Public Safety

A Raleigh man pled guilty this week to importing thousands of counterfeit car steering wheel airbags into the Raleigh area over the past two years. The counterfeit airbags were sold locally and to online buyers through Facebook Marketplace. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mateen Mohammad Alinaghian, 31, imported approximately 2,500 counterfeit air bags into Raleigh between May 2022 and April 2024. Alinaghian imported...

Three Columbus County deputies were recognized recently for saving the lives of children in three different emergencies. “These deputies went above and beyond on critical moments to protect and save lives, embodying the true spirit of public service,” according to a press release from the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Caleb Fonvielle, Cpl. Chris Cotton, and School Resource Deputy R.J. Fowler were honored at the annual department meeting...

While aerial photos of wildfires can be breathtaking, drones are a flight hazard when crews are fighting wildfires. By law, wildfires are a no-drone zone in North Carolina. N.C.G.S. §15A-300.4 prohibits any person, entity or state agency from using an unmanned aircraft system, i.e., drone, within either a horizontal distance of 3,000 feet or a vertical distance of 3,000 feet from any wildfire within the jurisdiction of the...