Public records
By Other
Published in News on February 28, 2005 1:51 PM
Bingo parlor,
house on fire
Goldsboro Bingo World at 1809 N. Berkeley Blvd. and a house at 627 Devereaux St. were damaged Sunday in predawn fires.
No one was in the bingo parlor, and the residents of the house got outside safely.
Goldsboro Fire Lt. Frank Sasser said police had investigated burglar alarms at 4:55 a.m. and about 5:23 a.m. at the bingo parlor. About a minute after the second alarm, a passer-by saw fire and called 911.
Trash that had been left in a cigarette butt can was ignited and spread quickly to a trash can, a table and a wall.
When firefighters arrived within four minutes of receiving the 5:25 a.m. call, "heavy smoke was showing and fire was showing through small holes in a metal roof," Sasser said.
Sixteen firefighters responded with four engines, a ladder and a command car. They needed two hours and a half to put out the fire, investigate the cause and finish salvage work.
The complex, owned by Ken Fallin of Walnut Creek, was valued at $700,000. Damage was set at $20,000 to the bingo parlor, operated by Cedric Britt, and $10,000 to the contents.
Light smoke damaged adjacent businesses, Sasser said.
But before the firefighters' work was completed at the bingo parlor, two engine companies and a ladder were sent to the Devereaux Street home.
The family "was cooking in the kitchen and heard a pop in the living room," Sasser said. "They went in there and saw the couch on fire."
A malfunctioning space heater was blamed for the 7:19 a.m. fire. Thirteen firefighters answered the call and needed about an hour to put out the fire, investigate the cause and finish salvage work.
Damage was estimated at $8,000 to the home, owned by Gene Lee of Mount Olive and occupied by Linda Ellis. Contents, valued at $2,000, were damaged. The home was valued at $45,000, and contents were valued at $5,000.
Pilot identified
The pilot of a small plane that crashed in southwestern Wayne County was identified as Robert Lee Ross of Crows Foot Road, Mount Olive, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report.
Ross, 66, was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was listed today in stable condition, a spokeswoman said.
Ross told sheriff's deputies that the cockpit of the single-engine plane filled with smoke at about 5:30 p.m. and he could not clear it. He said the smoke obstructed his view and the plane crashed in woods, about a mile from the 3600 block of N.C. 55 West.
The Jordans Chapel Volunteer Fire Department, the Highway Patrol and rescue personnel responded to the crash. They found one part of the plane lodged in a tree 15 to 20 feet off the ground, the motor was in the woods and other pieces were strewn about the woods.
Ross lived about a mile from the crash site, and investigators believe that he was trying to reach a runway on his land.
The Emergency Services Office contacted the Federal Aviation Administration for a further investigation. Ross was flying a home-made plane built in 2001, the report said.
Drug charges
Four people were arrested over the weekend by Goldsboro police and charged with felony drug offenses.
*Donovan Dewitt, 17, of North Pineview Avenue was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana and two misdemeanors, resisting arrest and second-degree trespass. He was placed in the Wayne County Jail in lieu of a $15,500 secured bond.
*Kevin Darnell Clark, 18, of Devereaux Street was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana. He was jailed in lieu of a $3,000 secured bond.
*Glenn Morrison Maturkanitch, 31, of Billy Francis Drive was charged with possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. His secured bond was set at $1,500.
*Donald H. Pittman, 61, of Seneca Court, LaGrange, was picked up on outstanding arrest orders on charges of possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and sale and delivery of heroin. He also was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. He was jailed in lieu of a $6,400 secured bond.
Trucker hurt
A truck driver was injured and three trucks were damaged heavily in a collision Tuesday on U.S. 117 North near Belfast Road, according to a Highway Patrol report.
Harold Person Sr., 52, of Big Daddy's Road, Pikeville, was rushed by ambulance to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was listed today in stable condition, a spokeswoman said.
Another trucker, Banacheck B. Lewis, 31, of Spring Hill, Fla., was charged with failure to reduce speed.
Because of the wreckage and spilled diesel fuel, the busy two-lane highway was closed for about four hours after the 3:08 p.m. crash.
The report said the wreck happened like this:
The third trucker, Terry Wayne Nye, 47, of Fuquay Varina, was going north and had stopped to make a left turn into a driveway. Lewis was following Nye's truck, could not stop in time and steered the big rig to the left. The tractor-trailer that Lewis was driving collided with the left rear of the tractor-trailer that Nye was operating, then crossed the center line and collided with the oncoming, southbound truck that Person was driving.
Damages were estimated at $40,000 to the tractor-trailer that Lewis was driving for Heartland Express of Coralville, Iowa; $30,000 to Person's propane truck, and $3,000 to the tractor-trailer that Nye was operating for D.L. Peterson Trust Co. of Lima, Ohio.
Seven hurt in wrecks
Seven people were injured and damages were estimated at $43,500 in six recent traffic collisions in Wayne County, officers reported.
*A driver was injured in a two-vehicle collision at 2:25 p.m. Saturday on North William Street at the Employment Security Commission parking lot, Goldsboro police said. Valerie Denise Atkinson, 35, of South Best Street was treated and released from Wayne Memorial Hospital, a spokeswoman said. The other driver, April Renee Crisp, 20, of Timothy Street, Dudley, was charged with a safe-movement violation. Police said Ms. Crisp had left the parking lot and her car collided with Ms. Atkinson's southbound van. Damages were set at $2,000.
*Two people were injured and damages were estimated at $7,000 in a two-vehicle crash at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Indian Springs and Eagles Nest roads, the Highway Patrol said. One driver, Brenda Lee Simpson, 47, and her passenger, Montrell Plummer, 8, both of Morning Drive, Mount Olive, were released after emergency-room treatment. The other driver, Antonio Ponce Juarez, 39, of Hamlet Circle, Seven Springs, was charged with a safe-movement violation. Troopers said Juarez was starting a left turn onto Eagles Nest Road and his van collided with the oncoming, eastbound car that Ms. Simpson was driving.
*A driver was injured and damages were estimated at $7,000 in a two-car collision at 1:40 p.m. Thursday on Durham Lake Road near Sandhill Drive, the Highway Patrol said. Teresa W. Watkins, 37, of Connie's Walk, Dudley, was released after emergency-room treatment. The other driver, Sharon D. Edmundson, 54, of Durham Lake Road, Dudley, was charged with a yield violation. Troopers said Ms. Edmundson was turning into a driveway and her car collided with Ms. Watkins' oncoming, northbound car.
*A driver was injured and his truck was demolished in a wreck at 5:31 a.m. Thursday on N.C. 55 near Shady Grove Road, the Highway Patrol said. James Worley Martin, 25, of Pink Hill was released after emergency-room treatment. He was charged with exceeding a safe speed after his truck ran off the left side, struck a ditch and a fence and overturned. The truck was valued at $8,000. Damage to the fence was set at $2,000.
*A driver was injured and damages were put at $12,500 in a two-vehicle collision at 10 a.m. Tuesday at N.C. 581 and Buck Swamp Road, the Highway Patrol said. Robert Kenneth Spivey, 53, of N.C. 581 North, Pikeville, treated, admitted and released from the hospital. The other motorist, Renee Mary Eltz, 34, of Tracy Place, was charged with a yield violation. The report said Ms. Eltz had turned left onto N.C. 581 and the sport utility vehicle that she was driving collided with Spivey's northbound auto.
*A Goldsboro driver was injured and damage was estimated at $5,000 in a one-car crash at 10:50 a.m. Feb. 19 on Pecan Road near Arrington Bridge Road, the Highway Patrol said. Reginald Paige Martin, 21, of Hollowell Drive was released after emergency-room treatment. He was charged with suspicion of driving while impaired after the car that he was driving ran off the right side, struck a ditch and overturned.
Investigations
Goldsboro police are investigating these reports:
*A video-game system and video games were stolen between Saturday night and Sunday after a door had been forced open at an apartment in the 300 block of North James Street, police said. The resident, Tavarus Dion Sutton, estimated the value of the stolen property at $350 and damage at $100.
*A purse with two cell phones, $10 and personal papers was stolen Sunday after a vehicle window was smashed in the 1000 block of Sunburst Drive, police said. The property was valued at $300. The owner, Frank Walston of LaGrange, set damage at $30.
*A compact disc player and a duffel bag with clothes and toiletries were stolen between Wednesday and Friday after a car window was broken in the 2100 block of East Ash Street, police said. The owner, Andrew Schroeder of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, put a $300 value on his property and estimated damage at $50.
*A compact disc player was stolen between Friday and Saturday after a car window was shattered in the 1700 block of East Maple Street, police said. The owner, Dana L. Williams of Kenly, said the CD player was valued at $750 and set damage at $150.
*A four-door, gray 1991 Oldsmobile Royale 88 was stolen between Saturday and Sunday from the 900 block of Fairview Circle, police said. The owner and resident, Nicole Louise Reid, said the car was worth $2,000.