Plea deal reached in death
of woman on motorcycle

Under a plea deal made with prosecutors, a Candler man will spend four months in prison for his role in the death of a woman who fell of the back of his motorcycle on Interstate 40.

Conan O’Neal Ford, 33, pleaded guilty in Buncombe County Superior Court last Wednesday to misdemeanor death by vehicle. In exchange for his plea, Ford will not be tried on the more serious charges of felony hit and run and failure to stop.

Rachel Ledford, 20, died in the early hours of May 31, 2006, after falling off Ford’s motorcycle into the westbound lane of the interstate and being struck by several vehicles.

Ford has previous convictions, including possession of stolen goods, driving without a license, no vehicle insurance, operating a boat without a permit and using an improper tag.

Assistant District Attorney Chris Hess said he agreed to the plea deal because Ford returned to the scene of the crime in a reasonable amount of time and accepted responsibility for Ledford’s death.

After initially fleeing the accident, Ford drove to the home of a friend, who drove him back to the scene, investigators said.

Defense attorney Al Messer urged Judge James Baker to give Ford probation without any jail time. Ford’s fiancée, Kathleen Snyder, testified that Ford is the sole provider for her and their young child.

However, Baker handed down the most severe sentence he could for the misdemeanor offense.

Feds take over investigation
into Bryant double-murder

FRANKLIN — The federal government has taken over the multi-state investigation into the double-murder of an elderly Henderson County couple.

U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said in a written statement on Feb. 12 that law-enforcement agencies are investigating whether the deaths of hikers John and Irene Bryant are linked to killer Gary Michael Holton.

Police say someone beat Irene Bryant to death on Oct. 21, while she and her husband were taking a hike near a trail in the Pink Beds area of the Pisgah National Forest. Her body was found Nov. 9.

Investigators learned that someone had used the couple’s ATM card in Ducktown, Tenn., the day after her murder.

The skeletal remains of John Bryant were discovered by a hunter off of a forest service road a few miles from Standing Indian Campground in Macon County.

Hilton was detained near Atlanta for questioning about the disappearance of another hiker, Meredith Emerson. He later confessed to killing and decapitating her.

When he was arrested, investigators say, he had a license tag stolen from a car in Brevard.

Hilton also is a suspect in the December murder of a woman in a national forest in Florida.

Asheville resident charged
with possession of cocaine

City police charged a man with possession of 3.5 grams of crack cocaine over teh Feb. 9-10 weekend.

Christopher Anthony Autin, 36, of Starnes Cove Road also was charged with violating the terms of his probation, according to warrants. He was being held in lieu of $5,000 bond at the Buncombe County Detention Center.

Others arrested that weekend include:

• Donnie Dewaine Curenton, 28, of Taft Avenue, charged with possession of six crack cocaine rocks and second-degree trespassing. His bond was set at $3,000.

• Joshua Kyle Dollens, 27, of Jackson Road, Fletcher, charged with driving while impaired, speeding 73 mph in a 50 mph zone, driving without a license and reckless driving with wanton disregard.

He was being held under $20,500 bond.

• Kirk David Dwyer, 32, of Davidson Road on second-degree trespassing charges. His bond was set at $500.

• Lisa Ann Franks, 28, of Craven Street, was charged with solicitation, loitering for prostitution, trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $4,000.

• Walter Hobart Spillars Jr., 43, of Oteen Church Road, charged with breaking and entering a car and obtaining property under false pretenses. Police say Spillars pawned stolen items. He was being hedl at the Buncombe County Detention

Center in lieu of $5,000 bond.

• Cory Jonathan Steinmetz, 32, of Davidson Road, charged with possession of psilocybin mushrooms, probation violations and having an open container of alcohol. He was being held in lieu of $3,000 bond.

$180K in deposits stolen
from Bojangle’s restaurant

Police are investigating thefts from an Asheville restaurant totalling almost $180,000.

Investigators say about 99 deposits are missing from Bojangle’s on Patton Avenue. The deposits are from September and this month, according to police reports.

Louisville football player
charged in store robbery

WAYNESVILLE — A University of Louisville football player was arrested last Wednesday on armed robbery charges for allegedly robbing a Jonathan Valley convenience store at gun point.

Starting cornerback Rod Council, 22, was aprehended in Tennessee after robbing the Time Out market on Johnathan Creek Road, Haywood County officials said.

The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office said Council walked into the store about 4:14 a.m. wielding what looked like a 9mm Uzi and demanded that the clerk give him money.

The store’s security cameras show him leaving in a silver Chevrolet Impala.

A Tennessee State Highway Patrol trooper found the vehicle at a rest area near mile marker 447. Authorities found an assault weapon similar to an Uzi in Council’s car.

He was being held under $50,000 bond. Officials at UL said he has been dismissed from the team