2012 Urban Archery Hunting Season

Urban Archery/Bow-and-Arrow deer hunting is allowed within the municipal limits of the City of Locust on private property, with property owner permission, a valid NC Hunting license, and any other licensing, permits, and registrations required by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (www.ncwildlife.org, 919-707-0010). The season is from January 14, 2012 through February 18, 2012.

We do not have a list of property owners who will allow hunting on their property. There are no City owned properties where hunting is allowed.

TRAFFIC STOPS RESULT IN DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED CHARGES, ADDING TO DECEMBER'S TOTAL

The Locust Police Department recently made traffic stops that discovered the drivers were impaired. This brings December's total to 5 DWI charges.

In the early morning hours of December 17th, a vehicle driven by Ms. Morgan Taylor Gravitte of Albemarle was stopped in the Hickory Ridge sub-division after observing the vehicle suspiciously driving into the neighborhood in the early morning hours and observing a minor traffic violation.

Upon stopping the vehicle, Locust Police smelled the odor of alcohol inside the vehicle. After further investigation, Ms. Gravitte was requested to give a breath sample into an Alco-Sensor portable breath device. Ms. Gravitte blew a positive level of alcohol concentration.

Although Ms. Gravitte was under the legal limit of alcohol impairment prescribed by the state of North Carolina, Ms. Gravitte was cited for Provisional Driving While Impaired based on the North Carolina statute that it is against the law for any individual under the age of 21 to operate a vehicle with alcohol remaining in their system. Ms. Gravitte was also cited for Driving Outside of a Restriction on her license and issued a written warning for having an Inoperable Registration Plate Light.

A passenger, Ms. Erin Michelle Burleyson of Mount Pleasant was cited for Aiding & Abetting Provisional Driving While Impaired as well as Allowing an Unlicensed Driver to Drive.

In the mid-day hours of December 18th, a vehicle operated by Mr. James Ryan Dennis was stopped after observing his vehicle travel left of the center line and driving 47 mph in a 35 mph zone.

After smelling the odor of alcohol in the vehicle and finding open containers of alcohol, Mr. Dennis was requested to perform roadside field sobriety tests. Mr. Dennis was placed under arrest for Driving While Impaired and transported to Stanly County Jail. There Mr. Dennis blew a .10 on Intoximeter, .02 higher than North Carolina's legal limit.

Mr. Corie Stanback, a passenger in Mr. Dennis' vehicle, was cited for Possessing an Open Container of Alcohol in a vehicle.

WAL-MART LARCENY FOILED BY LOCUST POLICE DEPARTMENT RESULTS IN FELONY CHARGES

In the evening hours of December 16th after being observed by Wal-Mart loss prevention removing DVD's from their packaging and concealing them, a vehicle driven by Mr. Ketric Dewan Allen of Norwood was stopped by the Locust Police Department as he attempted to leave the parking lot.

Further investigation revealed that Mr. Allen had removed $85 worth of DVDs from their packaging containing security strips and concealing them in his clothing, circumventing Wal-Mart's inventory control system. Mr. Allen was found in possession of the DVDs and arrested for Larceny by Removing Anti-Theft Inventory Control Device, constituting a felony in North Carolina

Mr. Allen was transported to Stanly County Jail where he was formally booked on multiple Felony Larceny charges as well as a related Misdemeanor Larceny charge. A secured bond of $1500 and a court date of January 24th, 2012 was issued for Mr. Allen.

MORE TRAFFIC STOPS RESULT IN ARREST/DRUG CHARGES

Adding to a recent trend, the Locust Police Department recently made more traffic stops that resulted in arrest and drug charges.

Shortly before midnight on December 12th, a vehicle operated by Mr. Ryan Andrew Brown of Charlotte was stopped in front of the Crutchfield campus for traveling 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. After smelling a strong odor of marijuana and observing partially smoked marijuana in the vehicle, it was discovered that Mr. Brown was in possession of 9.4 grams of marijuana. Also found in his possession was a marijuana pipe smoking device. A passenger in the vehicle, Ms. Cassandra Anna Redman of Locust was found in possession of 8.29 grams of marijuana, a marijuana pipe smoking device, and a marijuana "grinder" device. Mr. Brown was cited for Speeding 60 in a 45, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Ms. Redman was cited for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both individual's court date was set for January 24th.

In the early morning hours of December 13th, after receiving a call from a concerned citizen who observed a possibly intoxicated driver traveling toward Locust from Midland, a vehicle operated by Mr. Joseph Carlyle Trull of Stanfield was stopped near Church Street, after observing the vehicle traveling in excess of the posted 35 mph speed limit as well as suspiciously pulling into a closed business parking lot and turning the vehicle's lights off. After investigation it was determined that Mr. Trull was intoxicated and he was placed under arrest for Driving While Impaired. After arrest, it was discovered through a search of the vehicle several items of drug paraphernalia. Mr. Trull was charged with Driving While Impaired, Driving After Consuming Alcohol Under 21, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Exceeding a Posted Speed Limit. His court date was set for January 24th.

DWI HIT AND RUN SUSPECT APPREHENDED
In the early morning hours of October 23rd, a driver who had caused property damage with their vehicle in Stanfield was caught by the Locust Police Department on Vella Drive in Locust and discovered to be Driving While Impaired.

Ms. Keriston Janielle Hinson of Locust had apparently gone off the road in her vehicle on Love Mill Road destroying a mail box and fencing of a cow pasture.  Ms. Hinson was approached by a passer-by who stopped to check her well-being but then Ms. Hinson drove off from the scene of the damage at a high rate of speed.  The passer-by was able to stay close enough to Ms. Hinson's vehicle to allow Stanly County 911 to relay her location to law enforcement.  The Locust Police Department with great assistance and cooperation from the Stanfield Police Department was able to stop Ms. Hinson at the intersection of Vella Drive and East Main Street.  Ms. Hinson was arrested by the Locust Police Department on the charge of Driving While Impaired, and cited by the Stanfield Police Department for hit and run/leaving the scene of a traffic crash.  Ms. Hinson's alcohol level was determined to be .18, over twice the legal limit allowed in North Carolina.

SHOPLIFTER CAUGHT
On November 6th, the Locust Police Department responded to the report of a larceny in progress call at Wal-Mart.  With the aid of alert surveillance by Wal-Mart's loss prevention office, the Locust Police Department was able to confront Mr. Ronald Deese of Stanfield, who had removed a knife from its packaging and concealed it in his pocket with the intent of stealing it from the business.

The $40.00 knife was recovered and returned to Wal-Mart. Mr. Deese was cited for Shoplifting/Concealment Of Merchandise.

FELONY BREAKING AND ENTERING SUSPECTS CAUGHT
On August 26th, 2011, after a call from a helpful citizen and only a 1 minute response time by the Locust Police Department, two suspects were arrested after shattering a vehicle’s window in the parking lot area of the Locust Wal-Mart, and attempting to flee the scene with several valuable items from inside the vehicle.

Mr. Jonathan David Bridges of Ashley Road in Charlotte, NC, and Mr. William Warren Charles of Heathstead Place in Charlotte, were observed shattering the window of a Chevrolet pick-up truck in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. The two then snatched a GPS device, a RADAR detector device, and a bag containing a drill before attempting to flag a car down to flee the scene.

The quick response time from the Locust Police Department allowed both subjects to be apprehended while they attempted to hide the items at the outside area of McDonalds. Mr. Charles was charged with Felony Breaking And Entering of a Vehicle, Damage to Property, Misdemeanor Larceny, as well as Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Mr. Bridges was also charged with Felony Breaking And Entering of a Vehicle, Damage to Property, Misdemeanor Larceny and Resist, and Obstruct, And Delay of an Officer. Mr. Bridges was also found to have an outstanding arrest warrant out of Gaston County for Misdemeanor Larceny. Both subjects were confined under a $3000 secured bond. All items stolen were recovered by the Locust Police Department and returned to the victim.

IDENTITY THEFT SUSPECT CHARGED
On September 10th, 2011, after being notified of a theft of a purse from the Midland, NC area and an ensuing investigation, Ms. Megan Brooke Kenney of Rodney Street in Locust was identified as the prime suspect in a case of Financial Card Fraud and Identity Theft.

Originally reported in Cabarrus County, the stolen purse was found in the possession of Ms. Kennedy at her address. Additional investigation of security camera footage at the Locust Food Lion and the Locust Alco, as well as the helpful cooperation of the victim providing bank records, it was discovered that Ms. Kennedy had used the victim’s bank card at both locations.

Warrants were obtained for Ms. Kennedy for 3 counts of Identity Theft, 3 counts of Financial Card Fraud, and 1 count of Possession of Stolen Property. Ms. Kennedy was apprehended 3 days later and confined under a $10,000 secured bond.

MULTIPLE FELONIOUS LARCENY SUSPECT APPREHENDED
On September 14th, 2011, after being identified by Wal-Mart personnel and security camera footage, as well as a 3 minute response time by the Locust Police Department, Ms. Stacy Renee Shaw of Monta Drive in Concord, NC was arrested and charged with 3 counts of Felonious Larceny By Anti-Inventory Device.

Ms. Shaw on the current day, as well as on two previous occasions, had entered the Locust Wal-Mart and removed multiple items from packaging containing security strips. The strips cause an alarm to sound if not deactivated before leaving the business, and removing items from these packages to avoid setting off the alarm constitutes a felony in North Carolina.

Ms. Shaw had taken a total value of $704.57 in merchandise during the three thefts with $285.88 worth of merchandise being recovered by the Locust Police Department. Ms. Shaw was confined under a $5000 secured bond.

KING’S HEIGHTS/SHERWOOD PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ESTABLISHED
A neighborhood watch has been established for the King’s Heights/Sherwood Park area through the cooperative efforts of the Locust Police Department and the outstanding residents of the King’s Heights/Sherwood Park neighborhood.

An orientation meeting was held in August at the Locust Police Department with a tremendous turnout of nearly 30 neighborhood residents. Helpful information packets as well as neighborhood crime prevention tips were handed out and detailed, and the resident’s current concerns were addressed.

Officer J.B. Shew of the Locust Police Department said, “The King’s Heights/Sherwood Park area continues to be a safe neighborhood to live in, but we wanted to take the same pro-active preventative approach with crime prevention that the City of Locust takes with our Police Department. And that’s to prevent any major problems from starting to begin with. Cooperation and education is the key and we try to stress how helpful neighborhood residents can be in reporting and helping us prevent as well as solve crimes.”

Officer Shew and Officer T.E. Smith will be heading up the program for the King’s Heights/Sherwood Park area, with the help of Neighborhood Watch coordinator Sergeant S.R. Smith. Both officers plan to keep residents informed through e-mail as well as a monthly newsletter of current Locust Police Department events, monthly crime stats, and helpful information. New Neighborhood Watch signs have already been placed in the neighborhood.

Any Locust neighborhoods that are interested in establishing a Neighborhood Watch, please contact Sgt. Smith at (704)888-4744.

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