12-9-15 NEWS

12-9-15

Murder victims identified

Lincoln police have identified two murder victims in a Saturday night shooting at a mobile home park.  In a news release from Chief Darren Britton  Tuesday, the two victims were identified as Eustacio Alonso Castillo and Oscar Humberto Aguilar. Police said the two men were shot to death as they were returning home from work Saturday night to their trailer at the Blue Eye Mobile Home Park just off U.S. Highway 78.  Britton said the two were shot before they could even get out of their car. Police declined to release any further information about the case, including whether or not they think this was a random act or if they believe the two men knew their assailant or were otherwise targeted.  Lincoln Police want anyone who may have any information in the case to contact the investigative division at (205) 763-4063.

12-9-15

Etowah burglary arrests

A man and a woman are facing felony burglary and theft charges in Etowah County.  39 year old Jeremy Allen Murray,  of Rainbow City, and 27 year old  Brandy Michelle Duncan, of Attalla, were arrested and are each charged with one felony count of third-degree burglary and one felony count of first-degree theft of property.  Both were booked into the Etowah County Detention Center. Duncan remains detained on a $7,500 bond but Murray was released on a $7,500 bond.  The two are accused of breaking into a residence on Bachelor Chapel Road on Nov. 29.  Deputies say Hokes Bluff Lieutenant Richard Garmon noticed their blue vehicle parked beside the residence while he was patrolling the road.  Garmon turned around to check the residence as the vehicle left the driveway. He performed a traffic stop and called investigators to the scene.  Investigators found items in the back seat that had been taken from the residence.  Both suspects told investigators they did not know whose home they had just left and that they took the items from the yard.  Officials returned the stolen property to the owner and the home owner asked for extra patrol in the area due to several recent thefts.

12-9-15

Talladega election suit

While the winners in this years Talladega city elections have already been sworn and seated, it would appear that Talladega’s 2015 municipal elections are not quite over.

Retired Talladega fire Chief K.D. Dickerson ran for the City Council seat for Ward 2 against incumbent Jarvis Elston. Elston was re-elected.  Dickerson has filed a suit alleging misconduct and violations by Elston and people working for Elston’s campaign. Represented by attorney Rod Giddens, Elston filed a motion laying out why the case should be dismissed. Circuit Judge Julian King held a hearing Monday on the motion to dismiss but said he would reschedule it without ruling to allow Elston to file an affidavit saying he had not been served by Dickerson with the proper paperwork.  King also told Dickerson, who is representing himself, “election contests are terribly complicated in Alabama, and he has to make sure that everyone strictly adheres to the mandates set by the Legislature.

As in several other close elections in Ward 2, the primary issue comes down to complaints regarding absentee ballots, particularly in the Knoxville Homes and Curry Court public housing projects. Dickerson provides specific allegations from four people and lists the names and addresses of several others.

Elston not only denies any wrongdoing, but in the motion to dismiss, also points out that if all of the absentee ballots cast in the election were to be thrown out, Dickerson still would have lost. The motion to dismiss also says the laws governing election contests were not followed properly, which is what prompted King to reschedule the hearing.

12-9-15

Waitress injured

A waitress at Albertville’s El Sol King Pollo restaurant was airlifted to UAB after one vehicle hit another vehicle and knocked it into the front dining room Tuesday morning,.  According to police,  a vehicle was backing out of a parking space in front of the restaurant about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when another vehicle, traveling east on Main Street, hit it from behind and the impact sent the vehicle crashing into the dining room.  A waitress and both drivers sustained injuries, with the waitress receiving the worst of the crash.

12-9-15

Etowah burglary arrest

An Attalla man has been arrested and charged in connection to a recent burglary in Etowah County.

52 year old Barry Lane Conner,  of Attalla, was charged with one felony count of third-degree burglary and one felony count of second-degree theft of property.

Conner allegedly broke into a residence on Mountainview Road in Attalla, on two separate occasions. Conner admitted to stealing a 9mm, Ruger handgun during the first burglary. The weapon was recovered and returned to the owner.  His second attempt to burglarize the residence was unsuccessful when the homeowner called 911 and Conner fled on foot. He was taken into custody a short distance from the home by Sardis police officers.  Personal identification from Conner’s wallet was found at the scene of the burglary.  Conner was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center and later released on $5,000 bond.

12-9-15

Credit card fraud arrest

A Piedmont man has been arrested and charged in connection to fraudulent use of a credit card.  37 year old Christopher Lee Sims,  of Piedmont, is charged with one felony count of fraudulent use of a credit/debit card.  A video camera inside a convenience store recorded Sims using the card. The victim provided investigators with a copy of the credit card statement that showed the amount charged to the card, $456.98.  Sims was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center and later released on $2,500 bond.

12-9-15

Albertville stabbing

A 23-year-old Albertville man is in critical condition at Huntsville Hospital after being stabbed Monday afternoon.  Albertville police said an argument at a residence on Fleming Drive led to the young man being stabbed in the chest by a male acquaintance. The victim was airlifted to Huntsville for treatment of a punctured lung.  24 year old Ernest Desourcces, of Albertville, was taken into custody Tuesday morning and has been charged with attempted murder.

12-9-15

Anniston council approves incentives for Kmart developer

The Anniston city council has approved a $3 million tax incentive plan to help a developer bring new retail activity into a closed department store building in the city.

Under the plan, the city will rebate up to $3 million in sales taxes over a 10-year period to Mississippi-based Second Street Plaza, which plans to repurpose the former Kmart on McClellan Boulevard. The developer will use the rebate to cover part of the approximately $6 million cost of renovating the 42-year-old building.

During the first five years of the plan, the city will retain 25 percent of the sales taxes collected from the retailers in the building and the developer will keep the rest. The city will keep 50 percent of the tax money collected over the following five years.

City officials announced last month Second Street Plaza’s intentions to buy the Kmart building, and put in new tenants. The developer has had success repurposing other former department stores in recent years across the state, including in Pell City. Second Street is expected to close on the building’s purchase and have new retailers in place next year.