Public Safety

After six weeks of testimony, including Darieus Rashad Washington spending hours on the stand in his own defense, a Columbus County jury returned with a guilty verdict in around an hour Monday. Washington, 23, was found guilty in the first degree murders of Alexis Ciprian Trujillo, age 5; the child’s mother, Nancy Trujillo Espinoza; and Leonel Ciprian Noyola; the attempted murder of Rafaela Noyola Jaramillo; assault with a...

Updated 3:15 p.m. Three deputies were injured after a high speed chase turned into a collision Tuesday in Chadbourn. Sheriff Bill Rogers said the incident is under investigation. The deputies were attempting to make a traffic stop around 8:30 p.m. when Deon Shareef Taplin, 29, allegedly fled along Dessie Road. The deputies were part of the CID team focusing on complaints by residents, Rogers said. Rogers said the...

One woman is dead and two people are seriously injured after a three vehicle crash in North Whiteville Monday morning (today). The wreck occurred on N.C. 410 near Silver Spoon Road, Sgt. K. McVicker of the Highway Patrol said. Trooper J. Faulk of the Patrol reported that Patrick Pendleton, 40, of Bladenboro was heading north on N.C. 410 when he passed another vehicle in a no passing zone....