November 10, 2004
CHEROKEE SENTINEL & BUSINESS REPORT
Page 3A
NEWS & JUMPS
Chase: Man runs from police - captured each time Continued from page 1A
man began Saturday about 10 p.m. when Murphy Police Investigator Donnie Burchfield stopped Chambers for suspicion of driving while impaired (DWI) on Tennessee Street. “I was doing a field sobriety test and he got mouthy, ” Burchfield said. “When I attempted to arrest him, he ran. ” Burchfield said Chambers “was fast ”. He chased him for awhile and Chambers went into the Hiwassee River at the railroad tracks. Cherokee County Sheriff ’s officials, TVA Police and North Carolina Highway Patrol officers participated in the chase, in which Chambers got into and out of the river about three times. About 1 a.m. Chambers tried to get into a house on Joe Brown Highway, Burchfield said. He knocked at a door and asked a woman if he could come in and warm up. The woman refused and called 911. Chambers took off again. Later, early Sunday morning, Cherokee County Sheriff ’s Deputy Luis Edwards spotted Chambers at the West Motel. The chase began again and Chambers went back into the river near Family Auto Sales, near Lowe ’s. Finally, about 4:30 a.m., Cherokee County Sheriff ’s deputies Andrew Pierpoint and Joe Wood pulled Chambers out
of the river behind Konehete Park. “Every one was water logged, ” Burchfield said. Chambers didn ’t fight police but he gave them an identification with a false name. His real name was discovered later and police found that he was wanted in Florida on a probation violation on a burglary conviction, Burchfield said. Rescue personnel had been called in because police feared that Chambers might drown or die from exposure and hypothermia. He was shivering severely after being taken from the river. Temperatures Saturday night and early Sunday were in the low 40s. Chambers was taken to the Cherokee County jail and charged with DWI, reckless driving, obstructing and delay-
ing arrest and damage to property. Some equipment belonging to police and sheriff ’s deputies were damaged when they went into the river after Chambers. He was probably going to be charged with extradition to Florida. Florida authorities said Chambers had violent tendencies. The second chapter of the saga began Monday morning when officers took Chambers to MMC Urgent Care in Valley Village Shopping Center. Chambers was reportedly being treated for a foot problem. Chambers fled the office, lost one flip flop outside the center and raced, wearing a bright orange jail outfit, across the parking lot, across Andrews Road, behind the site where a new North Carolina Credit
Union is being constructed and up the mountain in back of the building. Lawmen gave chase up the mountain. Law enforcement officers converged on the area. A spotter airplane circled overhead trying to spot him. Graham County Sheriff ’s officials said they would bring police dogs to the scene. Cherokee County school officials instituted a lockdown during the height of the chase at Murphy High School, Murphy Middle School and Murphy Elementary School. A message over the police scanner stated that Chambers ’ girlfriend, from Tampa, Florida, had been found along with her truck at the Employment Security Commission office, just down the road from where Chambers disappeared into the woods.
Students make use of old shoe boxes for good
Lowe ’s n Continued from page 1A
nity. Bill Forsyth, director of Cherokee County Economic Development Commission, said the store will have a big impact on the area, adding 100 full-time jobs with pay equivalent to local industry. Hatala presented a check for $1,000 to Glenda Stiles for the Cherokee County Special Olympics. “We feel so special to be chosen for one of their (Lowe ’s) first donations, ” Stiles said. Lynn West, a Martins Creek resident, was one of the first shoppers in Lowe ’s. He said he has had to drive to Franklin to shop at Lowe ’s. The small hardware stores “really try to meet your needs, ” he said. Diane Kozel, also a Martins Creek resident, said it is more economical to shop at a Murphy Lowe ’s than to have to drive over the mountain. Hollis Moss, from Marble, was one of the early Lowe ’s shoppers. “I think it is great, ” he said. “We have been looking forward for a long time to this. We are proud to have it. Now, we won ’t have to go to Franklin or Cleveland, Tenn. (to go to Lowe ’s). ”
the patrol car. Present Cherokee County charges against Chambers are DWI, reckless driving to endanger, resisting public officer (five counts), injury to personal property (five counts), no operators license and communicating threats. More charges could be brought against Chambers later.
In Loving Memory of Velma McClure Mom, Your first birthday in Heaven. How wonderful it must be celebrating the day with Jesus. Free from all pain and care surrounded by heavenly angels. We all miss you deeply. You were the sunshine of our lives. No one could ever fill your place. You did not take your journey alone. A part of us went with you the day God called you home. God only knows the pain we share. Your memory will always remain dear and precious to our hearts. We miss your sweet smile, we long to feel your gentle touch. We know you are home now safe and secure in the arms of Jesus. We love you dearly “Mom. ” We all wish you a “Happy Birthday. ” Sleep in peace until we meet again. Love You Forever, Your Wonderful Family
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Scam alert The Cherokee County Sheriff ’s Department reports a telephone scam. The scammers call people on the telephone and say they are with a federal government grant program. The scammer asks for bank account information and numbers for a processing fee. They promise thousands of dollars. There has been one incident in Cherokee County, the sheriff ’s department reported. If anyone believes he has been contacted by these scam artists, call the sheriff ’s department at (828) 8372589 or (828) 837-3132.
About 2:15 p.m., several hours after Chambers escaped from Urgent Care, officers spotted him on a bank above Valley River Car Wash. Chambers was finally pulled from a kudzu patch and escorted down the bank, across Andrews Road and into a sheriff ’s patrol car. Armed lawmen stood by as he was escorted to
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Sentinel photo submitted
Corky Cook, the relay center coordinator for Samaritan's purse, a Christmas shoebox project for the hurting and needy children of the world, poses with participants from Murphy Adventist School. Students from M.A.S. have stuffed boxes with school supplies, toiletries, candy, and toys with the hope of helping an unfortunate child somewhere in the world. Many have included pictures of themselves and notes in their boxes with the hope of receiving a return letter some day from the child who receives their gift. Participating in the shoebox project is part of the student body's goal to help the suffering children of the world. Thanks to Mrs. Cook, a member of the local Seventh-day Adventist Church, for coordinating this fantastic project. She says, "The ultimate purpose of the shoebox project is to share the love of Jesus."
Snow/Carpenter: The Battle is still on Continued from Page 1A
thing like the election, we will get our fair share (of votes). ” A spokesman for the Cherokee County Board of Elections said approximately 56 percent of registered Cherokee County voters voted in last week ’s election. The average turnout is about 40 percent. Provisional ballots in
District 50 are Cherokee 50, Clay 74, Graham 22, Swain 19, Haywood 100, Jackson 500, Macon 90 and Transylvania 412. The election breakdown for Snow and Carpenter are as follows: Cherokee County Carpenter 5,010, Snow 5,962; Clay County - Carpenter 2,432, Snow 2,321; Graham County -
Carpenter 1,879, Snow 1,849; Haywood County - Carpenter 1,673, Snow 1,604; Jackson County - Carpenter 5,979, Snow 7,733; Macon County Carpenter 8,041, Snow 6,553; Swain County - Carpenter 1,919, Snow 3,053; Transylvania County Carpenter 6,261, Snow 8,066.
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