Public records
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on February 16, 2004 2:01 PM
Crime of the Week
A car theft has been chosen by Goldsboro-Wayne County Crime Stoppers as its latest "Crime of the Week."
A blue, two-door 1989 Ford Probe was stolen Friday from a driveway in the 1900 block of Rose Street in Goldsboro. The owner and resident had started the car to warm up the engine at about 4:10 a.m., went back inside and five minutes later heard someone drive it away. The car has North Carolina license RWT-2364.
Anyone with information on this auto larceny or any other crime in Wayne County was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 735-2255. Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000, if their information leads to arrests in felony cases.
Four hurt in wrecks
Four people were injured and damages were estimated at $61,250 in seven recent traffic collisions in Wayne County, officers reported.
*A driver from Goldsboro was injured in a two-car, hit-and-run collision at 6:44 p.m. Sunday at North Berkeley Boulevard and an exit ramp from Dr. M.L. King Jr. Expressway, the U.S. 70 bypass, Goldsboro police said. Bobby Jinks Preston, 60, of Phyllis Drive, was treated and released from Wayne Memorial Hospital. Damage to his car was put at $3,000. The other car ran a stoplight, collided with Preston's northbound auto and fled, police said.
*A driver was charged with exceeding a safe speed after the car she was driving ran off the right side of Hood Swamp Road and overturned, the Highway Patrol said. Teresa Parrish Smith, 48, of Raintree Lane was not injured. Damage was set at $8,000.
*Damage was estimated at $5,000 in a one-car wreck at 2:30 a.m. Sunday on N.C. 111 near James Price Road, the Highway Patrol said. Christopher Michael Byrd, 23, of Beulaville was charged with reckless driving after the car ran off the left side in a curve and struck a ditch and a power pole.
*A driver was injured and a sport utility vehicle was demolished in a wreck at 9 a.m. Saturday on O'Berry Road near Herring Road, the Highway Patrol said. Shaunda Latresha Pride, 24, of Preacher Henry Road, Faison, was released after emergency-room treatment. She was charged with exceeding a safe speed after the SUV ran off the right side, struck a fence and overturned. The SUV was valued at $20,000. Damage to the fence was set at $1,000.
*A driver was injured and his pickup was demolished in a wreck at 1:45 a.m. Friday on N.C. 55 near Shady Grove Road, the Highway Patrol said. Jeffrey Scott Stephenson, 33, of Shady Grove Road, Mount Olive, was released after emergency-room treatment. He was charged with suspicion of driving while impaired and driving while his license was revoked after the pickup ran off the right side and overturned several times. The truck was valued at $10,000.
*Damages were estimated at $6,250 in a two-vehicle crash at 6:40 a.m. Friday on an icy bridge on U.S. 117 near Charles B. Aycock High School, the Highway Patrol said. One driver, Margaret Nakeshia McDuffie, 26, of West Chestnut Street, was charged with driving left of center. Troopers said the rental car she was driving sideswiped an oncoming, northbound pickup driven by Willie Junior McKeel, 60, of Overman Road and then both vehicles struck the guard rail.
*A driver had to be cut from his car Thursday night after he swerved to miss an animal on Cuyler Best Road and it ran off the right side into the ditch, officials said. Timothy Roger Smith, 24, of Hare Road was treated and released from Wayne Memorial Hospital. Smith's car sustained about $8,000 in damages. No charges were filed by the Highway Patrol.
Investigations
Wayne County law-enforcement officers are investigating these reports:
*A keyboard, a combination television and video cassette recorder and a lapel microphone were stolen between Saturday night and Sunday from Mount Wilson Baptist Church at 206 W. Main St. in Eureka, sheriff's deputies said. The property was valued at $2,220. The thief had pried open a window to get inside, the report said.
*A compact disc player was stolen between Saturday night and Sunday after a car door was damaged in the 100 block of Caves Cove Place near Dudley, deputies said. The resident and owner, Lucas Lopez Gomez, put a $250 value on the player and set damage at $300.
*A blue, four-door 2004 Dodge Stratus was stolen Sunday from the Winn-Dixie parking lot at 1805 Wayne Memorial Drive, Goldsboro police said. The owner, Jose Celestino Santos-Pulido of Goldsboro, said the car was worth $18,000.