the mower was partially on the road and that the van may have traveled off the road slightly before the collision.

GAME ROOM SHOOTING

Former employee charged in shooting at Charlotte game room

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A former employee at a game room and arcade has been arrested after police said he shot three people when he returned to rob the Charlotte business. News outlets say that officers called to game room Fish House North for a report of a robbery found three employees had been shot. Their injuries were not life-threatening. Police say the man shot three employees and demanded money and property, then ran off. As officers spoke with the victims, they learned that the alleged suspect was Robert Barringer, a former employee who had been terminated.

INFANT’S DEATH-CHARGES

Police: Mother charged in 4-month-old’s death last year

GIBSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina announced that a woman is facing murder and child abuse charges after the death of her 4-month-old child last year. News outlets report that Gibsonville Police say they’ve obtained arrest warrants charging 25-year-old Heaven Leigh Harlan with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. Police say officers were called to a home on Burlington Road in August 2020 for a report of an unresponsive 4-month-old child. Rescue personnel attempted CPR for over an hour, but the child died. Due to events surrounding the death and the condition of the home, police say the death was investigated as possible child abuse and charges were determined after a lengthy investigation. It’s not known whether Harlan has an attorney.

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