ANDREWS
Clayton has hearing set
Dr. Thomas Vann Clayton, a longtime family medicine physician, has a hearing scheduled in Cherokee County Superior Court at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11, before Judge William Coward.
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Clayton, 66, has been charged with three counts of human trafficking, four counts of first-degree forcible sexual offense and nine counts of sexual contact or penetration under pretext of medical treatment, according to court documents. He is the former chief of staff at Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Peachtree.
The District Attorney’s Office called a special grand jury on March 20, when it issued indictments charging Clayton, who has been practicing in rural North Carolina for more than 30 years, with 16 felonies. Bail had been set at $1 million.
Rich Cassady, Clayton’s lawyer, has promised a vigorous defense. Cassady said he filed motions to have the doctor arraigned and tried on the week of July 10, which was pushed back.
HAYESVILLE
Murphy man faces charges
A Nov. 6 wreck on Cherry Road has led to multiple charges for Daniel Scott Turner, 27, of Murphy, who crashed his 2019 Ford F150 “beyond repair,” and admitted to law enforcement that he had consumed fentanyl, according to Clay County Sheriff Mark Buchanan.
Turner was charged with driving while impaired. The sheriff said a search of the truck yielded a small quantity of suspected fentanyl, a hypodermic syringe and a bottle containing 182 tablets of Xanax, among other drug paraphernalia.
In addition to DWI, Turner was charged with felony possession of Xanax, felony possession of fentanyl and felony maintaining a vehicle for drugs. Turner was placed under a $15,000 bond.
RANGER
Get Coffee With a Cop
Members of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office will be at Parker’s Burgers & Sweets, 5465 U.S. 64 W., from 8-10 a.m. Friday for Coffee With a Cop.
Join your neighbors and local law enforcement officers for coffee and conversation. No agendas nor speeches, just a chance to ask questions and get two know each other.
Details: Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs at 828-837-2589, Ext. 1416.
WAYNESVILLE
Local victims remembered
Hiwassee Dam residents Austin and Avery Hawkins, along with Brady Singleton, all lost their lives in automobile accidents caused by someone who was driving under the influence.
They and other victims will be remembered at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, when the WNC Regional DWI Task Force gathers at the Haywood County Courthouse to announce a unique pre-holiday traffic safety operation. In October, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a $25,000 special overtime grant project by the N.C. Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Program with the goal to help improve highway traffic safety by focusing on speeding, those failing to use occupant protection devices and impaired drivers.
On Thanksgiving Eve – also known as “Drinksgiving” or “Blackout Wednesday” – there is an increase in the overconsumption of alcohol, so the groups are urging drivers to make the right choice to refuse to drink and drive by spreading the message that, “Buzzed driving is drunk driving.”
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Price gouging law in effect
Attorney General Josh Stein has announced that North Carolina’s price gouging law is being extended to western North Carolina after Gov. Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency.
The price gouging ban includes Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties, as well as Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribal lands.
Cherokee County declared a State of Emergency on Friday. If you see potential price gouging, call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or file a complaint at ncdoj.gov/pricegouging.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.