POLICE OFFICER-FRAUD CHARGE

North Carolina police officer charged in fraud investigation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Detectives with a North Carolina police department have filed charges against one of its officers after an investigation revealed he had submitted work invoices to private businesses for more than what he was due. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says in a news release on Thursday that Officer Lawrence Guiler was charged with eight counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. Investigators say Guiler’s secondary employment activity showed he received compensation on several occasions from a business for work he didn’t do. Guiler was arrested on Thursday, and is on unpaid leave.  

POLICE SHOOTING-NORTH CAROLINA

Police: Woman shot after trying to run over police officer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina police chief says a woman was shot and wounded after she tried to run over an officer with her car. News outlets report Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings says officers responded to a call from a beauty supply store at around 4 p.m. after reports of shots being fired inside and outside the store. The chief says an officer on a motorbike was one of the first to arrive and that the woman made deliberate attempts to run over him before he fired at her. The woman was taken to the hospital with what was described as life-threatening injuries.

WAREHOUSE WORKER SLAIN

Sheriff’s office: Man fatally shoots co-worker at warehouse

WINDSOR, Va. (AP) — A man was fatally shot during a fight at a Virginia warehouse and authorities say they’re searching for the suspect, the victim’s coworker. Isle of Wight Sheriff’s deputies and Windsor Police officers responded to a report of a shooting Thursday at Safco Products and found a man who had been shot. Sheriff’s office spokesman Capt. Tommy Potter says the man, identified as Rakim Breedin of Como, North Carolina, died on the way to a hospital. He says the shooting happened after Breedin fought with a coworker, who then left to get a gun. He says when they fought a second time, the coworker shot Breedin. Officials say they’re charging Preston Thomas with second-degree murder.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORTH CAROLINA

1 in 3 NC workers in Cooper order still not fully vaccinated

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — New state data shows roughly one in three of the more than 56,000 state government employees required to get a COVID-19 shot or be tested weekly are not yet fully vaccinated. Law enforcement and state prison officials have been the least likely to get vaccinated. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said those who do not get the vaccine or perform weekly testing can be punished. Nearly 9 in 10 workers within the Office of State Budget and Management and Office of State Human Resources are fully vaccinated. Barely half of the workers within the Department of Public Safety covered by Cooper’s executive order have gotten fully vaccinated.

PUBLIC RECORDS-PERSONNEL

NC House leader: Chamber committed to records bill agreement

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The head of the North Carolina House says his chamber is committed to trying to work with the Senate to approve legislation that would make more work histories of government employees public. Speaker Tim Moore made the comments Thursday — the same day the chamber refused to accept a measure approved by the Senate this week that attached the personnel records language to a different measure the House wants. The speaker says there’s no pushback within his chamber about making government more transparent. But he’s heard from colleagues concerned about unintended consequences with making more personnel information available.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

N. Carolina officials: Prep sports governing deal reached

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina officials say there’s an agreement in principle on legislation that would lead to new controls upon the nonprofit body governing high school sports. But there’s still uncertainty, as all the details haven’t been worked out. House and Senate GOP members who’ve scrutinized the North Carolina High School Athletic Association say lawmakers from both chambers met this week with representatives of Gov. Roy Cooper, the State Board of Education and the association. The association and education board would sign a formal memo on how the association would oversee interscholastic sports. The association’s top leader says the group is still opposed to the bill.

FUNERAL HOME-BODY MIX-UP

North Carolina family finds unknown woman in mother’s casket

AHOSKIE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina funeral home says it has reached out to apologize after two sisters who went to view their mother’s body instead found another woman wearing her clothes inside the casket. WAVY reports sisters Jennifer Taylor and Jennetta Archer went to see their mother at an Ahoskie funeral home when they discovered the mistake. Jennetta Archer says there’s no resemblance between their mother and the woman who was in the casket. The sisters say funeral home workers initially denied the mistake, but went into the embalming room and found the body of Mary Archer. The funeral home switched the bodies and the service continued.

WORLD WAR II SOLDIER

Remains of North Carolina World War II soldier identified

WASHINGTON (AP) — An agency which accounts for missing U.S. soldiers says it has identified the remains of a North Carolina man who served in World War II. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency says in a news release Thursday that it identified U.S. Army 1st Lt. James E. Wright of Parkton. The news release says Wright was assigned in September 1944 to the 5th Infantry Division, a part of Lt. Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army. Wright disappeared as soldiers retreated across the Moselle River against German opposition. Remains that were disinterred from a Luxembourg cemetery in 2016 were identified as those of Wright.

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