Friday, June 03, 2011
EKB Capsule News...West Virginia...6-4-'11
- Huntington Police say Mary Robinette, 25, was driving westbound on I-64 near Huntington around 10:30 P.M. Thursday when she crossed the median and hit a vehicle driven by 62 year old Nicola Graham. Graham's Jeep caught fire, trapping her inside. Three people who were passing by stopped and pulled Graham out of her vehicle. Both Robinette and Graham were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center where they were listed in serious condition. Police believe the crash is alcohol-related.
- Michael A. Clark was arrested Thursday night and charged with two counts of animal cruelty, one count of failure to process and one count of public intoxication after police say he threw kittens in a dumpster behind the Central City Market in Huntington. If convicted, Clark faces up to 10 years in prison and several fines.
- People who possess or sell "bath salts" and K2 in South Charleston can now face 30 days in jail and up to a $500 fine. Thursday night, the South Charleston City Council passed two separate ordinances, one banning the possession and sale of synthetic cocaine and the other banning synthetic marijuana in city limits. Also at Thursday night's meeting, South Charleston welcomed three new firefighters. The men were officially sworn-in and given the city's blessing to perform their duties. The new hires bring South Charleston's ranks to 40 full-time paid firefighters.
- Felony sex charges against 27 year old Autumn Faulkner, a former Elkins Middle School teacher, have been dismissed for a second time. Faulkner was charged with sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian and third-degree sexual assault. The charges involved a 15-year-old male student. Circuit Judge Jaymie Godwin Wilfong dismissed the charges because prosecutors failed to provide discovery items to the defense. The items include a video interview of the teenager and an audiotape of statements Faulkner gave to investigators. Wilfong dismissed the charges without prejudice, meaning a grand jury could re-indict Faulkner. Wilfong dismissed the charges last December after ruling that a member of the grand jury panel had prior information about the case.
- Early voting in Putnam County started June 1st and will continue through June 11th. Hurricane, Buffalo, Bancroft, Poca and Winfield residents who wish to vote in their municipal election can do so in their town hall during regular business hours on weekdays. All early voting sites will be open during regular town hall business hours on weekdays and from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 4th and June 11th. The official Election Day is on Tuesday, June 14, when polling places will be open from 6:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M.
- The FBI is asking the public for help in solving a string of robberies at financial institutions across southern West Virginia. Wednesday, a white male robbed the Universal Credit Union in the Huntington Mall in Barboursville. That robbery marked the sixth robbery at a bank or credit union since mid-January in the southern part of the state. FBI detectives and local law enforcement are linking the most recent robbery to one on May 26th at the Pioneer Federal Credit Union in South Charleston. Law enforcement is seeking the public's help to solve the following four robberies:
* Jan. 20 -- a black male robbed the City National Bank on U.S. 60 East in Huntington
* March 8 -- a black male robbed the Blennerhassett Federal Credit Union in Vienna
* April 30 -- a white male robbed the Chase Bank at the Kanawha Mall in Charleston
* May 16 -- a white male robbed the BB&T Bank on Hal Greer Boulevard in Huntington
- The FBI is working with Barboursville, Charleston, Huntington, South Charleston and Vienna police and the Cabell County Sheriff's Department on the cases. Anyone with information regarding any of the robberies is asked to call the nearest FBI office or their local 911 center.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:17 PM 
