Aug. 13 (UPI) — Authorities in North Carolina are hunting for a convicted murderer who escaped police custody Tuesday morning as he was being transported to a Hillsborough medical center.
Ramon Alston, 30, escaped at around 7 a.m. by jumping from a transport van that had arrived at University of North Carolina Gastroenterology, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction said in a statement.
He had managed to free himself from leg restraints and, with his hands still handcuffed, ran into adjacent woods.
Alston is described as a Black man with friends and family in the area.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office that serves the Hillsborough area said he was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt, brown pants and white New Balance tennis shoes. His handcuffs are connected to a belly chain.
A “massive” ground search operation has been launched in a 1-2 mile radius around the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus, the sheriff’s office said, with residents being informed that they are likely to see a “heavy” law enforcement presence in the area.
Officers from multiple agencies have been checking outbuildings, ravines, unlocked vehicles and any area that may provide Alston with cover, it said.
“While the number one objective is to locate where Alston is, it is also imperative that we determine where he is not,” Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said in a statement. “Efforts will continue until Alston is in custody.”
Police are urging people in the area to keep cars, doors and windows locked.
A $25,000 has been offered for information that leads to his recapture.
Alston escaped as he was serving a life sentence at Bertie Correctional after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2018 for the Christmas Day killing of 1-year-old Maleah Williams three years prior.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Copper theft is becoming a growing problem across North Carolina, with AT&T officials warning that the crime can leave entire neighborhoods without phone or internet service and, in some cases, disrupt emergency communications.
According to AT&T, the company has recorded 215 copper theft incidents across North Carolina so far this year. Buncombe County alone has seen about 40 incidents over the past two years. Thieves often cut down or dig up communication lines, strip the copper from the wire and sell the metal for scrap.
“It’s problematic, largely from a public safety standpoint,” said Trey Rabon, president of AT&T North Carolina. “If folks need to call emergency services, need to call 911, they’re not able to access the infrastructure necessary to complete that call.”
“Sometimes we see instances where emergency communications are disrupted, communications between public safety agencies are disrupted,” Rabon added. “It has become an acute challenge, particularly in western North Carolina.”
5 CHARGED AFTER AT&T WIRE THEFTS CAUSED WIDESPREAD OUTAGES IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY
Rabon said thieves frequently target both residential and commercial communication lines, taking advantage of remote mountain locations where utility poles are often out of sight from nearby homes.
“In the mountains, oftentimes personal property is not in line of sight for other neighbors,” Rabon said. “Would-be thieves have the ability to climb a pole, disconnect a line, drive to the next pole and disconnect that line.”
In May, five people were charged in connection with multiple copper thefts across Buncombe County that investigators said caused widespread outages. Law enforcement also discovered several wire-stripping sites in Swannanoa and Leicester.
The thefts have also impacted local businesses.
SWANNANOA PIZZA SHOP SAYS INTERNET WIRES WERE STOLEN, FORCING A DAY CLOSURE
In early June, thieves cut and stole internet lines serving Good Pizza Company. Owner George Peyton said the outage forced the restaurant to close because employees could not access essential business systems.
“Nobody could clock in, couldn’t print tickets, couldn’t take phone orders, and that’s about 80 to 85% of the business,” Peyton said.
AT&T officials say one of the most effective ways to prevent copper theft is for communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
“They don’t like to operate in the light of day, and they certainly don’t want to operate with a hyper-aware and vigilant community,” Rabon said.
Anyone who suspects someone is stealing communication wire is encouraged to contact local law enforcement.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The Myrtle Beach Police Department announced Monday the arrest of a man wanted in North Carolina.
Officers arrested Leko Jones, 46, who was wanted by authorities in Burlington, North Carolina, according to the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Jones is charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault by strangulation.
The arrest resulted from a coordinated effort between the Myrtle Beach Police Department’s Patrol Division and Investigations Division, working alongside the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Investigators said they safely located Jones and took him into custody.
A section of E. 4th Street in Washington will close next week for sewer line replacement work.
According to the city, E. 4th Street from Hudnell Street to Aycock Street will be closed to local traffic on Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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