Public Safety

Two alleged robbers were jailed after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop with Whiteville Police on Monday (June 13). Andre Alexander Freeman, 37 and Marissa Garcia, 34, both of Whiteville, were arrested after a high speed chase and a brief foot pursuit, according to Whiteville Police Chief Paul Rockenbach. In a press release, WPD said that officers were notified by Columbus Central of a vehicle identified in an armed...

Joseph Stevens will spend the next 15 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to being a habitual felon in possession of opiates. Stevens. 39, was arrested in a drug investigation at the Econo-Lodge in Whiteville on March 6, 2024. Investigators raided his home on Mt. Moriah Church Road in April 2025. The District Attorney’s Office said oxycodone, hydrocodone and other drug-related items were seized in each...

A man’s gunsafe was cracked and $20,000 in firearms stolen while he was in jail, according to the sheriff’s office. The victim told deputies that he had recently been incarcerated, and when he was released, he came home Country Village Estates to discover that the gunsafe had been pillaged. He also reported that $5,000 cash was missing with the firearms. A list of the weapons was not included...