S.C. man arrested, faces
charges, including assault

HENDERSONVILLE — A South Carolina man recently was charged with assaulting a woman and holding her against her will at a local hotel.

Hendersonville police said they received a call last Friday at Quality Inn Hotel on Sugarloaf Road, reporting a woman running from a room with her hands bound with duct tape.

In the room, officers subsequently found Thomas John Dick, who told them he and the woman had been involved in a domestic disturbance.

Meanwhile, Hendersonville police were contacted by a detective for the Florence, S.C., Police Department, who told them the woman had sought treatment at a Florence hospital for injuries suffered in the Hendersonville incident.

Dick, 40, was arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping, assault inflicting serious injury, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, assault by pointing a gun, drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property.

His bond was set at $99,500.

Candler man charged with
hitting officer with vehicle

Asheville police charged a Candler man with felony hit-and-run for allegedly striking a police officer with his car.

Aaron David Bell, 30, faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, driving while impaired and driving while his license was revoked. He was served with an outstanding warrant last Thursday.

The assault reportedly occurred at 590 Haywood Rd., where officers responded in reference to a large crowd at a club.

An APD lieutenant was standing next to his patrol vehicle parked on the north side of U.S. 19/23, with its blue lights on.

When Bell drove by, his car’s passenger side struck the officer, causing minor injuries to the officer’s left hand and arm, police noted.

Bell drove away from the scene, but was stopped and taken into custody at Louisiana and Majestic avenues, the APD reported.
He was being held in the Buncombe County Detention Center, with bond set at $6,000.

Ex-Asheville resident found
dead with gunshot wound

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A former Asheville (N.C.) resident reportedly was gunned down in a parking lot in Las Vegas two weekends ago.

Las Vegas police said they found the body of Seneca Hentz, 29, in a car in a parking lot about 10:35 p.m. May 30. He had suffered had one gunshot wound to his head, police noted.

Henzt had been in an argument with a group of 10 men and teenagers, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Police said he was driving away when he was shot.

Hentz’s mother, Ernestine Watkins, said her son was shot after he told the group he did not have a lighter, according to a report in the Asheville Citizen-Times.

Hentz graduated from Asheville High in 1996. He moved to Las Vegas from Asheville in 2003.

Man pleads guilty, sentenced
in murder, abuse of toddler

BREVARD — A man on trial in the death of his nearly 2-year-old stepson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child-abuse charges last week.

Larry Andrew Norris, 22, was sentenced to 125 to 160 months in prison, Transylvania County court officials said, noting that guilty pleas during trial are rare.