CHILD KILLED-WATERFALL
Pennsylvania child swept over North Carolina waterfall
SYLVA, N.C. (AP) — A sheriff’s office says a 3-year-old Pennsylvania girl was killed after she was swept over Whitewater Falls in North Carolina. News outlets report the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that Nevaeh Jade Newswanger of Denver, Pennsylvania, had been visiting the waterfall with family, who are staying in Oconee County, South Carolina, while working in the area. Jackson County Emergency Management received a 911 call around 5:50 p.m. on Sunday from someone reporting a little girl had been swept over the edge of the falls. Her body was recovered early Monday morning.
SHOTS FIRED AT OFFICERS
Sheriff’s office: Shots fired at officers in unmarked car
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Officials say at least two people fired on law enforcement officers in an unmarked vehicle in Durham over the weekend. The Durham County sheriff’s office says two on-duty officers were observing the area near Keystone Place and Dearborn Drive on Saturday night as part of an ongoing investigation when at least two unknown males fired multiple rounds. The officers’ vehicle and nearby occupied homes were struck, but officials say no one was injured. The shooters have not been identified.
CAR CHASE-MAN KILLED
North Carolina man killed when police chase ends in crash
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina man was killed when a police chase ended in a crash just north of the border in Virginia. The Winston-Salem Journal reports the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office said Bobby Wayne Gammons, 81, died after a woman’s car crossed the median on U.S. Highway 58 and collided head-on with his vehicle. Rangers at Staunton River State Park in Halifax County, Virginia, found Christine Barnette in an unrented cabin on Friday, and as they approached, she ran and got into her car. The chase ended when Barnette went through an intersection that had been closed by Patrick County deputies, crossed the median of U.S. 58 and crashed head-on into Gammons’ vehicle.
K-9 KILLED
K-9 killed in shootout between NC deputies, hiding suspect
ANTIOCH, N.C. (AP) — Officials in North Carolina say a sheriff’s office K-9 was killed in an exchange of gunfire between deputies and a suspect hiding in a crawl space under a home. WRAL-TV reports that law enforcement officials responded to a report of an armed robbery involving the theft of a vehicle Saturday in Granville County, but only found the stolen vehicle. On Sunday morning, Granville County sheriff’s deputies determined that the suspect might be hiding in an Antioch home’s crawl space. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office helped search the crawl space. The man shot at Franklin County deputies, who returned fire. A K-9 was hit, but no one else was injured. The man crawled out and was arrested.
FATAL POLICE PURSUIT
Report of state park intruder leads to fatal police pursuit
STUART, Va. (AP) — A police pursuit prompted by a call about an intruder at a state park in Virginia has left an elderly man dead and a North Carolina woman charged with vehicular homicide. Authorities say rangers at Staunton River State Park found 41-year-old Christine Barnette of Cary, North Carolina, in an unrented cabin Friday. A vehicle pursuit began and led through several counties. It ended on Route 58 in Patrick County when Barnette crossed the median and collided head-on with a car driven by 81-year-old Bobby Wayne Gammons of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Gammons died at the scene. Barnette was flown to a hospital with serious injuries. She charges of breaking and entering, reckless driving, defrauding an innkeeper, felony eluding police, trespassing and vehicular homicide.
CAPITOL-RIOT-PROUD-BOYS
Proud Boys member pleads guilty to conspiracy in Jan. 6 riot
WASHINGTON (AP) — A North Carolina man has become the second member of the Proud Boys to plead guilty to conspiring with other members of the extremist group to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote. Charles Donohoe pleaded guilty Friday to charges of conspiracy and assaulting federal officers during an appearance in federal court in Washington. The indictment against Donohoe and other members of extremist groups, like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, have been a focus of the Justice Department’s sprawling investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. The 34-year-old Donohoe has close ties to Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio.
BC-US-ELECTION-2022-SENATE-NORTH-CAROLINA
North Carolina Senate race tests Trump’s endorsement power
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — When Ted Budd won a surprise endorsement from former President Donald Trump last year, he was a little-known congressman running for a Senate seat in North Carolina against some of the state’s most recognizable Republicans, including a former governor. As he enters the final stretch before the state’s May 17 primary, Budd is again hoping for a boost, banking on the power of Trump’s endorsement to put him on top of a field that includes a dozen other Republicans. Trump returned to the state on Saturday for a rally in rural Johnston County, just southeast of Raleigh, where he hyped Budd as “a great guy” and urged his supporters to turn out next month.
DUELING STALLIONS-NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina beachgoers warned of dueling stallions
BEAUFORT, N.C. (AP) — Wild stallions are tangling with each other on the North Carolina coast, and a nonprofit group is warning beachgoers to steer clear of the fights. Foundation for Shackleford Horses says on its Facebook page that the stallions are fighting over mares, for territory and herd dominance. They’re described in the post as “Stallion Wars.” According to the foundation, people can be walking on the beach and watching horses while a stallion is eyeing a harem over the dune and trying to steal them from another stallion. It’s estimated that there are herds of nearly 100 wild horses at each end of the Outer Banks.
