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Archive for March 21, 2012

Jacksonville Arkansas firefighter killed while working accident scene www.privateofficer.com

 

 
 

Jacksonville Ark March 21 2012 A Jacksonville firefighter was killed and another firefighter and a police officer were critically injured after they were struck by a motorist while working the scene of a wreck late Monday night.

Capt. Donald Jones was pronounced dead at the scene while Firefighter/Engineer Jason Bowmaster and an unidentified Jacksonville police officer were transported to local hospitals in critical condition, according to KARK-TV.

The driver of the van that struck them was identified as Bryce Allen, 47. He was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of criminal intent to commit second-degree murder.

Allen allegedly did not attempt to stop his vehicle, though witnesses say he told authorities his accelerator pedal became stuck.

Officials told the news station that Allen is the son of Thelma Allen — the driver whose car crashed and caused the gas main break that responders were handling.

Bryce Allen and Thelma Allen were both uninjured.

Crews responded to the scene of the original crash in the 8400 block of Highway 161 South around 11 p.m.

While they were clearing the wreck, Bryce Allen’s van veered off the road and hit the three responders.

“A Fire Chief’s worst nightmare is the loss of a fellow firefighter that has been killed in the Line of Duty,” Fire Chief John Vanderhoof said in a statement.

The Jacksonville Police Department, which is monitoring the condition of the injured officer, was also hit hard by Jones’ death.

“Any time you lose one of your fellow firefighters or law enforcement officers or families, it’s very tragic,” Jacksonville Police Capt. Kenny Boyd told KARK-TV. “It’ll take some time.”

Springville police arrest man for groping women at Walmart www.privateofficer.com

 
 

SPRINGVILLE MO March 21 2012 – Police in Springville are looking for victims of a man seen groping women at a Walmart.

Authorities say they’ve already arrested and booked 29-year-old Scott Andrew Halliday of Springfield, Mo., in connection with the gropings March 11. But they want to interview a second victim seen on surveillance video, and identify any other victims.

Officers responded to the store March 11 after hearing a man had followed a woman through the store, then grabbed her between her legs.

When they obtained security video a few days later, they saw the suspect had also grabbed the buttocks of another woman.

Halliday was arrested when detectives saw a car and driver matching the suspect description pulling into the Springville City Hall parking lot for an unrelated court appearance.

South Carolina man sentenced to 191 years in prison for robberies www.privateofficer.com

 

 
 

COLUMBIA, SC March 21 2012- A 21-year-old Florence man will spend the next 191 years in prison. That’s not a typo, either.

Malcolm Robert Lee Melvin was found guilty on eight counts of armed robbery. The judge sentenced Melvin to a grand total of 2,298 months in jail.

Melvin and several other co-defendants were connected to a string of robberies in Florence and Darlington counties.

Investigators say the group were all known gang members.

Source: WIS

Contract security officer allowed to sue Pentagon police officer for assault www.privateofficerc.com

 

Washington DC March 21 2012 A security guard who says a Pentagon police officer assaulted him while they worked together can sue the U.S. government, the 4th Circuit ruled.
Nicholas Ignacio, a contract security officer at the Pentagon, claimed to have gotten into a disagreement with Pentagon police officer Kevin Lane on Dec. 2, 2009. After disagreeing over the caliber of an M-16 round, the pair allegedly made a wager.
On Dec. 15, 2009, the dispute apparently escalated with Lane allegedly threatening to “hurt [Ignacio] after work” and punching him in the face.
After a superior suspended Lane for 10 days, Ignacio filed a federal complaint.
A federal judge in Alexandria, Va., granted the government summary judgment, finding that Lane’s alleged conduct did not occur within the scope of his employment or within the course of a law enforcement activity.
On appeal, Ignacio argued that the government waived immunity under 28 U.S.C., section 2680(h). This so-called law-enforcement proviso waives immunity whenever a law-enforcement officer acting within the scope of his employment commits an intentional tort, he claimed.
As such, the claim does not require the officer to have committed the tort in the course of an investigative or law enforcement activity.
A three-judge revered on March 16. While other federal courts have ruled in favor of the government in previous cases, the 4th Circuit said those institutions have failed to first identify any ambiguity in the statute that would allow them to make that interpretation.
“Where, as here, the text of the statute is unambiguous, we should not engage in any analysis of legislative history to find ambiguity,” Judge Henry Franklin Floyd wrote.
“Because the District Court determined that issues of fact exist regarding whether Lane acted within the scope of his employment under Virginia law, and because the parties did not raise the scope of employment issue in their briefs, we decline to discuss it here,” he added.
In a concurring opinion, Judge Albert Diaz criticized the inconsistency of finding immunity waived for a law enforcement officer, but preserving it when any other federal employee commits similar acts.
“Although such a result can be criticized as inconsistent and unreasonable, I cannot say that it is so absurd as to allow us to alter the meaning – as other courts have – of an otherwise unambiguous statute,” Diaz wrote.
Source:Courthouse News

TSA finds gun at checkpoint inside Columbia Metropolitan Airport www.privateofficer.com

 

 
 

WEST COLUMBIA, SC March 21 2012 - Transportation Security Administration officers on Monday afternoon discovered a loaded firearm in a carry-on bag at the security checkpoint inside Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Officers noticed what appeared to be a firearm during the x-ray screening of a carry-on bag a little after 3:00 p.m. The officer removed the bag from the x-ray machine and found the owner, 39-year-old Jassen Robert Volk of Chapin.

According to an incident report, Volk, who has a South Carolina concealed weapons permit, told officers that he randomly carried a firearm in that bag, but he didn’t think the gun was in the bag at that time.

Officers searched the bag and found a loaded .380 Sig Sauer handgun in a cloth pouch.

Agents called airport police who took possession of the bag and gun and escorted Volk to the police office.

FBI agents interviewed Volk and decided not to prosecute.

Airport police charged Volk with illegally possessing a weapon inside the airport. He’s due in court on April 17th.

Firearms that are declared to the airline, in a proper carrying case, and unloaded may be transported in checked baggage, but they are prohibited in carry-on bags.

“Passengers should look through bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items,” said Jon Allen, TSA spokesman.

More than 1,300 firearms were discovered by TSA at checkpoints nationwide during 2011.

Source:WIS

Two 13-year-old Oregon boys burn down church and school www.privateofficer.com

 
 

TUALATIN ORMarch 21 2012– Two 13-year-old boys in Tualatin were arrested Monday following a major fire at a church.

The three-alarm fire hit the Living Savior Lutheran Church and Preschool in Tualatin at 8740 SW Sagert Street.

A tip from a “concerned citizen” helped federal and local arson investigators follow leads during the day that led to the arrests, said Lt. Greg Pickering.

The boys were taken to a juvenile facility and held on accusations of first-degree arson and second-degree burglary, he said.

In court Tuesday, prosecutors said the boys used a master key to get inside the church and ransacked the place, as they looked for money to steal. Then, they allegedly lit a fire in a church office and fled.

Much of the 30-year-old school building was damaged and firefighters used a defensive approach to try and save the newer sanctuary, according to a Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue official.

The charges against the juveniles include Measure 11 crimes, but because they are younger than 15, the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines will not apply if they are convicted.

Pastor Nathan Brandt said despite the massive damage, there was much to be thankful for because no one was hurt.

“The people of this congregation are very precious. The building can be replaced,” Brandt said. “It’ll be okay. We’ll make it.”

An initial effort to enter with building with hoses was called off because of the thick flames and concerns about the building’s structural integrity. Hot spots continued to flare up in attic spaces after the initial fire was put down.

“This was an intense fire to fight because, within minutes of our arrival, the fire was already spreading into the building’s attic and a number of void spaces between walls and additions to the structure, complicating the fire fight,” said TVF&R Public Information Officer Brian Barker. “Our firefighters battled this fire for hours from both the inside and outside of the structure.”

Construction on the sanctuary took place through 2008, with the first service on July 26, 2009.

About 75 students attend the preschool. The fire started in the school.

Brandt said other churches have already offered up space for services but for the time being, the 600-member congregation was without a place to worship or a preschool for the children.

According to TVF&R, 91 fires were set by juveniles in 2011 alone within the 210 square miles they cover in the southwest part of the Metro area.

Michigan State University police investigating death of student on campus

 
 

East Lansing MIMarch 21 2012 — Michigan State University police are investigating what led to the death of an 18-year-old student Monday on campus.
The student, identified as Olivia Nicole Pryor, was found unresponsive by her roommate in South Hubbard Hall about 10 a.m., MSU police said in a statement.
A cause of death has not been determined, but alcohol is believed to be a factor, university police said. An autopsy was planned.
According to her university listing, Pryor was a journalism freshman from Roseville.
As news of the death spread Monday night, friends filled Twitter with condolences.
“RIP Olivia Pryor that was my little cheer-team sister in high school may God be with her family… so sad,” one user wrote. Another user wrote: “She was a sweet girl I remember her little high pitched laugh. My heart is with her family!”
The death is the third at MSU in recent months.
Residence hall director Corey Malloch was found dead March 3. He was director for five years and was living in Snyder Hall, according to his obituary.
Also, the Ingham County medical examiner determined student Carly Glynn, 19, of Wyoming died Feb. 10 at a Lansing hospital from meningococcal disease. She also lived in the Snyder-Phillips residence complex.

Embattled Henderson NV attorney found dead www.privateofficer.com

 
 

HENDERSON, Nev. March 21 2012– According to sources, Nancy Quon, the embattled attorney involved in a far-reaching HOA scandal, was found dead today in her Henderson home.

Henderson Police confirm they are at Quon’s home investigating a death.

Quon became embroiled in a scandal alleging several conspirators rigged homeowner’s association boards and pushed construction defect lawsuits and contracts to their partners.

In 2010, Quon’s home caught on fire and police believe she was involved in a suicide pact with her boyfriend, Ron Webb. Two weeks after the fire, Webb was arrested after making an undercover purchase of drugs to be used in an alleged attempt to take Quon’s life.

According to the arrest report, he was recorded talking about how to use the drug GHB to kill Quon without leaving traces in her system — presumably so her children could collect on her life insurance policy with Webb as the executor of her estate.

In an interview, Quon told 8 News NOW the fire was accidental and she did not want to kill herself.

Earlier this month, a class action lawsuit was filed, naming Quon as a defendant. The suit alleges Quon and others helped rig HOA boards to push construction defect contracts to their partners.

Source:newsnow8.com

Evansville kidnapping suspect ends police chase by committing suicide www.privateofficer.com

 
 

EVANSVILLE INMarch 21 2012 — An Evansville police chase ended Monday night when a kidnapping suspect fatally shot himself in the head.

According to an Evansville Police Department news release, Jason Thomas Reising, 26, forced Angel Baker, 33, into his truck at gunpoint.

According to Evansville Police Sgt. Jason Cullum, Reising and Baker had dated until a few days ago.

Around 11:15 p.m. Monday, a woman called 911 to report Reising confronted them in the 1100 block of West Indiana Street, pulled a gun and forced Baker into the truck.

Officers located Reising’s truck near First Avenue and Franklin Street and remained in pursuit until they reached U.S. 41 and Walnut Street.

According to the release, Baker tried to get out of the truck while it was stopped at the intersection, but became tangled in a seat belt.

That’s when officers reported seeing Reising shoot himself.

The truck then accelerated with Baker hanging out of the door, according to the release. Baker was dragged a short distance before pulling herself back into the truck. As the out of control truck crossed into the path of northbound traffic, Baker freed herself from the seat belt and jumped clear.

An Evansville police officer struck the truck with his patrol car to redirect it back across the median. He then pulled in front of the truck and used his patrol car to bring the truck to a stop.

Baker was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center for treatment of injuries — described in the news release as non-life threatening — suffered when she jumped. A spokeswoman for St. Mary’s had no information about her condition

Reising died of his wound at the scene.

Source:Evansville News

Some Massechussetts malls going smoke free www.privateofficer.com

 
 

HOLYOKE MA March 21 2012 – The Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and the Hampshire Mall in Hadley are both going completely tobacco-free at the end of May.

The same goes for the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough or any other property owned by Syracuse-based Pyramid Companies.

That means no cigarettes, no cigars, no chewing tobacco or snuff anywhere on the property, inside or outside, said Brian D. Niland, general manager of the Hampshire Mall.

Short-term tenants in the mall will also be banned from selling tobacco, he said. Long term -tenants with leases will be asked to decide for themselves whether they continue to sell tobacco or not.

Niland said stop-smoking classes will be offered to employees at all the Pyramid malls.

“We just think it is going to be a better shopping experience for our customers,” he said. “That’s why it is being implemented. We think its what most of our customers want.”

One common complaint is that smokers tend to congregate near doors, forcing others to walk through their smoke to get in and out of the building, Niland said.

Mall security will be in charge of enforcing the rule, Niland said.

“You handle it on a case by case basis. If someone is unaware of the policy then you educate them,. If someone takes a different stance, you handle it differently.”

Malls are private property, he said.

Source:MAAlive.com

Jet fuel tank stolen at Superior Municipal Airport www.privateofficer.com

 
 

PHOENIX AZ March 21 2012 – Superior police say a jet fuel tank containing approximately 375 gallons of fuel was stolen from the Superior Municipal Airport between March 5 and March 8.

The suspects used bolt cutters on a gate lock to get inside the airport, police said.

The 600-gallon capacity tank was attached to a 16-foot black utility trailer and belongs to Southwest Heliservices, according to police.

The aluminum tank had a fixed pump, filer and hose reel, police said. The trailer’s vehicle identification number (VIN) is 4ZESH142671031191 with Arizona trailer license plate S-68940. The tank serial number is 2000-779.

Anyone with information about the tank or crime are asked to call Superior Police at 520-689-5254 or Southwest Heliservices, LLC, at 520-294-4500.

Southwest Heliservices is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

Georgia father charged with murder of his five-year-old little girl www.privateofficer.com

 
 

AUGUSTA, GA March 21 2012- A father has now been charged with the murder of his five-year-old little girl.

Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office say 22-year-old Willie Clifford Jones will now face murder charges for allegedly beating his young daughter on March 11.

Richmond County Investigators were contacted after the child was admitted to the Hospital. The girl was taken off life support a week later on March 17.

Jones was previously charged with cruelty to children in the first degree.

Source: WFXG

“Big Easy Justice” -bounter hunter reality show launches in April

 
 

NEW ORLEANS LA March 21 2012 — A bounty hunter who tracks New Orleans criminals will be the subject of a new reality TV show being launched next month by Spike TV.

“Big Easy Justice” will center on the gritty criminal underworld of New Orleans and a bounty hunter known as Tat-2, who hunts down some of the city’s most elusive criminals.

Tat-2, whose real name is Gene Thacker, is a military veteran and former deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. According to a news release, Thacker’s 12-year bounty hunting career has helped put away thousands of criminals charged with armed robbery, drug possession, domestic abuse and murder.

“Big Easy Justice” premieres April 10 at 9 p.m. CDT.

Pie thief threatens security officer with knife www.privateofficer.com

 
 

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. March 21 2012– His name isn’t ‘Little Jack Horner’ but a 34 year old man from Soquel is behind bars, Tuesday, after he allegedly stole a pie from a Santa Cruz supermarket and threatened a security guard with a knife.

According to Santa Cruz Police, Nathan Lovejoy stole the pie from a market on the 700 block of Front Street.

When a security guard for the supermarket confronted Lovejoy, he pulled a knife on the man and ran from the scene.

Santa Cruz Police caught up to Lovejoy and arrested him on charges of robbery and on a probation violation.

Officials are unsure of the type of pie Lovejoy had stolen.

Source:KION

Oklahoma City shoplifter accused of assaulting security officer with car arrested www.privateofficer.com

 
 

Oklahoma City OK March 21 2012 A woman accused of running over the leg of a security guard while fleeing a Crest Foods store told police the guard grabbed her by the neck, court documents show.

Shakietha Y. Thompson, 32, of Oklahoma City, was arrested March 13 on suspicion of assault with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of an injury accident after the car she was driving was found in a parking lot at 7201 NW 122, a probable cause affidavit shows.

According to the affidavit, Thompson walked up to a police officer photographing the car and said “it was me.” She said the guard grabbed her by the neck and “she was scared, so she bit him.”

The damage to the car was consistent with injuries suffered by Justin Blackwell, 27, the guard who was trying to stop a woman from shoplifting from the Crest Foods store at Hefner Road and Rockwell Avenue on March 12.

Blackwell told police a woman concealed cold medicine in her pocket and left the store without paying for it. He identified himself as a security officer and told the woman to stop. When she refused, he grabbed her and was bitten on the arm, police said.

Blackwell said he tried to take the woman’s keys, and was standing inside the open driver’s door when the woman got into the car and backed up. Blackwell was struck by the open door and knocked to the ground, police said, and had abrasions on his lower legs and a bite mark on his left forearm when police arrived.

Witnesses provided a tag number and a vehicle description.

Source:newsok.com

Georgetown University Medical Center police capture burglars stealing computers www.privateofficer.com

 
 

Washington DC March 21 2012 Two suspects were arrested late Sunday night in Burleith for allegedly burglarizing St. Mary’s Hall.
According to university spokeswoman Stacy Kerr, the search for other suspects is ongoing.
Kerr said that members of the Department of Public Safety’s community action team noticed unknown persons leaving St. Mary’s late Sunday night carrying computer equipment and other items. An initial Metropolitan Police Department report on the incident stated that the goods stolen were worth about $7,500.
The DPS officers, who were wearing plain clothes and in unmarked cars, were on patrol as part of efforts to boost security at the Georgetown University Medical Center. The Med Center has seen eight burglaries since late January.
DPS officers contacted MPD and followed the suspects as they left campus and headed toward a vehicle on 37th Street. One of the suspects was arrested in the vicinity of the vehicle at 11:07 p.m.
A second suspect was detained by DPS officers near the intersection of 38th and T Streets around 11 p.m. and arrested when MPD officers arrived on the scene shortly thereafter. MPD officers left the scene around 1:20 a.m.
Working with MPD, DPS searched Burleith for other suspects. An MPD helicopter assisted in the search for about 20 minutes. Some residents said they were told to stay inside and lock their doors.
MPD officers at the scene early Monday morning said that they suspected four individuals were involved in the incident, and a public safety alert emailed to the campus community at 1:53 p.m. stated that additional arrests in the case are expected.
Neither the MPD report nor the DPS PSA provided a description of the suspects.
It was also unclear how much of the $7,500 worth of stolen goods had been recovered by DPS and MPD.
According to Kerr, DPS will continue to work closely with MPD on the ongoing investigation.

Source:Hoya News

Off duty security officer captures two armed burglars www.privateofficer.com

 
 

Riverside CA March 21 2012 An off-duty private security guard got the drop on two 16-year-olds who Riverside police said had just broken into a home in the Arlington area and fled with stolen property.

The security guard was taking out the trash Monday morning at his home near Shelby Drive and California Avenue when he heard a police helicopter overhead broadcasting an order to the fleeing suspects to stop and give themselves up to officers, Riverside police Lt. Dan Hoxmeier said in a news release.

The security guard, who police did not name, saw the boys running, one of them carrying a handgun, police said. The guard went into his home, and retrieved his own handgun.

“He confronted them and ordered them to stop, (lie) down and show their hands,” Hoxmeier said in the release. “The suspects complied and were safely detained until RPD ground units arrived to take them into custody.”

The incident started about 11:15 a.m. when police dispatchers received a call from a man who said he returned home in the 8700 block of Sorrento Drive to find the two boys had broken in and were stealing items, including three handguns, police said.

Three residents in the area subsequently called 911, telling police that the boys had fled the house. A neighbor saw the boys hiding in bushes, changing clothes and then continuing to flee.

Air-1, the Riverside police helicopter, tracked the boys until the security guard managed to halt their escape.

Investigators said they believe the boys are responsible for other residential burglaries in the neighborhood.

“The pursuit and capture of these burglary suspects really showcased the partnership between the community and their Police Department,” Hoxmeier said. “Our 911 call center received calls from three different witnesses along the way, updating the suspects’ escape path and providing enough information for the suspects to be safely detained.”

Due to their ages, police did not name the boys.

Anyone with information about the burglaries in the neighborhood is asked to call Detective Dave Riedeman at 951-353-7949.

Source:press-enterprise

Barrington RI police search for shoplifter who took $679 worth of toothbrushes www.privateofficer.com

 

Barrington RI March 21 2012 Police are trying to locate a shoplifter who walked out of the CVS Pharmacy late Thursday afternoon, March 15, with $679 worth of electronic toothbrushes.

The man was described as a white male, about 6 feet tall, overweight, bald, and wearing a gray polo shirt and jeans.

At about the same time as the 4:16 pm shoplifting, a driver of a vehicle with Rhode Island license plate number 675-063 also entered the store. When he noticed people watching him, he returned to the parking lot, got back into his car and draw away into the parking lot at Shaw’s supermarket. He was described as a black male in his 40s, bald and wearing diamond earrings.

A BOLO (be on the lookout) was put out to police departments in surrounding communities. There was no immediate response from other police departments.

Kansas City nightclub sees second homicide in two years www.privateofficer.com

 
 

KANSAS CITY, MO March 21 2012- A deadly shooting over the weekend at a Kansas City nightclub wasn’t the first murder at the bar.

The violence broke out at Balanca’s located downtown at 18th Street and Grand Boulevard, and those who work in the area are saying enough is enough.

Police got the call just before 3 a.m. Saturday of a fight at the night club. When they arrived, 31-year-old Wayne Steward was lying in the corner suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died.

Witnesses told police Steward had been arguing with another man when they took the fight outside. Eventually shots rang out.

Police say later that day, two other men turned up at area hospitals with gunshot wounds. Injuries police believe are linked to the Balanca’s shooting.

Melissa Brown works down the street at Bob Jones Shoes, and says she is getting tired of all the violence.

“It bothers me a lot. We are trying hard to make downtown more accessible to everybody. When you have problems, it makes it difficult. They think they can’t come down here, that is not the case,” said Melissa Brown.

In fact, this was not the first deadly shooting at Balanca’s.

In October of 2010, 20-year-old Jeremy Mott was shot and killed outside the club after a large fight turned deadly.

Brown says something has to be done.

“I think they need more security. I think that is part of it,” said Brown.

KCTV5 tried to reach employees at the club for comment, but no one came to the door.

Police ask if anyone has any information about the shooting to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

Source:KCTV.com

Troy NY woman charged with robbery in shoplifting-assault incident www.privateofficer.com

 

EAST GREENBUSH NYMarch 21 2012 — A Troy resident was charged with robbery and larceny after she allegedly bit a store security officer, town police said.

Aseisha S. Bell, 39, of Seventh Avenue, allegedly attempted to leave a WalMart at 6:30 p.m. Friday with $145 in merchandise, police said.

When a store security person approached her, she pushed him away an,d while wrestling with him, bit him in the abdomen, police said.

Bell was charged with robbery and larceny after her arrest by Officer Nicholas Peter. She was arraigned before Town Justice Diane Schilling.

Source:www.timesunion.com

San Antonio police say women linked to more than a dozen shoplifting incidents

 

SAN ANTONIO TX March 21 2012 - San Antonio police arrested an East Side woman who they believe may have been behind nearly a dozen shoplifting cases, all involving Target stores.

Rebecca Dynes, 23, faces charges so far in connection with only one case, on Feb. 1 at a Target in the 700 block of NW Loop 410.

However, an arrest affidavit stated police had been investigating 10 similar cases.

The affidavit stated in each case, three women would enter the stores together, take a duffle bag from the store and fill it with various DVD box sets.

One woman would then exit the store empty-handed, while the other two would wait inside near an emergency exit, the affidavit stated.

In the most recent case, police said, the entire incident was caught on surveillance video.

It showed a vehicle pulling up to the door and the two women exiting the store through the emergency exit and running to the waiting vehicle, the affidavit stated.

Police did not disclose how they identified Dynes, and the affidavit stated they have not identified the two other women involved.

Source:ksat.com

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