2 arrested stealing in flood-affected areas of Asheville, North Carolina, after Helene, police say
IT’S TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. BUT WE START WITH EARLY VOTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH OUR TANIQUA PENNIX LIVE IN ANDERSON, TANIQUA. GOOD MORNING ERIN. I’M HERE IN ANDERSON OUTSIDE THE ANDERSON COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION OFFICE AND EARLY VOTING STARTS TODAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND WILL LAST UNTIL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER SECOND. REGISTERED VOTERS CAN VISIT AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION IN THEIR COUNTY. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PHOTO ID. VOTING WILL BE AVAILABLE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 8:30 A.M. TO 6 P.M. OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON SUNDAY FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN ANDERSON, TANIQUA. PENNIX WYFF NEWS FOUR. THANK YOU. TANIQUA. THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS WORKING WITH THE GBI TO INVESTIGATE. AFTER A GANGWAY COLLAPSED IN GEORGIA. GEORGIA DNR OFFICIALS SAY THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE IS TO BLAME FOR THE INCIDENT THAT KILLED SEVEN PEOPLE AND INJURED THREE OTHERS. LYDIA BLACKSTONE FROM OUR SISTER STATION REPORTS. IT WAS A PERFECT DAY FOR THE LARGEST GATHERING WE’VE HAD IN A DECADE. BROTHER AND SISTER GRIFFIN LATSON AND FRAN TIMMONS LEWIS WERE ON THE LAST FERRY OUT FROM SAPELO ISLAND SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THEY GOT A CALL AROUND 3:50 P.M. PEOPLE ARE IN THE WATER. WE COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. IT’S A JOKE. NO, PEOPLE ARE IN THE WATER AND THEY’RE TRYING TO SAVE THEM. A TRAGIC AND UNEXPECTED EVENT. WHEN PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT TO THE ISLAND TO CELEBRATE A GULLAH GEECHEE CELEBRATION. WHEN THIS GANGWAY FOR THE FERRY THAT THEY WERE BOARDING TO LEAVE THE ISLAND BROKE AWAY, KILLING SEVEN PEOPLE, THREE OTHER CRITICALLY INJURED IN THE HOSPITAL, THAT IT IS A STRUCTURAL FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE VERY, VERY LITTLE MAINTENANCE TO AN ALUMINUM GANGWAY LIKE THAT. THE COLLAPSE THREE YEAR OLD GANGWAY CONNECTING THE FERRY TO THE ISLAND, IGNITING THE CROWD AT THE SUNDAY PRESS CONFERENCE. WE ARE HERE. LET ME. I GOT SOME RESIDENTS SAY THEY VOICED THEIR CONCERNS BEFORE. YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. I WAS ALWAYS. I’VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ONE. OFFICIALS SAY IT’S TOO EARLY IN THEIR INVESTIGATION TO STATE JUST HOW IT BROKE. WE HAD AROUND 700 PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND. I’M SURE ANYTHING THAT’S MAN MADE HAS SOME TYPE OF LIMIT. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. AS FOR THOSE DECEASED RESIDENTS OF ATLANTA, JACKSONVILLE AND DARIEN, FOUR WOMEN, THREE MEN, ALL RANGING IN AGE FROM 73 TO 93, INCLUDING, WE DID LOSE A DEAR FRIEND, MR. CHARLES HOUSTON. HE SERVED AS A DNR, GEORGIA STATE PATROL AND GBI CHAPLAIN FOR THE STATE. A LOSS FOR FRIENDS LIKE GRIFFIN AND FRAN WHO WERE ON THE LAST RIDE OUT. PERHAPS THE BIGGEST BLESSING IS THAT YOU’RE ONE FERRY AWAY, ONE FERRY AWAY. THE LAST ONE THE VERY LAST ONE. AND WE’LL CERTAINLY REMEMBER OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO’VE GONE ON TO BE WITH THE LORD ON SAPELO ISLAND. LYDIA BLACKSTONE, WJCL 22. NEWS. A HONEA PATH WOMAN WHO ALLEGEDLY HAD NEARLY 30 DOGS LIVING IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS, IS NOW BEHIND BARS. OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A CALL ON BLUE WILLOW CIRCLE ON SATURDAY. THEY SAY SEVERAL OF THE DOGS WERE IN SMALL ENCLOSURES. ONE WAS DEAD AND THE REST WERE ROAMING AROUND THE PROPERTY THAT LAUNCHED AN ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATION. 13 DOGS WERE TAKEN, BUT POLICE SAY OTHERS WERE UNABLE TO BE CAPTURED. POLICE ARRESTED BETTY ORDONEZ. SHE FACES 14 COUNTS OF ILL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS, AMONG SEVERAL OTHER CHARGES. GREENVILLE COUNTY DEPUTIES ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECT INVOLVED IN A KIDNAPING. IT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF LAURENS ON SATURDAY MORNING ABOUT TEN. DEPUTIES SAY THE SUSPECT IS SIX FOOT TWO, WITH BLACK DREADLOCKS AND BROWN EYES, AND HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A BLACK T SHIRT AND PURPLE NIKE SHORTS. DEPUTIES SAY HE IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS AND THEY ASK ANYONE WHO SEES THIS PERSON TO CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE TOLD THE KIDNAPING VICTIM IS SAFE. THE U.S. IS INVESTIGATING A RECENT LEAK OF HIGHLY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS. HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON HAS CONFIRMED. AND THOSE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN WHAT APPEARS TO BE U.S. INTELLIGENCE ON ISRAELI PLANS TO STRIKE IRAN AND A SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH THEM SAYS THEY’RE AUTHENTIC. IT’S UNCLEAR HOW THEY ENDED UP ON TELEGRAM AND BEGAN CIRCULATING PUBLICLY ONLINE ON FRIDAY. THE FBI IS LIKELY TASKED WITH FINDING OUT. ALONGSIDE THE PENTAGON AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES. WE DON’T WANT TO SEE IT REPEATED, AND WE DON’T KNOW WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT, WHO MIGHT WANT TO REPEAT IT AGAIN. ANALYSTS SAY THERE ENDING UP ONLINE INSTEAD COULD MAKE ISRAEL HESITANT TO SHARE FUTURE INTELLIGENCE, AND SOME EXPERTS THINK THAT COULD HARM AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL VISIT ASHEVILLE TODAY TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE HELENE. OUR ISABELLE MARK JOINS US FROM DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE RIGHT NOW AHEAD OF HIS VISIT, ISABELLE. ERIN, GOOD MORNING. THIS WILL BE THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S FIRST TIME BACK IN ASHEVILLE SINCE HURRICANE HELENE HIT. HE HELD A RALLY BACK HERE IN AUGUST, AND HE ALSO TOURED STORM DAMAGE IN GEORGIA A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. BUT TODAY, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL PLAN TO TOUR THE AREA AND THEN HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AT NOON FOR THE MEDIA. WE ARE JUST A COUPLE WEEKS OUT FROM ELECTION DAY, SO EVERY VISIT HERE COUNTS. THIS STATE COULD DETERMINE WHO WINS ON NOVEMBER FIFTH. WITH THE RACE STILL A TOSS UP IN MOST POLLS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS VISIT. BUT FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN ASHEVILLE. I’M ISABELLE MARAK FOR WIFE NEWS FOUR. ISABEL. THANK YOU. RESTORATION IS PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETE FOR SPECTRUM CUSTOMERS IN THE CAROLINAS BY TODAY. IN A LETTER TO CUSTOMERS, THE COMPANY SAID IN PART, QUOTE, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE TRANSPARENT WITH MORE TIMELY AND DETAILED COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING WHAT WE WERE SEEING ON THE GROUND. END QUOTE. THE BILTMORE ESTATE WAS HIT HARD BY HELENE, AND IT’S NOW SET A REOPENING DATE. THE COMPANY SAYS IT PLANS TO REOPEN ON NOVEMBER 2ND, AND IT WILL BE FULLY DECORATED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, THOUGH TRAILS IN THE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CENTER WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, AND GUESTS MIGHT NEED TO PLAN FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TAKING ALTERNATIVE ROUTES WHEN TRAVELING TO BILTMORE. OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. IT IS A COLD START TO THE DAY. 43 DEGREES IN GREENWOOD, 43 IN LAWRENCE. WE’VE GOT 45 IN SPARTANBURG. GOOD MORNING. PICKENS 40 DEGREES FOR YOU ALL ACROSS THE REGION. LOOK AT THAT. WE’LL LET OUR LIVE SUPER DOPPLER FOUR SCAN AND JUST NOT FINDING ANYTHING WE ARE DRY THAT WILL BE THE CASE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WEEK AND WEEKEND. A FEW SPRINKLES AS A COLD FRONT COMES THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. THAT’S GOING TO BE ABOUT IT AT BEST. IN THE MEANTIME, TODAY HOW ABOUT SOME SUNSHINE? WE’RE GOING TO WARM ABOUT 30 DEGREES FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. THAT’S RIGHT, 30 DEGREES OR SO FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. GETTING INTO THE MID AND UPPER SECONDS THIS AFTERNOON, LOTS OF SUNSHINE HEADING INTO TONIGHT. WE’LL COOL DOWN AGAIN AND THEN WE’LL WARM BACK UP AND KIND OF START THIS ALL OVER. FOR YOUR TUESDAY. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE REST OF THE WEEK AND THE WEEKEND TOO, WITH YOUR FOUR DAY PLUS. I’LL HAVE THE LATEST ON THAT COMING UP IN ABOUT 6 OR 7 MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. FIRST, LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE THOUGH. GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS. HOW’S TRAFFIC LOOKING, AARON PARELLA WE’RE SEEING THE TRADITIONAL SLOWDOWNS THAT WE TEND TO SEE ABOUT 650 EACH WEEKDAY MORNING. YOU’RE LOOKING AT I-85 NORTH AT PELHAM ROAD THAT LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS THE NORTHBOUND LANES. YOU CAN SEE I’D GIVE IT 5 OR 6 MINUTES. IF YOU TRAVEL THIS WAY, YOU’RE PROBABLY USED TO THIS, BUT STILL, THAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THE GOOD THING IS 85 SOUTHBOUND. IF YOU’RE TRAVELING THAT WAY, IT’S PRETTY CLEAR RIGHT NOW. TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TRAVEL TIMES. THESE HAVEN’T SHIFTED FROM THE GREEN. THAT INCLUDES 85 SOUTHBOUND FROM AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD. IT’S AT SIX MINUTES I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY, 12 MINUTES ON 26 EASTBOUND AND 35 NORTHBOUND FROM SIMPSONVILLE TO GREENVILLE. 13 MINUTES FOR THAT COMMUTE. RIGHT NOW, BUTTERBALL WANTS TO HELP YOU OUT. THIS THANKSGIVING. YOU CAN NOW BUY A NEW COOK FROM FROZEN TURKEY THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO THAW. IN FACT, IT’S ONLY TWO STEPS. YOU UNWRAP IT AND YOU PUT IT IN THE OVEN. WE’RE TOLD THE TURKEY DOESN’T NEED BASTING, BRINING, OR EVEN SEASONING BECAUSE BUTTERBALL SAYS IT MADE A SPECIFICALLY FORMULATED BRINE THAT KEEPS THE MEAT MOIST DURING THE ROUGHLY FIVE HOUR LONG ROASTING PROCESS. THE NEW AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLL HAS A NEW TEAM IN THE NUMBER ONE SPOT. THE OREGON DUCKS ARE ON TOP WITH GEORGIA RIGHT BEHIND AS THE HIGHEST RANKED SEC SCHOOL. CLEMSON ALSO BROKE THE TOP TEN, SITTING AT NUMBER NINE THIS WEEK. THE NEW YORK LIBERTY BEAT THE MINNESOTA LYNX LAST NIGHT TO WIN ITS FIRST EVER WNBA FINAL. THE GAME FIVE NAIL BITER ULTIMATELY WENT INTO OVERTIME WITH A FINAL SCORE OF 67 TO 62. THE LIBERTY’S BREANNA STEWART SCORED TWO FREE THROWS WITH JUST SECONDS TO GO. THE NEW YORK LIBERTY HAD APPEARED IN THE FINALS FIVE PREVIOUS TIMES WITHOUT A VICTOR, AND IN BASEBALL, THE 2024 MLB PLAYOFFS ARE ALMOST OVER. IT’S EAST COAST VERSUS WEST FOR THE WORLD SERIES, THE FIRST GAME OF A POSSIBLE BEST OF SEVEN SERIES BETWEEN THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS IS THIS FRIDAY AT DODGER STADIUM WITH A TIME TO BE DETERMINED. WE GOT ONE SKELETON FOR EACH OF HER ALBUMS, SO WE’RE STANDING NEXT TO THE THE DEBUT. TAYLOR, THIS IS OUR LOVER. TAYLOR. THIS IS OUR SPEAK NOW. SOME BIG SWIFTIES IN INDIANAPOLIS HAVE CREATED A SPOOKY TRIBUTE TO TAYLOR SWIFT. IT’S THE FEAR STOREHOUSE, A WORDPLAY ON SWIFT’S ERAS TOUR. THE DISPLAY HAS A SKELETON FOR EACH OF HER ALBUMS, AND THE COUPLE THAT LIVES THERE SAYS THEY STARTED PLANNING THAT DISPLAY BACK IN AUGUST. SWIFT IS SET TO PLAY THREE SHOWS IN INDIANAPOLIS NEXT WEEKEND. LOVE THE CREATIVITY. IT’S NATIONAL APPLE DAY AND APPLES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS. IN FACT, SOME HISTORIANS BELIEVE THE ANCIENT ROMANS CULTIVATED THE FRUITS. THEN, IN THE EARLY 1800S, JOHNNY EASTMAN, MOST COMMONLY KNOWN AS JOHNNY APPLESEED, TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST PLANTING THE TREES AND EDUCATING FARMERS ON THE CROP. TODAY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 7000 VARIETIES WORLDWIDE. THE BLIND AUDITIONS ARE COMPLETE IN THE BATTLE ROUNDS. BEGIN TONIGHT ON NBC’S THE VOICE. YOU CAN WATCH TONIGHT AT EIGHT RIGHT HERE ON WYFF4.COM AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ONE LOCAL CONTESTANT. HEY, Y’ALL, IT’S SHAKEEM FORTSON, AND I’M ON TEAM REBA THIS SEASON ON THE VOICE. I’M VERY EXCITED TO REPRESENT ELBERTON, GEORGIA. THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. AND BE SURE TO KEEP WATCHING THIS SHO
2 arrested stealing in flood-affected areas of Asheville, North Carolina, after Helene, police say
Updated: 3:41 PM EDT Oct 21, 2024
Police in Asheville, North Carolina, arrested two men over the weekend who they said were caught stealing in flood-affected areas after Helene—one who stole from Duke Energy.(Above video is the Monday morning headlines for Oct. 21, 2024.)Rick Rice with the Asheville Police Department said the first arrest happened after a reported incident about 4:20 a.m. on Saturday at the Duke Energy building on Brevard Road.Stuart Franklin Evans, 60, was caught with about $5,000 worth of copper wire stolen from the company, according to Rick.Rice said Duke officials provided security images of the crime and confirmed the copper was theirs. Evans was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility with no bond due to a parole violation, Rice said. He faces charges of larceny, possession of burglary tools, trespassing, parole violation, and obtaining property under false pretense.Then, about 8 p.m. Saturday, officers arrested Dennis Gates Miller, 33, after he failed to pull over during a traffic stop and ditched the motorcycle, Rice said.He said Miller was later arrested and officers discovered the motorcycle was stolen.Rice said Miller was previously arrested on Oct. 9 for possessing another stolen motorcycle while attempting to steal things in the flood-affected areas around the French Broad River. Read more about that incident here.Miller was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, fleeing police to elude arrest and reckless driving, according to the Buncombe County Detention Facility website.He is being held on a $40,000 bond.
Police in Asheville, North Carolina, arrested two men over the weekend who they said were caught stealing in flood-affected areas after Helene—one who stole from Duke Energy.
(Above video is the Monday morning headlines for Oct. 21, 2024.)
Rick Rice with the Asheville Police Department said the first arrest happened after a reported incident about 4:20 a.m. on Saturday at the Duke Energy building on Brevard Road.
Stuart Franklin Evans, 60, was caught with about $5,000 worth of copper wire stolen from the company, according to Rick.
Rice said Duke officials provided security images of the crime and confirmed the copper was theirs.
Evans was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility with no bond due to a parole violation, Rice said. He faces charges of larceny, possession of burglary tools, trespassing, parole violation, and obtaining property under false pretense.
Then, about 8 p.m. Saturday, officers arrested Dennis Gates Miller, 33, after he failed to pull over during a traffic stop and ditched the motorcycle, Rice said.
He said Miller was later arrested and officers discovered the motorcycle was stolen.
Rice said Miller was previously arrested on Oct. 9 for possessing another stolen motorcycle while attempting to steal things in the flood-affected areas around the French Broad River.
Read more about that incident here.
Miller was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, fleeing police to elude arrest and reckless driving, according to the Buncombe County Detention Facility website.
He is being held on a $40,000 bond.
