ANDREWS
Police crack down on DUI
Killer clowns, ghouls and witches might be creepy, but there’s nothing scarier than an impaired driver behind the wheel. That’s why Andrews Police Department will increase patrols to keep impaired drivers off the roads during the statewide Halloween Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign from Oct. 24-31.
“Halloween should be a time of fun and celebration, but it can quickly turn tragic if you drive impaired,” Andrews Police Chief Rocky Burrell said in a release. “Make sure you receive a sober ride home this Halloween, and remember that officers will be out in full force to make sure people aren’t driving drunk.”
There were more than a dozen reported crashes on Cherokee County roads during last year’s Halloween Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign, and three people were seriously injured.
Additionally, last year marked the most traffic fatalities across the state since 1973. There were more than 250 alcohol-related crashes on North Carolina roads during last year’s Halloween enforcement campaign, and 28 people were killed or seriously injured.
Increased enforcement during specific periods year-round is a key part of making North Carolina roads safer. For details about the Halloween Booze It & Lose It enforcement effort in Andrews, call the police department at 828-321-9814.
Other campaigns will also be held across the state.
SYLVA
Girls’ rape gets life in jail
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A 40-year-old Jackson County man will spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the repeated sexual assault of two young girls, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said Friday.
Following a jury verdict and prior to sentencing, Kenneth David Groat admitted to committing the crimes he had been charged with. They were:
- Three counts statutory rape;
- Three counts indecent liberties;
- One count statutory sexual offense;
- One count attempted first-degree kidnapping.
In May 2020 while out on bond, Groat began texting one of the victims. When law enforcement officers arrested him, they found in his car items such as duct tape, pepper spray, a knife, a pistol and ammunition, two ponchos and two containers filled with a total of 10 gallons of gasoline. Groat had threatened to kidnap the victim if she told authorities about the abuse.
Many of the jurors remained in the courtroom after rendering their guilty verdicts. Several went to
and embraced one of the victims following sentencing; the other victim wasn’t in the courtroom at the
time.
Assistant district attorney Chris Matheson and assistant district attorney Jenica Hughes, who co-prosecuted the case, said they’d never seen such an emotional reaction from jurors. Superior Court Judge Bill Coward sentenced Groat to serve a minimum of 89 years in prison and up to 134 years in prison.
From staff reports.