Fireman charged in shooting at bicyclist loses his post

An off-duty Swannanoa firefighter accused of shooting at a bicyclist and narrowly missing his head no longer works for the Asheville Fire Department.

Charles Alexander Diez, 42, was “separated from employment Aug. 10,” according to interim Chief Scott Burnette, who declined to comment further, citing employment laws. Diez was a 17-year AFD veteran.

Diez allegedly fired a handgun at cyclist Alan Ray Simons on Tunnel Road on July 26, striking his helmet, according to police.

The firefighter, while off duty, had stopped his car and confronted Simon, apparently because he was concerned about the Asheville man riding his bicycle — on a busy road — with his young child on the back, reports stated.

Diez was released from jail July 28, after a judge reduced his bond from $500,000 to $200,000. The AFD put him on leave with pay. Shortly thereafter, a grand jury declined to indict Diez on attempted first-degree murder charges. He is now being charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

The incident triggered complaints from cyclists and other, who contended that Diez should not have gotten paid leave or had his bond or charges reduced.

Diez’s salary was $46,840, records show, but it is unclear whether firefighters separated for breaking department rules retained benefits.

Deputy charged in attack on wife suspended from job

A Buncombe County sheriff’s deputy jailed on a charge of assaulting his wife was suspended without pay Aug. 27.
Darrell Lynn Saucier, 45, of 48 Embler Road, Alexander, was arrested by deputies and charged on the night of Aug. 26 with misdemeanor assault on a female.

Saucier pushed a nightstand into Selena Dawn Gunter, knocking her down, according to a warrant. He also allegedly grabbed her arm and pushed it down.

District Court Judge Patricia Young advised Saucier that he faces up to 150 days in jail if convicted of the charge and she set his bond at $5,000 unsecured during a first court appearance on Aug. 27.

In addition, the deputy was ordered to have no contact with Gunter.

Saucier requested a public defender.

Deputies responding to Saucier’s residence found cause to make an arrest, officials noted.

In the aftermath, Sheriff Van Duncan said that anytime deputies respond to a scene where domestic violence has occurred, they are obligated to make an arrest, regardless of whether an officer was involved.

Besides being suspended without pay, Saucier’s law enforcement powers were revoked — and his gun, badge and identification card were confiscated.

Internal investigators from the Sheriff’s Office went to Saucier’s residence on Aug. 26 and interviewed his wife. Officials expect the probe to take five to 10 days to complete, after which the sheriff will decide on what disciplinary action to take.

Saucier has been with the department as a patrol officer since July 2002.

Saucier was released after the hearing on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

Montford man, 42, charged in fatal stabbing of girlfriend

An Asheville man with a criminal record was charged in the stabbing death of his girlfriend on a street near his Montford home on Aug. 16

Rodney Lamar Robinson, 42, is being held without bond at the Buncombe County Detention Center on charges of first-degree murder, according to warrants.

The victim was identified by police as Angela Lorraine Hart, 45. Her address was given as a women’s shelter on Hillside Street.

Police had responded to domestic dispute calls as recently as Aug. 11, prior to the incident. At that time, a responding officer drove Hart to Helpmate, a shelter for domestic violence victims, police noted.

Robinson and Hart, believed to be romantically involved, were reported fighting at his home at 72 Woodlawn Avenue shortly before 2 p.m.

Robinson chased Hart outside the house and across East Chestnut Street, police said.

Police found Hart’s body with multiple stab wounds in the front yard of a home at 31-1/2 W. Chestnut St, police said. She was dead at the scene.

Robinson, covered with blood, was arrested near the scene, and admitted to the killing, police noted.
Robinson has a criminal record of drug offenses dating to 1988. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon in October 2005, following a traffic stop, police said.

Meanwhile, Hart has been charged with soliciting for prostitution on June 11 and again on Aug. 13, police reported.
Hart’s death marks the first reported homicide of the year in Asheville. There were two homicides in the city in 2008 and 10 in 2007.

Retired teacher charged in sex case with young girls

A Hendersonville retiree who taught school in Buncombe County for 22 years was charged Aug. 4 with molesting three girls after police raided his home and seized computer equipment and a camera.

William George Tillman, of 409 Jordan St., was charged with three counts of first-degree child sex offense, according to the Hendersonville Police Department.

The allegations involve children younger than 10 years old. Investigators believe the crimes happened at Tillman’s house, police said. The arrest occurred after a tip about children being abused was received by the HPD.

Driver faces three charges, including pot possession

UNC Asheville Police charged a student from Burlington with possessing .02 oz. of marijuana, driving while intoxocated and driving after consuming alcohol under age 21 about 8:22 p.m. Aug. 22.

Richard Stuart Edens, 18, of 20 Davidson Dr., Asheville, was driving a 2008 Nissan Altima near 64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, when he was stopped by Officer Shannon Green. The assisting officer was Sgt. Bruce Martin.

Edens was taken to the Buncombe County Detention Center. He was released on a $700 bond. His trial date is set for 1 p.m. Oct. 16.

In a separate incident, the theft of a Motorola/Razor telephone, valued at $100, was reported by a student at 1:05 p.m. Aug. 29 from UNCA’s Health & Fitness Center.

Ryan Patrick Hoag, 21, of 158 Chatham Rd., Asheville, told police that someone apparently opened his locker and carried away the phone.

Three Ashevillians charged in spate of city robberies

Three Asheville residents were arrested on Aug. 31 in connection with a four recent street robberies on Merrimon and Biltmore avenues in the city.

Leah Capaal Worley, 20; Robert Louis Ayala, 17; and Olivia Alexandria Hensley, 19; all of Asheville, were charged in the robberies that occurred since last Aug. 29.

Police said victims told them that two male suspects pushed them down and, in one case, threatened them with a handgun. The suspects allegedly took wallets, MP3 players, a moped and other property.

Worley and Hensley were arrested after an officer saw a white Ford Taurus on Merrimon Avenue that matched the description of the vehicle used in the robberies. Hensley allegedly was the driver. Ayala was arrested later Aug. 31.
The suspects face six counts of common-law robbery, police said. The trio is being held in the Buncombe County Detention Center, with Ayala under a  $60,000 bond; Worley, under a $5,000 bond; and Hensley, under a $1,000 bond.

Bears searching for food force closure of picnic area

Craggy Gardens was closed Aug. 21 and will remain off-limits until the start of the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 4 because bears — foraging for food — are considered a threat in the popular picnic area, according to Blue Ridge Parkway rangers.

A fully grown adult male bear was captured Aug. 6 by rangers and killed after it sought to snatch food from a woman’s plate on a picnic table, officials said. The woman was not injured in the incident.

The bear was taken to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it was euthanized. Rangers issued a warning for parkway visitors to keep their distance from bears.