Law Enforcement
Arrest made in connection with SMHS fire
Local law enforcement officers have arrested Smoky Mountain High School student Cody Perry, 16, in connection with yesterday’s fire at Smoky Mountain High School. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the suspicious fire that broke out in the upstairs boys’ bathroom in C Building around 1 p.m. After review of school surveillance video and… »
Law enforcement responds to incident at Wells Fargo
Sylva Police officers confer Tuesday (Jan. 31) after an incident at Wells Fargo bank around noon. According to Detective Aimee Watson, Sylva Police got a call about a possible kidnapping/hostage situation that had originated in Swain County after a vehicle and two people came to Sylva. “We located both women at Wells Fargo, and it… »
Report lists alcohol as factor in October fatality
An updated report from the N.C. Highway Patrol lists alcohol as a factor in the October single-vehicle accident that claimed the life of a Western Carolina University employee and Cullowhee firefighter. Baxter Leroy Nicholson, 51, of Little Savannah Road was driving a state vehicle north (toward Sylva) on N.C. 107 and was travelling an estimated… »
Bank robber pleads guilty to common law robbery, receives sentence of 10-21 months
Brian Anthony Edwards, age 21, who confessed to the Dec. 14 robbery of the State Employees Credit Union branch in Cullowhee, was convicted and sentenced today (Jan. 3) in Jackson County Superior Court to a total active prison sentence of a minimum of 10 months and a maximum of 21 months to be served in… »
WCU students arrested in connection with sex-related crimes
According to law enforcement reports and documents on file with the Jackson County Clerk of Court’s Office, two Western Carolina University students have been charged with sex-related crimes. Derrickson The first incident occurred Nov. 3 at Scott Hall where James William Derrickson, 18, of Raleigh allegedly forced a 19-year-old female WCU student to perform oral… »
WCU football player charged with financial card theft
Boone A Western Carolina University student and football player has been charged with obtaining property by false pretense and financial card theft related to an alleged Amazon.com shopping spree. Alfred Alonzo “Petey” Boone, 18, of Ahoskie is a running back on WCU’s football team and saw action during the recently completed season. According to WCU… »
Propane explosion injures one
One person was injured Friday afternoon when this Nissan SUV was damaged by a propane explosion. Kevin Murphy, owner of TKO subs was injured in the blast. No condition report was available Friday night. He suffered burns to the face, and a medical helicopter was called to take him to Mission Hospitals in Asheville. The… »
Police find suspected synthetic marijuana at local business
Sylva Police officers executed a search warrant Friday (Nov. 4) at a downtown business and collected evidence believed to include K2, a synthetic compound meant to mimic the effects of marijuana. The items were labeled “K2” on the packaging, Detective Jennie Rumsey said. Officer Daniel Peoples executed the warrant at 7:37 p.m. at In Your… »
Sylva man charged with statutory rape
Broom Deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office last Friday (Oct. 28) arrested Christopher Daniel Broom, 35, of Jimmy Morris Road, Sylva, on charges of statutory rape, according to Major Shannon Queen. The alleged offenses were recently reported to the Sheriff’s Office, and the investigation is continuing, Queen said. According to Queen, Broom is charged… »
Sheriff’s Office makes meth lab bust, arrests nine
On Wednesday, Oct. 19, deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a search warrant for the Danny William Ratliff residence at 333 Lazy Lane in the Barkers Creek area. The search warrant was executed with assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation around 10:15 p.m. There they discovered an active meth lab, according to… »
