Vandal painters deface Cougar statue at AHS

The cougar statue at Asheville High School was defaced with yellow, purple and blue paint by vandals sometime over Easter weekend.

The statue’s new colors first were noticed by school officials on the morning of April 13. The statue is located in front of AHS’ main building under a sign stating “Asheville High School/Home of the Fighting Cougars.

AHS students were on spring break when the vandalism was discovered. The incident will be investigated and the statue cleaned when school resumes.

Man bitten while breaking up dog fight; owner sought

The owner of a dog that bit a man on April 12 on a trail near UNC Asheville is being sought by the Asheville Police Department.

The victim and his dog were on the trail when two leashed dogs and their owner passed between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., police reported.

When the dogs began fighting, the victim was bitten while trying to separate them. The man said he was bitten by the smallest dog, which, he guessed, weighed about 20 pounds and was white- or cream-colored, with large brown or gray spots.

The dog’s owner is described as a woman in her early 50s, with shoulder-length gray or blonde hair. She was of an average build and was wearing a green rain jacket.

Anyone with information about the dog’s owner is asked to call the APD at 252-1110 or Animal Services Officer Jennifer White at 259-5919.

Police seeking fugitive charged in fraud case

A fugitive wanted on a charge of obtaining drugs by fraud is being sought by Buncombe County police.

James Lee Owen, 36, is wanted on one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. His last known address was 1464 Patton Avenue, Room 4, Asheville.

Owen is described as white, 5-foot-7, 160 pounds, blue eyes and balding, with red hair. He has five piercings in his left ear, three piercings in his right ear and a scar on his forehead. He has a blue 1989 Buick.

Those with information are being asked to call Buncombe County Crimestoppers at 255-5050, or the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at 255-5555, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

UNCA police probing theft of student’s items in library

UNC Asheville Campus Police are probing a larceny in which Allison Marie Bradford reported at 7:38 p.m. April 2 the theft of a number of items valued at $610 from Ramsey Library.

Bradford, who is 24 and a UNCA student, told police that she had last seen her property eight minutes earlier.
The police report stated that the crime was committed “by picking up and carrying away” the property. No suspects were listed on the police report.

Property reported missing included one Moschmo purse/handbag/wallet at $30, one drug/narcotic (cymbalta) at $50, one drug/narcotic (vyvanse) at $50, one drug/narcotic (adderall) at $15, one drug/narcotic (xanax) at $15, one Apple iPod at $140, money/cash at $60 and a Kate Spade purse/handbag/wallet at $250.

In other action, UNCA police:
• Are continuing to investigate an estimated $300 in criminal damage sustained by a Toyota Camry in a Vivian Street parking lot.

The damage was reported at 1:30 p.m. April 7. The vehicle’s owner is Lindsey Moore Thompson, an 18-year-old UNCA student. No suspects were listed on the police report.

• Arrested John Baxter Harrill, 20, at 3.26 p.m. March 27 after receiving a tip that a subject previously banned from campus was at 619 Founders Hall.

Officers took Harrill into custody on a charge of trespassing without incident and transported to the Buncombe Cunty Detention Center for processing, the police report stated.

Harrill, listed as unemployed and sporting an upper arm tattoo featuring the word “Push,” said he lives at 305 Orchard Court in Fairview.

• Reported accidental damage at Ridges Parking Deck on March 23 involving a 2008 Lexus owned by Kristina Lynn Hyatt, a 20-year-old UNCA student from Cherokee.

A substance dripped on her vehicle, resulting in an estimated $300 damage to the automobile’s paint.

• Are continuing to investigate a larceny in which about $200 in cars keys and gift cards were reported missing by Katryan Terll while she was at UNCA’s Health & Fitness Center.

Terll, 21, reported about 10:30 a.m. March 26 the theft of seven car keys valued at $150 and two gift cards worth $50.
• Charged Austin Ryan Garrido, 18, of Gastonia at 10:45 p.m. March 17 with possession of alcohol by an under age person.

The arrest occurred at Parking Lot 9 in University Heights.

• Are continuing to investigate the larceny of $20 in cash from Lorca Citialis Lechuga-Haeseler, 20, at the Health & Fitness Center about 1:40 p.m. March 20.

• Arrested Joshua Eddie Motes at 7:35 a.m. March 6 on charges of trespassing and parole and probation violations.
Motes, 26, of 20 Davidson Dr. in Asheville, was arrested in 303 Ashe Hall after being banned from university property. Campus police were alearted by officers Tara Bindawald and Gene Payne.

The latter said they had been informed about Motes’ presence on campus by the city market manager in the Highsmith University Union, who was familiar with the suspect because of past dealing with him involving stealing food from the market, the police report noted. Motes is listed as unemployed.

• Reported clearing a case involving a charter bus fire at 9:10 p.m. March 3 at Wellness Way on campus.

The 1994 Vanhool bus, owned by Blue Sky Charter Inc. of Concord, accidentally caught fire, resulting in $10,000 in damages.

The driver, Bryan Alan Blue, 51, of Concord was not charged in the incident.

• Issued a state citation to Lindsay Bently for failing to see  — and yield — before turning onto W.T. Weaver Boulevard from Broadway Street, as a UNCA officer also was turning onto Weaver Boulevard.

Bently, 25, of 358 Oakview Park Road, stated that she saw the officer turning, but thought she could drive her 1997 Nissan beat the officer to the intersection, the police report stated.

• Are continuing to probe the larceny of $200 in office equipment from the third-floor laboratory in Robinson Hall at 7:56 p.m. Feb. 24.