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Wounded Pierce County deputy dies from injuries www.privateofficer.com
Deputy Walter “Kent” Mundell Jr. died surrounded by his family, as fellow officers gathered at the hospital to honor their colleague, said Pierce County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Ed Troyer.
Mundell, 44, is the sixth police officer in the Seattle area to die in the line of duty over the past three months.
“We are all worn out,” Troyer said.
Mundell and his partner, Sgt. Nick Hausner, responded to a domestic dispute between two brothers on December 21, authorities said. As the deputies entered the residence, police said, one of the brothers, David. E. Crable, opened fire, wounding both officers, authorities said.
According to court documents, Crable had a long history of “terrorizing” family members and violent behavior.
Critically wounded, Mundell returned fire, killing Crable, police said. Both deputies were rushed to area hospitals. Hausner was hospitalized but has been released; Mundell’s wounds were severe. He was placed on life support with little hope of recovery, police said.
“The odds were always against him,” Troyer said.
Mundell, a nine-year veteran, leaves a wife and two children, a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old, according to a sheriff’s department release.
Since October 31, eight police officers or deputies have been shot in the area with six dying in or after the attacks.
On Halloween night, Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton was fatally shot while sitting in his patrol car. Brenton, 39, was reviewing paperwork from a traffic stop when someone fired into his patrol car. An officer Brenton was training was also wounded in the shooting.
A suspect in that case, Christopher Monfort, was arrested and charged with Brenton’s shooting and an earlier arson attack that destroyed four police vehicles. He has pleaded not guilty
On November 29, four officers from Lakewood, Washington, were killed in an ambush-style shooting at a coffee shop.
The suspect in that attack, Maurice Clemmons, was shot and killed by police after a two-day manhunt. Police said he intentionally targeted the officers after a series of run-ins with authorities.
Troyer said Mundell will be honored next month in a ceremony at the Tacoma Dome, the same location where several thousand people this month attended a funeral for the the slain Lakewood officers.
“Though his life was cut far too short by this act of violence, his memory will live on in the many people he protected and served,” Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire said in a statement. “I stand with law enforcement from across the state as we honor this fallen hero.”
Nightclub security officer injured by underage drinker www.privateofficer.com
VICTORVILLE, Calif. Dec 29 2009
Police said when the security officer asked for the man’s identification he became irate and that’s when police say the teen hit the guard with a beer bottle approximately three times in the head.
The security officer was able to take Dervin Foster Junior, 19, into custody despite his injuries he was able to detain him until deputies arrived.
Foster was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and booked at the Victor Valley Jail.
Police said that the security officer received treatment at the scene.
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Wayne County MS. teacher arrested www.privateofficer.com
Monday, Richard Craig Bush, 27, of Laurel appeared before Circuit Judge Lester F. Williamson Jr., at the Lauderdale County Court House for a probable cause hearing. The hearing was held there due to holiday scheduling conflicts.
Officials allege Bush had sexual relations with a 16-year-old female several times between October and November.
Justice Court Judge Jane Hutto was bond at $60,000 – $10,000 per count of felony sexual battery.
He faces a possible sentence of 30 years for each count.
Bush turned himself in to Wayne County authorities Monday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He resigned a week prior.
It is not known how many students may have been involved. Authorities began their investigation into Bush two weeks ago after Superintendent Robert Dean informed deputies of the allegations.
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Police find burning body, charge 2 with murder www.privateofficer.com
The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the grisly slaying, which occurred early Sunday morning.
The victim has been identified after an autopsy as Steven Dorough, 18, of Marbury, said Chief Deputy Shane Mayfield. Dorough was shot in the back of the head with a shotgun and then his body was set on fire, according to authorities. Dorough had completed basic training in July and was a member of the Army Reserve, Mayfield said.
Christopher Kroeger, 21, of the 800 block of Chilton County 59 in Verbena and Joshua Ready, 18, of Chilton County have been charged with murder in the case. Both men were in the Chilton County Jail on Monday night under bonds of $500,000 each, jail records show. Courthouse records do not show if they have attorneys.
Kroeger allegedly killed Dorough, and Ready allegedly took part in the effort to conceal the evidence, Mayfield said.
Mayfield said the killing occurred about dawn Sunday at Kroeger’s home, where several teenagers and young adults attended a party Saturday night.
A juvenile reported to the Prattville Police Department on Sunday that he had witnessed a homicide. When Prattville authorities learned the location of the slaying, they contacted the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office, Mayfield said.
“Our deputies arrived at Kroeger’s home, and they noticed something burning in the field near the mobile home,” Mayfield said. “Two young men, reeking of gasoline, answered the door. That’s when our officers went to the fire and found human remains.”
The investigation revealed that after Dorough was shot, an accelerant was poured over his body and debris was stacked on top before the fire was set, Mayfield said. The body had been burning for two to three hours and was almost consumed when deputies arrived, he said.
Kroeger and Dorough apparently had been involved in a long-running dispute about items that had disappeared from Kroeger’s home, Mayfield said. Kroeger felt Dorough was involved in the theft or knew who was, Mayfield said.
Mayfield said the investigation revealed that Kroeger and Dorough had argued and fought at the party just before the shooting. The investigation into the case is ongoing, he said.
“This is not something you would expect to take place the Sunday after Christmas in Verbena, Alabama,” Mayfield said.
District Attorney Randall Houston, a veteran prosecutor with more than 20 years in the courtroom, was equally shocked.
“I was going to church Sunday morning when they got me on the radio and told me what had happened,” he said. “Something like this is always shocking, and infuriating. But having it take place two days after Christmas makes it even more disturbing.”
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