Oxford police arrest suspect sought in Friday burglary

A Delta man is now in custody charged with first-degree assault after he attempted to run down an Oxford police officer Friday.

According to Chief Bill Partridge  the officer responded to a burglary-in-progress call at a storage facility in Oxford late Friday night. According to the chief, the officer confronted a man who was putting items into his vehicle. The chief said the suspect jumped into the vehicle and attempted to run the officer down while fleeing the scene.

Partridge said the suspect struck the police cruiser, and the officer fired into the suspect’s vehicle.

Early Saturday morning, Oxford police announced on social media that they were looking for 30-year-old William Scott Sprayberry.

Partridge said Oxford police found Sprayberry in the Wellborn community. The chief declined to say exactly how investigators found Sprayberry, other than to say, “It was good old-fashioned police work.”

Partridge said Oxford police also expect to file multiple burglary charges against Sprayberry.

Jacksonville Council to consider revision of cities liquor sales ordinances

The Jacksonville City Council is considering whether the city should loosen restrictions that keep some restaurants from selling liquor.

In their Monday  work session, Councilman Jonathan Tompkins said the city should consider allowing restaurants to sell liquor regardless of how close they are to one another, a school or a church.

Tompkins said It would hopefully increase the revenue for restaurants, and hopefully that will help the city.

Jacksonville businesses can not sell liquor if they are within 500 feet of a school, including Jacksonville State University, a church or another business that sells liquor.

During the work session, council members discussed revising two ordinances, one that put into place the distance restrictions for businesses that sell liquor and another that keeps the council from voting on liquor licenses for businesses that can't comply with those distance restrictions.

Council President Mark Jones said the council will likely vote on amending the ordinances at its Dec. 22 meeting.

Police locate abused dog

Anniston police say a dog allegedly abused by an Anniston restaurant owner last week has been found alive, and had been placed with new owners. 

49 year old David Mogil,  owner of Damn Yankees restaurant on Noble Street, remains in the Calhoun County Jail without bond, charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal. The warrant for Mogil’s Friday arrest states he was to be held, without bond, for allegedly subjecting an animal to “cruel mistreatment which involved the infliction of torture.”

Police found Coco, a cocker spaniel, Tuesday after being released from an out-of-town veterinary clinic.

Police say that Coco has since been relocated to a very loving and caring home.  Coco is still moving slowly at times but is eating regularly and does not show signs of a life-threatening injury.

30 year old Mary Allison Barrett,  of Anniston  the dog’s alleged owner,  is charged with second-degree hindering prosecution, a misdemeanor, in connection with the abuse. Both Mogil and Barrett were arrested Friday. Barrett was later released on a $6,000 bond.

Mogil is set to appear at a preliminary hearing on Dec. 11.

Anniston man sentenced on kidnapping conviction

Patrick Jason Norris

A Calhoun County judge  sentenced 38 year old Patrick Jason Norris of Anniston to life in prison without parole Tuesday for kidnapping two women and robbing one of them in 2012.

Norris  was found guilty in October. He also faces charges of attempted murder and rape of one of the two women in Clay County. Norris is set to appear in a Clay County courtroom on April 22 on those charges.

Norris made no statement before Calhoun County Circuit Judge Bud Turner read the sentences, giving him life without parole for each of the two counts of first-degree kidnapping and for one count of first-degree robbery.

During the October trial jurors heard testimony that Norris kidnapped his ex-girlfriend and her friend at gunpoint, robbed his ex-girlfriend of her car, and later forced her to have sex before shooting her in the back of the head.

Turner also ordered Norris to pay $30,000 in fines and $10,841 in restitution.

Norris is serving a 20-year prison sentence at the Kilby Correctional Facility, after his probation on a previous rape conviction was revoked because of his latest charges.

Riverfest group makes pitch to Gadsden Council

The nonprofit RiverFest Community and Economic Development Corp. made their pitch Tuesday to the Gadsden city council during the councils work session.  The group wants to use the RiverFest name to host the festival in 2015. The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County, which had hosted the event, ended its association following the 2014 edition, saying it had lost money the last two years and the festival no longer fit into the organization’s mission.

The council in October voted to accept the rights to the RiverFest name. The nonprofit group approached the council a month earlier, asking to be allowed to use the name for one year, and for the city to continue to offer security through the police department and other assistance through the public works and parks and recreation departments.

According to a study, done by Phillip Mixon, associate chairman of Troy University’s economics department, the festival’s impact on Gadsden was the equivalent of 50 full-time jobs.

Council members received copies of the study, which said based on 28,000 people attending the festival, non-ticket expenditures totaled $2.7 million and the local government revenue was $206,366. It said the average amount spent per person was about $87, not including tickets.

The nonprofit group told the council it needs a decision soon so it can begin making plans for a festival in 2015

Talladega County Corrections officers arrested

Travis Curry

Two corrections officers at the Talladega County Jail have been arrested for allegedly providing drugs to inmates.

Talladega County Sheriff Jimmy Kilgore said the arrests were the culmination of an internal investigation that he ordered some time back. Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force Commander Jason Murray headed up the investigation.

Murray said the first arrest had been Brian Mitchell, who was first arrested Nov. 13 on charges of promoting prison contraband in the second degree, possession of marijuana in the first degree and possession of a controlled substance. Murray said Mitchell was able to post bond either the day he was arrested or shortly afterward. The charges involved marijuana and methamphetamines.

36 year old Travis Curry,  another corrections officer, was arrested Monday afternoon on two counts of promoting prison contraband in the second degree. Murray said both counts were for marijuana.

Curry’s total bond was set at $10,000.