Public Safety

A Sunday night crash has claimed a second victim, bringing the county highway death toll to ten this year. Heather Nichole “Nikki” Pennington died Tuesday from injuries sustained in Sunday night’s crash near Chadbourn. Pennington, 36, and Josh Thorp, 43, were traveling east on China Grove Church Road Sunday evening when Thorp’s car went off the road, struck a ditch, a driveway culvert and a utility pole, then...

It’s all fun and games until the blue lights are activated. Tyrone Allen Mills, 54, of 3397 Will Inman Rd., Tabor City, was charged with damaging personal property, failure to heed blue light and siren, and trespassing in the incident. His bond was set at $5,000. Shortly before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, a 911 caller said Mills was spinning tires through a field belonging to Ward Stocks. The property...

The driver in a high speed chase Friday was caught after he fell in mud while running away on foot. Zackery Gage Faircloth, 29, of Green Sea, S.C., is being held under $41,000 secured bond in the Columbus County Detention Center. He faces charges of felony fleeing to elude arrest, resisting an officer, damage to property, maintaining a vehicle for drug activities, possession of heroin, misdemeanor marijuana possession,...