PEACHTREE
1st National Night Out
The first National Night Out event is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Tri-County Community College, 21 Campus Circle.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is planning for representation from all local law enforcement agencies to be present along with state and federal wildlife officers, N.C. Highway Patrol, State Bureau of Investigation, Emergency Medical Services, local fire departments and more.
Some of the events to look forward to include K9 demonstrations, drone demonstrations and rescue demonstrations. Tri-County has donated the use of their facilities and will also be advertising for Basic Law Enforcement Training.
There will be hot dogs and water, along with a hot dog eating contest between Murphy Mayor Tim Radford and Andrews Mayor James Reid that should be highly entertaining.
A dunking booth is also in the works. Don’t want to miss a chance to dunk Sheriff Dustin Smith, Murphy Police Chief Tim Lominac and Andrews Police Chief Caleb Stiles.
Details: Call 828-837-2589.
MURPHY
Chase ends in an arrest
A local woman has been arrested on charges of false imprisonment, drug possession and nearly running over the officers at her home.
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The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reports that Sheri Rae Barber, 32, ran from a probation violation warrant on June 10, leading officers on a more than 100 mph chase while crossing the centerline. At the same time, a passenger in the car was allegedly being held against her will.
Barber’s night ended when she crashed into another vehicle on Mulkey Drive. She’s being held in the Cherokee County Detention Center on bonds totaling $70,000.
WAYNESVILLE
Man guilty of stalking
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced last week that a Haywood County jury found a defendant guilty of stalking a couple and, during one of the incidents, pointing a pistol at a deputy.
On Feb. 11, 2023, Earl Mitchell Phillips, 72, of Waynesville, parked his truck, lights off, near the couple’s home and in view of their house. One of the victims and a neighbor heard a gun being fired.
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A judge had previously forbade Phillips to contact the victims as a condition of conviction for stalking after he assaulted the wife. He was told to have no contact and stay at least 100 yards from the couple’s residence. When Phillips defied the order and showed up on Feb. 11, 2022, the wife called 911.
Haywood County sheriff’s Deputies Zach Wood and Michael Elkins arrived at the scene. They discovered Phillips sitting in his truck on a nearby logging road. When the deputies approached the truck, Phillips pointed a revolver at Wood’s head.
Phillips told the deputies, “It’s my gun, I’ll point it where I want.” He complied with an order to drop the revolver, but resisted being handcuffed.
A few days prior, on Feb. 8, 2023, the couple reported Phillips had parked his truck in the middle of the road near their home, a violation of the judge’s order. There also was a stalking incident on Feb. 7, 2023.
The jury found Phillips guilty of felony assault of a law enforcement officer; felony stalking and misdemeanor resisting public officer.
Superior Court Judge William Stetzer sentenced Phillips to an active prison term of 60-84 months for the assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, consolidating the misdemeanor resist charge for the purpose of sentencing; plus, handed down 6-17 months suspended for stalking and 36 months of supervised probation.
RALEIGH
Operation Dry Water
The 2024 Operation Dry Water campaign. Operation Dry Water ran from July 4-6, as set by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.
A total of 153 officers took part in the campaign, contacting 1,332 vessels and 4,967 boaters. A total of 436 boating citations were handed out, 36 boating under the influence of alcohol charges (the highest blood alcohol level recorded was .18), 1 boating under the influence of drugs charge and issued 704 boating warnings, 82 non-boating violations and handled six boating incidents.
Vessels contacted is either on the water or at a Pre-Launch Boating Safety Check at a boat ramp.
Boaters contacted is the actual number of people contacted; for example, one boat may have 4-5 people on board.
Details: Visit ncwildlife.org.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.