German Shepherd Mauls 3-year old Boy

Authorities have released more information concerning the three-year old boy who was mauled by a dog yesterday morning. 3-year old Randy Sharke and his parents live next door to his grandfather on Prevette Ridge Road. His folks say Randy walked over to his granddad's on his own about 9:30 yesterday morning. No one was home, it turns out. His granddad, Melvin Day, owns a German Shepherd. It's unclear what caused the dog to turn on Randy, but his parents heard the boy screaming and went to help him, finding him behnd the house. He was severely injured, and airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. His current condition is not available.

Deputies and animal control officers were able to capture the dog without injuring themselves or the pet.

Teen Hurt When She Falls from Pickup

Highway patrol troopers have not said why a teen-aged girl was riding in the back of a pickup yesterday, or why she fell out. But the fall caused extremely critical injuries to the unidentified girl. The accident was reported about 11:45 am yesterday on Yellow Banks Road not far from Traphill Road. Witnesses say a pickup truck had been speeding in the area shortly before the accident was reported, but it's uncertain if the truck the teen fell from is the one that was seen speeding. It is legal for teens to ride in the back of an open bed pickup, with certain restrictions.

Responders had to do CPR on the girl, but they did get a heartbeat back, enabling them to airlift her to Winston-Salem fro treatment. At last word, she remained in critical condition. According to witnesses, the pickup truck left the scene of the wreck, then came back after rescuers had arrived. No word yet from the highway patrol on whether the unidentified driver will face charges.

Man Jumps in Front of Daughter's Car

A Hamptonville man was airlifted to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem yesterday, after police say he jumped into the path of a car driven by his daughter. 36-year old Bobby Ray Campbell had apparently been in a argument with his 17-year old daughter, as police say she was trying to convince him to come home about 2:30 yesterday afternoon. Instead, he wanted to go to a nearby store, and jumped out in front of his daughter's car as she tried to turn around and pick him up. Troopers say Campbell had been drinking, and the incident was his fault. They will not be issuing any tickets against the daughter.

Two People Hurt in Thursday Wrecks

Two people were taken to the hospital yesterday following wrecks on US 421 in Wilkesboro.

The first wreck happened about 9:45 yesterday morning, on 421 at Highway 18, in front of Oakwoods Homes. Police say 50-year old Kernersville resident John Edward Davis was eastbound on 421 in a commercial truck owned by a marble company out of Georgia. He was driving an estimated 65 miles and hour in the 50 mile and hour zone. The wreck investigation shows he saw he was about to hit a 1997 Lexus driven by 38 year old Wilkesboro resident Marie Davis, and locked the brakes. The resulting slide was about 100 feet, and police estimate his speed at the time of impact was still about 65 miles an hour. The car and truck slid together for another 350 feet or more, coming to rest on their wheels in the eastbound lane. According to police, Marie Davis was driving the speed limit when she was hit from behind. She suffered serious injuries, and was taken by ground ambulance to Forsyth Regional Medical Center. John Davis was not inured. He was ticketed with reckless driving and failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash. The wreck backed up eastbound traffic for over an hour.

Police cited a 16-year old girl for failing to slow down, after they say she rear-ended a semi-truck at 421 and Addison Road, in front of Kentucky Fried Chicken, about 5:30 yesterday afternoon. Britney Shew, from Wilkesboro, was taken by ambulance to Wilkes Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. According to the accident report, she was driving a 1998 Jeep eastbound on 421 and rear-ended the semi driven by 45-year old Billy Wayne Kerley of Statesville, which was stooped at the red light. Police say she was not speeding, but simply failed to stop to avoid the wreck. She received a ticket for not slowing down. Kerley was not injured.

Donated Log Splitter Stolen

A Wilkes county charitable organization is without an expensive item recently donated to them, after a thief made off with it recently. Deputies were called to Upland Reach Conference center in Miller's Creek last Saturday, when Tim DeBord realized a Central Hydraulics log splitter that had been donated to the center was missing. It's orange and black, according to the crime report, and has a Briggs and Stratton engine. It's worth about 25-hundred dollars. It was taken sometime last Thursday or Friday. Deputies have entered the serial number into the national crime database, in case it ever turns up.

Empire Nissan Employee Arrested for Borrowing SUV

An unauthorized test drive lands a car dealership employee in jail. Wilkesboro police were called to Empire Nissan recently, after 23-year old Justin Douglas was accused by another employee of taking a 2006 Nissan Murano S-U-V from the dealership without permission. According to the other employee, Gail Laws, Douglas and another man, Lee parker, came into the dealership and simply drove out in the S-U-V. He returned while the officer was at the dealership writing up the incident, and was arrested at the direction of Ms. Laws. As the officer was getting ready to handcuff him, Douglas produced two small baggies of marijuana from his pockets. He's charged with two misdemeanor counts -- unauthorized use of a vehicle and drug possession.

Mailboxes Bashed All Over

Of all the crimes investigated by Wilkes deputies over the holiday weekend, the most frequently-reported one was mailbox vandalism. A total of 24 mailboxes were battered, knocked down, run over, or otherwise damaged throughout the county. Some of the case are related, but many do not appear to be connected at this time.

The group of connected vandalism cases affected 13 homeowners along Austin Traphill Road late Friday night or Saturday morning. The first one in the group called deputies just before 6 a-m Saturday. Homes starting in the 58-hundred block, extending through the 62-hundred, 63-hundred, 65-hundred, 66-hundred, 67-hundred, 71-hundred, 72-hundred and 75-hundred blocks had suffered damage. In all the cases but one, the homeowners learned of the damage by a deputy knocking on their door to tell them about it. None heard any noises during the night, and no one was able to offer a possible suspect name.

Deputies have arrested a person in connection with another mailbox bashing, this one at a cricket business. Lyalls Cycle Shop reported the damage to their mailbox early Saturday. As deputies were investigating that, they found another mailbox damaged a few blocks up Boone Trail, and a semi trailer outside Carolina Cycle Supply painted with obscene graffiti. Two teens, Kyle Parker McMillion and Dustin Johnson, admitted to being the culprits in all three instances. Deputies called their parents and made arrangements to get the graffiti painted over.

The other mailbox bashings affected homeowners in the Oak Ridge Church Road, Thurmond Road, Brer Fox Trail, Roope Ridge Road, and Glen Dancy Road vicinities. All the cases are listed as under investigation.

Fence Damaged by Speeding Vehicle

Wilkesboro police believe a speeding driver is responsible for significant damage to a gate outside a local business. They were called to The Welding Company about 5:30 this morning after the damage was discovered. The officer's report indicates he believes a vehicle hit the fence after trying to round the curve on Old 421, and went straight through the gate instead. There was a set of tire marks behind the fence where it appeared the vehicle had U-turned following the accident. Police say they have no other information on the situation at this time, and ask anyone who may have seen a speeding vehicle in that area a while before sunrise this morning to give them a call.

Troxler Urges Storm Preparation

Weather forecasters are watching an area of disturbed weather off Bermuda, with a slight concern it could become a tropical storm. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler today advised farmers, particularly in the eastern part of the state, to take steps to guard against damage from the system.

“At this point, we don’t know for certain if this weather system will affect North Carolina, but there are general emergency preparations every farmer can take to protect their farms and families from damaging weather,” Troxler said. “Now is the time to review emergency plans with your family and workers, and make sure your equipment and animals are secure.”

It isn’t clear whether the low-pressure system will organize into a tropical storm. Meteorologists say that if the system becomes more organized, it could affect North Carolina by late Saturday or early Sunday.

Farmers have been busy trying to harvest what they can from their fields, but they also need to make preparations for their families, equipment and buildings, and have backup plans for electricity for their curing barns and other critical farm facilities, Troxler said. In addition, livestock operations should begin implementing their specific emergency plans, securing backup generators and assessing their on-site feed capabilities.

Troxler reminded farmers that they should have a transfer switch properly installed so they can use a generator. A properly installed transfer switch is critical for the protection of farm facilities and utility workers, he said.

Farmers are also encouraged to add the phone number of their county emergency management office to their list of important numbers. If necessary, county emergency management offices will be coordinating emergency crop and livestock assistance, including requests for generators.

Little Dipper Break-In

Sheriff deputies have no suspects so far in the break-in of a local eatery. The burglar alarm at the Little Dipper went off early yesterday morning. IN spite of it taking a deputy only four minutes to get there, the thief has already scrambled away. A concrete block had been thrown through the drive-up window, and both cash registers had been pried open. The owner says about 200-dollars worth of bills and rolled coins were stolen from the registers. Damage to the store will cost almost a thousand dollars to fix.