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Tuesday, 26 December 2006 14:55 |
Man given life behind bars
for rape of elderly woman
An Asheville man was sentenced to life in prison without parole last week for the rape of an elderly Shiloh woman on Jan. 22.
Leon Jackson, 45, was convicted earlier this month of breaking into the womanës home on West Chapel Road in the early morning hours and assaulting her.
In addition to first-degree rape, Jackson was convicted of attempted first-degree sex offense and first-degree burglary, according to Assistant District Attorney Paul Jackson.
Jackson also was sentenced to at least 353 months on the sex-offense charge and an additional 133 months for burglary.
Shiloh man shot four times
in drive-by assault on home
A man was shot at least four times outside his Shiloh home last Thursday in a drive-by attack, according to police.
The man was
taken to Mission Hospitals about 4:30 p.m., after he was reportedly
shot by two men wearing ski masks, who drove up to his house on West
Chapel Road.
The victim said that the men pulled up and began firing handguns at him, hitting him four times on the upper part of his legs.
Police are investigating the attack.
48 lbs. of marijuana found
in hidden panel under truck
Three men were
arrested last Wednesday after police discovered nearly 48 pounds of
marijuana in a hidden compartment in a truck they were driving.
Osualdo Lopez
Blanco, of Irving, Texas; and Joel Del Castillo Grande and Gilberto
Hernandez, both of Dallas, Texas; were each charged with trafficking
marijuana by transport and trafficking marijuana by possession.
The men were
stopped about 8 p.m. after Officer R.S. Muse reportedly observed their
1999 Ford F150 speeding and maneuvering erratically on I-40, near exit
50.
When Muse
interviewed the men, he found inconsistencies in their initial
statements, prompting him to search the vehicle with the assistance of
his K-9 Pepy, according to police.
During the
search, a toolbox was found in the bed of the truck and further
investigation revealed the tool box had a false bottom. After searching
under the false bottom, Muse discovered the marijuana tightly sealed in
plastic wrap.
The three suspects are being held in the Buncombe County Detention Center on a $150,000 secured bond.
Two state troopers collide
while chasing truck on 197
BARNARDSVILLE ǃÓ
Two state troopers collided Dec. 19 while chasing a speeding truck on
N.C. 197. The crash caused about $8,000 in damages to two patrol cars
and one officer was slightly injured. The driver they were pursuing
escaped.
Trooper Marty Arrowood was treated for minor pain following the accident, while Trooper Michael Gahagan was not injured.
The incident
started about 5:30 p.m., when Arrowood clocked a pickup truck driving
in the opposite direction at 58 mph in a 35 mph zone and made a U-turn
on N.C. 197 to pursue the truck, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the
speeding truck passed Gahagan, who was driving in the opposite
direction in a marked patrol car. Gahagan then made a U-turn and began
pursuing the vehicle, unaware that Arrowood was behind him.
Though both trooperës cars had their lights flashing, they collided near the intersection of N.C. 197 and Paint Branch Road.
The wreck is under investigation by a supervisor with the State Highway Patrol.
Increase in arrests reported
at annual Christmas Jam
Law enforcement
officers reported a marked increase in the number of arrests at this
yearës Warren Haynes Christmas Jam at the Asheville Civic Center on
Dec. 16, compared with previous years.
Alcohol Law
Enforcement officials arrested 23 people at the annual jam-band music
festival and Asheville police said that though they had not compiled
total arrest numbers as of Dec. 18, the figure already exceeded the six
that were reported at last yearës event.
Among the
charges that were filed against audience members were numerous counts
of marijuana posession and underage drinking, as well as felony drug
charges.
Several people
from out of town were arrested, including one man from Spartanburn,
S.C., who was caught with an Ecstasy pill hidden in his lip balm,
according to police.
ALE officers charged Adam Carlisle Bean, 24, with possessing Ecstasy and drug paraphernalia at 5:45 p.m.
Seven ALE
officers worked at the festival, focusing primarily on underage
drinking, which authorities said is more common at events, such as the
Christmas Jam, which draw tailgaters.
Among those arrested at the event were:
ï Daytona Joe Brown, 26, of Greenville S.C. on charges of selling alcohol to a minor and possession of eight Ecstasy tablets.
ï Sharon Lindsey Johnson, 36, of Sandersville, Ga., on charges of possession of psychoactive mushrooms.
ï Matthew Walter
Galeotti, 20, of Waynesville on chargess of possession of alcohol by a
person under 21 and possession of Ecstasy.
ï Michael Joseph Miller, 20, of Waynesville, on charges that he conspired with Galeotti to possess Ecstasy.
ï Charles Leonard Johnson, 32, on charges of sale, possession and intent to sell cocaine.
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