Tuesday March 28,
Daily Corinthian
Partly cloudy
2017
75 cents
Vol. 121, No. 74
Today
Tonight
75
56
70% chance of T-storms
• Corinth, Mississippi • 14 pages • One section
Officials seize meth, make 3 arrests BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
Narcotics officers seized just over three pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of over $30,000 and three local women have been arrested for drug trafficking. Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell told the Daily Corinthian the huge bust in Corinth last week is an ongoing wide
scale investigation of the distribution of meth in Alcorn County. “This is part of an ongoing investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Corinth Police Department and Alcorn County Sheriff’s Office,” said Caldwell. “We anticipate more arrests in the future.” The meth was seized from a safe inside a house at 1520B Madison Street,
he said. Three women remain in the Alcorn County Jail on Monday in lieu of a $100,000 bond set on each suspect, he said. The sheriff said those arrested include 59-year-old Linda Berry of the Madison Street address where the Please see ARRESTS | 2
Tornado warning
Berry
Dyson
McAfee
Fireman accused of embezzlement BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
The secretary-treasurer of a local volunteer fire department has been arrested for embezzlement of fire department funds. Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell told the Daily Corinthian the suspect was 40-yearold Joshua Hite of Alcorn County Road 449 in Rienzi. Hite turned himself in Friday to the Alcorn County Jail, where he was released on a
$5,000 bond, said the sheriff. The fireman is accused of taking a “substantial amount” of money from the Jacinto Volunteer Fire Department, said Caldwell. As to the amount of money taken, “we can’t say right now,” he said. The arrest follows about a two-week investigation by Bryon Parker, an investigator with the sheriff’s office. It wasn’t clear whether Hite was still an active fireman with Jacinto after his arrest.
Lady steals patrol car, then crashes BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
A 30-year-old Benton County woman faces three felony charges after sheriff’s deputies found her in a shop building near Kossuth, and the suspect then tried to flee the scene in a patrol car. Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell told the Daily Corinthian the suspect was Kati Bryant. She was being held in the Alcorn County Jail on Monday with no bond set, said the sheriff. In a bizarre turn of events, the handcuffed suspect broke through the back seat cage of the patrol car, gained access to the front seat, and drove off
Photo by Andrew Canaday/Mississippi Storm Chasers
A tornado was on the ground for about five to six minutes Monday afternoon. The storm was spotted near U.S. Highway 72 in Theo.
Storm spotter follows funnel cloud BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
No damage was reported Monday afternoon after a tornado briefly touched down in northern Alcorn County. The strong line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area around 2 p.m. While multiple people spotted a funnel cloud near Magnolia Regional Health Center, it was a
local storm chaser who caught the actual tornado touchdown on film. Aaron Canaday, a Skywarn Advanced Spotter with the National Weather Service, said he saw the “moderate-strength tornado” touchdown near U.S. Highway 72 and county roads 608 and 742 in the Theo area of Alcorn County. “It wasn’t a weak system,”
he said. “Luckily, there were no homes or properties in its path. It could have been a much worst situation otherwise.” Canaday said the tornado was on the ground for about five to six minutes. Jackie Pharr with Alcorn County Emergency Services said he found “no damage” along the path of the storm. Please see TORNADO | 2
Grandfather, grandkid die in Trace accident BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
A Prentiss County grandfather and granddaughter have died after the vehicle they were traveling in went into a rainswollen creek on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Kosciusko. Johnie P. Nichols, 73, and Leah Hope Nichols, 3, both of Booneville, died in the crash which happened Saturday around 12:30 p.m. on the parkway. Parkway officials report Johnnie P. Nichols was driving a 2010 Ford F150 southbound on Trace when the vehicle crossed the center line and struck a bridge abutment. The truck then went down an embank-
Rick Jones
Please see CAR | 2
People of the Crossroads Crystal Starling, Kossuth
ment and landed upside down in a creek where it was almost completely submerged due to the large amount of water in the creek from recent heavy rains. Johnnie P. Nichols and Leah Hope Nichols were unable to escape from the overturned vehicle. Two other passengers in the vehicle, Allen Nichols and Kayla Nichols, escaped from the crash. They are the parents of Leah Hope Nichols and the son and daughter-in-law of Johnnie P. Nichols. Funeral arrangements for the grandfather and granddaughter were incomplete Monday with Kesler Funeral Home in Baldwyn.
As a deputy clerk of 13 years at the Alcorn County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Crystal Starling of Kossuth enjoys having a job with variety. “In one day, I can issue a marriage license, I can be an asset to the civil and criminal department, and I can help with the election process. I love elections. My favorite thing is when a couple who has been married for 50 years comes in from six hours away to look at the original marriage license, and I get to give them a certified copy.” She and her husband of 16 years, Brad, have three daughters who are active in athletics — Madison, 15; Macie, 10; and Marlee, 7. “I’m either here at the courthouse or I’m at a softball field,” said Starling. “I’m very blessed with my job and family.” Staff photo by Jebb Johnston
25 years ago
10 years ago
Norfolk Southern Railroad makes improvements to the crossing on Taylor Street.
Lancaster’s Cheer Force of Corinth’s senior coed squad wins the national championship at the World Wide Spirit Association Championships.
10 Year Anniversary! Doug Michael Jumper McCreary
before crashing the vehicle, said Caldwell. The three felony charges are grand larceny - taking of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault and malicious mischief. Bryant also faces four misdemeanor charges, including trespassing, disorderly conduct - failure to comply, resisting arrest and DUI. Deputies were responding about 7 p.m. Saturday to a suspicious vehicle parked at a shop building at Alcorn County Road 516 near Kossuth, said Caldwell. Two deputies and the shop owner confronted Bryant in-
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