Public Safety

Leaked evidence, bail for a murder suspect and the effects of social media on criminal cases will come together in Columbus County Superior Court today with the start of Xavier Thomas’ first degree murder trial. Thomas, 24, is alleged to have killed Julian Juan Fipps, 31, during a shooting on MM Ray Road on Jan. 9, 2023. A motive for the murder has not been officially released.   In...

The driver and victim in Sunday morning’s fatal crash have been identified. Zachary Snowten, 19, of Evergreen died when his vehicle was hit on U.S. 74 around 1:30 a.m., according to the Highway Patrol. Jordan Alexander Kelly, 21, of Chadbourn rear ended Snowten’s vehicle in the west bound lane near the Union Valley exit. Kelly was driving a Chevrolet Impala automobile when he collided with Snowten’s Ford. Kelly...

Weather was not a factor in a crash that killed a driver early Sunday near Chadbourn. Sgt. J. Morton of the N.C. Highway Patrol said the driver of a Chevrolet Impala rearended a Ford Focus around 1:45 a.m., killing the driver of the Ford. The crash happened in the westbound lane on U.S. 74 near Exit 236, Morton said. While it was misting rain at the time of...