Man Hurt in Skidder Accident

An accident yesterday just south of the Wilkes county line off Highway 16 South has left a man with severe injuries. Alexander county dispatch reports Wayne Shumate was working on a skidder in the woods and was ejected from the skidder during the accident, breaking his neck and causing other injuries. He was airlifted to Charlotte and underwent emergency surgery last night. Hosptial officials haven't released his current condition. Alexander county authorities say the sequence of events leading up to the accident isn't really clear.

Rash of Car Break-Ins in Wilkesboro

Wilkesboro Police are investigating several car break-ins, and have arrested two men in relation to two of the cases. Officers were called to Lowes Motel Tuesday afternoon by an unidentified woman who reported her work bag had been stolen from her car, then left before the officer could get her name. According to the woman, Gary Wiles told her he'd seen a man take the bag and run into the woods. However, a search didn't turn up any evidence to match that story. Instead, when officers searched Wiles' room, they found a number of other stolen items, including a cell phone, a satellite radio, and some credit and debit cards in other peoples' names. Wiles also eventually led them to the work bag, which was stashed under another vehicle in the parking lot. The woman looked through it, said nothing was missing, and disappeared. Wiles and the other man in the room, Dean Madden, were arrested for a variety of charges.

The cell phone and one of the debit cards recovered in the room belonged to Allison Baker, who had not reported her purse being stolen. When police went to return her property to her, she realized the purse had been taken, and several other credit and debit cards were missing. Wiles and Madden face charges in that case, as well.

Exotic Animal Bill Fails Again

A bill inspired by the death of a Wilkes County child has once again been relegated to the back burner. In the rush of 11th-hour lawmaking last week, a bill that would have banned private ownership of exotic animals took a quiet second trip to legislative purgatory.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Ed Jones, stuck the measure into an end-of-session study bill after the proposed ban drew intense criticism. State agriculture officials, agribusiness interests and a loose coalition of private zoo and sanctuary owners, reptile keepers and trainers who conduct animal education programs in schools, churches and other venues objected to the ban.

Backed by the Animal Protection Institute, a California-based animal rights group, the bill originally would have slapped a ban on a broad range of exotic animals for public health and safety reasons -- from lions and tigers to bats, pythons, monkeys and apes. Supporters said a ban is needed to protect people from disease and prevent tragedies such as the 2003 death of a Wilkes County fourth-grader who was mauled by a tiger kept in his aunt's backyard.

But critics of the bill said it reached well beyond the laudable goal of banning backyard ownership of tigers and other large carnivores by including restrictions that would have put small zoo owners and animal educators out of business.

Laura Renee Triplett Service Today

Family members say the funeral service for the woman killed in a murder-suicide two weeks ago will be today. Laura Renee Triplett will be remembered at a service at 3pm at Boiling Springs Baptist Church. Family will greet visitors starting a half-hour before the service. Triplett died after being shot by Bobby Hodges July 25th. Hodges then turned the gun on himself. The funeral has been delayed until the couple's 14-year old son was home from the hospital. He was also shot during the incident. A memorial fund has been set up to help the children, at State Employees Credit Union.

Air Conditioner, Medication Stolen

A health problem and a moment of inattention were apparently all it took for a Wilkes woman to be the victim of a crime. Yesterday afternoon, Patricia Porter called deputies to report the theft. She said she had gone home Tuesday night with a migraine and had apparently forgotten to lock the car on the way into the house, and left several items in the car. They included a window air conditioner, some medications, and a little cash. The total loss is just over one thousand dollars. She has no idea who might have taken the items. The case remains under investigation.

Fake Bill Passed, Susped ID'd

Another counterfeit bill has been passed at a Wilkes business, and this one has led deputies to a suspect. A heavyset woman driving a burgundy car was at Jimmy's Superette on Sparta Road early Monday, and used what turned out to be a counterfeit 20-dollar bill to buy part of a tank of gasoline. It wasn't until yesterday morning, though, that the crime was reported. A deputy saw a car matching the description given by the employee who took the bill, and made a traffic stop, although he was unable to detain the driver at the time. But he recognized her as being someone deputies have a photo of, so he will be showing that photo and several others to the employee in a photo-lineup. The case remains pending until that time.

Tools Stolen from Home Site

A mobile home being restored on Statesville Road is the location of a recent theft of a number of hand tools and power tools. Carlos Lewis and Francis Breninger have been working on the home for some time. They reported recently that someone had stolen a 17-inch miter saw, a 10-inch table saw, a belt sander, a rivet tool, a pipe wrench, a shop vac and other tools. Total value of the items taken is over 900-dollars. They identified two Roaring River residents as possible suspects, and told deputies those people have been seen in the area several times and have a reputation for being thieves. Their names have not been released. The report on the crime was released early this week, more than 10 days after it happened. The case is listed as under investigation.

Elkin Man Reports Theft

A rural Elkin man says several items were stolen from him by a group of people, some of whom he knows and some he doesn't . Richard Manning says one of the group of four people kept him busy while the other three stole a 5-thousand watt generator and a Stihl chainsaw. Together the two were worth about a thousand dollars. Although deputies have not released the two names they were given, they say one of the suspects, a woman, is in jail on other charges. Manning did not know the name of the other two men involved. The case remains under investigation.

Man Assaulted in C-Store Parking Lot

Wilkes county sheriff deputies are looking into a reported assault in a convenience store parking lot. The incident was reported late last week at the Creek Stop on highway 16 North. 19-year old Logan Bentley says he was using the pay phone at the store about 5 in the morning, and two men pulled up, jumped out of their car, and started beating him. He says he did not know the men, who were both white and in their 20's. He was unable to give deputies a clothing description. After a look at security tapes, deputies were unable to confirm the report, because none of the cameras at the store scan the area around the pay phone. Bentley was unable to say more about his assailants' vehicle, other than that it was a dark car. The case remains under investigation.

Confrontation Over the Other Woman Leads to Injury

A Wilkes man faces new charges, after his girlfriend was treated for minor injuries last night. Deputies were called to Wilkes Regional Medical Center about 9pm, as personnel there were treating 22-year old Toby Ann Prevette. The Millers Creek woman says she saw her boyfriend, 30-year old Thomas James Dancy, with another woman as she was driving on Boone Trail earlier in the evening. She followed them to an undetermined location along Oak Grove Road, where they stopped and she got out of her car and confronted him. The argument became physical and Prevette says she was hit twice in the head and pushed to the ground, hurting her knee. The deputy has filed a warrant on Dancy charging him with two misdemeanors, Assault on a Woman and Habitual Misdemeanor Assault. A supervisor's note on the report says the case is inactive until the warrant is served on Dancy.