Hickory Church Reports Break-in, Arson

Hickory police officers are investigating a larceny and arson case after items were stolen from the Sweetwater Presbyterian Church in Hickory on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

The church's pastor called police Wednesday morning after she arrived at 9:00 and found the church had been broken into and a fire set in the vestibule.

Though the fire went out before causing substantial damage, burglars stole assorted audio/video equipment. Investigators from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case together with the Catawba County Fire Marshal's Office.

Authorities discovered a tire tool on one of the church's desks, and assume it was used to gain access to the building. The suspect had entered the building through a side door.

Anyone with information on this case can contact the Hickory Police Department by calling (828) 328-5551.

Woman in Jail after Maiming Neighbors with Hot Grease!

Regina Terry

Regina Terry faces multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon- serious injury and maiming without malice after she threw hot grease on her neighbors Sunday afternoon.  According to police, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, served a search warrant on her apartment late Sunday night.

Police responded to a fight call at 1511 Polk Street after a group of girls & women got into an argument around 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon.   Neighbors say they heard arguing for about 10 to 15 minutes and then saw Terry throw hot grease on people from the neighboring apartment.

Police say eight people in all were hurt. The victims range from a 1-year old to a 42-year old. Four of the victims were taken to a burn center in Chapel Hill, NC. Two others were treated and released at CMC. One person did not seek treatment.  Medic was called to return to the scene after 6pm and transported a 3-year old to the hospital to treat superficial burn wounds to her arms  Neighbors say Terry took off shortly after throwing the grease but police tracked her down and arrested her a short time later.

Mother Admits Guilty Role in the Deaths of her Two Children

Orgal Opata

On February 28, 2010, at 6:06 am, CMPD and the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) were dispatched to a house located at 920 Rowan Street in response to a house fire. There were four children located at the scene who had been inside the house at the time of the fire.  Two of the children, Miracle (age 7) Elisha (age 4) were able to escape, however; their two younger brothers, 14-month-old Gabriel Hawthorne and 26-month-old Josiah Hawthorne, were found deceased inside the house.

The Medical Examiner determined the cause of death for both Gabriel and Josiah Hawthorne to be smoke inhalation/carbon monoxide toxicity due to house fire. The fire investigation performed by the CFD determined that the fire started in the bedroom where the children had been sleeping.

Orgal Paulette Opata, age 27, is the biological mother of all four children and lived with them at the house located at 920 Rowan Street. Opata left the four children home alone in the early morning hours of February 28, 2010, while she went out with a friend. While left unattended, one of the children began to play with the heater and it caught fire. Opata was charged in connection with the house fire and resulting deaths of Josiah and Gabriel. Opata admitted that she left her children alone that night while she went out and, that when she left, the kerosene heater was on.

Opata stated that the kerosene heater was the only heat source in the home and that she and her children had spent that entire winter living at 920 Rowan Street without central heat. They also had no hot water at their house except for a couple of weeks in November 2009. The house they had lived in the previous winter had no central heat and they used space heaters at that house in an attempt to stay warm.

Opata chose to spend money on things other than the heat during the winter months (her nails, hair, clubs, etc.) while her children were subjected to living in the cold. On February 28, 2010, by leaving the children alone with a kerosene heater, Opata acted in such a reckless and careless manner as to show a thoughtless disregard for consequences and a heedless indifference to the safety of her children and is therefore guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter for the deaths of Josiah and Gabriel Hawthorne.

Opata plead guilty to two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter, three counts of Felony Child Abuse and four counts of Exposing Children to Fire. All of the sentences are in the aggravated range under North Carolina’s sentencing guidelines and will run consecutively for a total prison sentence of 10-13 years in prison.  The aggravating factors that apply to this case are N.C.G.S. 15A-1340.16(d)(6): the offense proximately caused serious injury to a firefighter; (d)(11): the victims were very young; (d)(15): the defendant took advantage of a position of trust or confidence, including a domestic relationship, to commit the offense.

Opata was sentenced by The Honorable W. Robert Bell, Superior Court Judge, of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. Prior to this case being resolved in court, the assigned prosecutor met with Josiah and Gabriel’s biological father, Jerry Hawthorne, as well as their paternal grandmother, Alesia Greene.

** Opata was arrested in October of 2009 when her baby was found wandering alone on the streets in a diaper and t-shirt.  She was charged with 3 counts of neglect.  Where was DSS???  Opata always had nice hair and nails but couldn't afford to pay for heat and DSS found her a decent mother?  She had four children at home but it was more important for her to go out clubbing, pick up a guy and go off to a motel, while her two children died in a house fire AND WE GIVE HER ONLY 10 YEARS IN JAIL???  This is sick!  Who is advocating for the children in this city?

Charlotte’s Fire Investigation Task Force Arrest

Investigators with Charlotte’s Fire Investigation Task Force have arrested Jason Scott Chappell, 16, in connection with a fire involving several pieces of heavy equipment and a refueling tanker at a construction site at 1015 Mt. Holly – Huntersville Road on Jue 9, 2009.


The construction site is the location of the new River Oaks Academy which is a new Charlotte - Mecklenburg elementary school location. The equipment involved included a 2,000 gallon fuel tanker, two large Caterpillar Bulldozers and an additional Caterpillar backhoe. The refueling tanker and one of the Bulldozers were completely destroyed as result of the fire.

In addition to the fire damage, EPA was notified due to the diesel fuel spill from the tanker which required soil and water contamination clean up. Total damage is estimated at $250,000.00.

Warrants were served on Chappell yesterday for Burning of Personal Property and Malicious Use of Incendiary material. He is currently being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail under a $150,000.00 secured bond.

Suspected Serial Arsonist Charged in 4 Fires

WCNC: A suspected serial arsonist is in jail after fire investigators say he set at least four fires over the past two years. Charles Winchester, 30, was arrested Sunday.

"Right now, he's charged with four fires, but there may be some other fires that we're able to identify him as well as being responsible for," said David Lowery, chief investigator for the Charlotte Fire Department.

Lowery says so far they've connected Winchester to a fire dating back to 2007. That was a vacant mobile home on Hoskins Road. Detectives with the Arson Task Force say he set another fire at a vacant home on Hovis Road in 2008.

Just last month, police arrested him for setting two separate fires, both within the same week, at a car storage lot on Newberry Street. Fourteen cars were torched. "While nobody was hurt you see a repeated pattern here. Year after year, I mean even from 2007, he's been creating these fires, causing these fires," said Lowery. That is why investigators wanted him off the streets.

"Eventually, if things continued there's a good possibility somebody could've got hurt," said Lowery. "Any person who sets a fire in the city of Charlotte is very dangerous because they're using -- instead of using a gun, they're using an open flame. It's just as dangerous," he said.
Investigators wouldn't say how Winchester allegedly set the fires.

Arrest made in Wheatside Drive Arson Case

On Friday, July 11th, CMPD University City Division officers along with the Charlotte Fire Department and the Arson Task Force responded to a reported fire at 10347 Wheatside Drive .

The officers and detectives began canvassing the area looking any possible witnesses or suspects. Based on the investigation at the scene, officers were able to identify a suspect who confessed to starting the fire.

Today, a detective from the Arson Task Force obtained a juvenile petition for the suspect for Burning of Personal Property and officers took him into custody. Due to his age, the suspect’s name is not being released. The suspect was transported to Gatling Juvenile Center where he is currently being detained.

CMPD and the Arson Taskforce is still investigating the other arson cases on Wheatside Drive to determine if the suspect is involved in any additional cases. Since June 30, 2008, there have been 5 arson cases on Wheatside Drive.

Man Charged for Setting Charlotte Business Fire

Police say David Lee Ward, 42, is responsible for setting a fire that destroyed Perkinson Company, a business located on East Peterson Drive. Ward is a former employee.

David Ward was arrested with the help of vigilant neighbors who spotted Ward prior to the fire in front of the business. The neighbors sensed suspicious activity and wrote down his license plate number.

Ward is charged with malicious use of an explosive device to damage property, burning of uninhabited buildings and larceny by employee.

Woman Burns Man During Domestic Dispute

Charlene Jenkins, 43, was arrested this morning on Newland Road after she burned a man by kicking over a container of kerosene during a domestic disturbance.

Police say the victim suffered serious burns to his lower body. He is recovering in a burn center.

Jenkins is charged with first degree arson, malicious use of an explosive device and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill. She is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail without bond.

Patricia Ryan Drive Triple Homicide

UPDATE: 2-13-09: CMPD’s Homicide detectives have identified and charged a suspect in the Patricia Ryan triple homicide from February 4, 2008. Justin Duane Hurd, 30, was arrested in Fairborn, Ohio, yesterday February 12, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. on a grand theft auto charge that originated in Cinicinnati, Ohio.

Mr. Hurd was taken into police custody by members of the SOFAST Task Force (Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team) which is comprised of federal and local authorities. He is currently being held in the Clark County Jail in Ohio. Additionally Mr. Hurd has been charged with three counts of murder for the deaths of Kevin Ashley Young, Kinshasa Wagstaff, and Jasmine Ranae Hines. Mr. Young and Ms. Wagstaff were found in the burned remains of the house at 6002 Patricia Ryan Drive in Charlotte. Ms. Hines was found on Howell Ridge Road in Huntersville by a passing motorist.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Huntersville Police Departments along with the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) have been actively investigating this incident. Based on physical evidence detectives identified Mr. Hurd as a suspect. Detectives continue working other aspects of this case and are still seeking and looking to identify additional co-defendants.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a homicide detective. Detective P. Rainwater is the lead detective assigned to the case. In addition, you may also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Huntersville Police Department detectives are continuing to investigate a triple murder and arson that occurred on February 4th. It is a joint investigation because two victims were found murdered inside a burning home on Patricia Ryan Drive, located in Charlotte. A third victim was found by a passing motorist on Howell Ridge Road, located in Huntersville. Police say the two incidents are connected. CMPD has positively identified one of the two victims found inside the burning house on Patricia Ryan Drive as Kevin Ashley Young, 34, also known as "Fergie". Some media outlets have identified the victim as Paul Jenkins, which was an alias. Efforts to identify the second victim found inside the home are continuing. Huntersville Police identified the woman found on Howell Ridge Road as Jasmine Ranae Hines, 18.

Detectives continue working other aspects of the case and are interested in identifying and interviewing the man and vehicle pictured. The van is believed to be a Chevrolet Venture- extended model.
If you have information about the man or van shown in the photos above, please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or the Huntersville Police Department at 704-875-6542. * View CMPD Press Release

Man Arrested after Setting Fire to Apartments

Early Saturday morning, Charlotte Fire Department responded to an apartment complex on West 26th Street after two fires were intentionally set. No residents were hurt in the fire.

Police arrested James Otis Gladden at the scene of the fire and charged him with fire degree arson, malicious use of explosive damage property and misuse of the 911 system. His bail was set at $55,000.

Arson Suspect Arrested for Myers Park Fire

Early this morning, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers arrested 29-year old Edward Tinsley (R) for setting fire to a home under renovations on Briarcliff Place. CFD reported the damage to the million dollar home to be approximately $250,000.

One month ago, two other unoccupied homes were set on fire in the Myers Park neighborhood. CFD said arson investigators are working to see if Tinsley is responsible for those as well. One of the arson's occurred on Sharon Rd, where Tinsley resides.

Tinsley is charged with breaking & entering and setting fire to uninhabited houses. His bail is set at $500,000.

Dilworth's Serial Arsonist Sentenced

Last June, Susan Elaine Davidson (R) was charged with multiple counts of arson after she set numerous fires in the Dilworth area of Charlotte. Using forensics, investigators were able to connect and charge Davidson for four of the fires, however, they believe she is responsible for several more.

Davidson terrorized the residents of the Dilworth community for six months. She set fires outside homes in the middle of the night- using items from her home, such as cooking grease and paper towels. Davidson's fires damaged several homes and left residents awake at night- praying they wouldn't be the next target of the serial arsonist.

Susan Davidson was charged with two counts of first degree arson, burning of uninhabited structures and setting fire to grass/brush land. Earlier this year, she struck a plea deal with prosecutors. Davidson escaped jail time and received 36 months (3 years) of supervised probation. In addition, she is banned from stepping foot in the Dilworth area.

Arsonist Targets Myers Park Neighborhood

Early this morning, an arsonist set fire to two vacant homes in the Myers Park neighborhood. Fire officials say both fires are the work of an arsonist.

The first fire broke out around 2:45am on Chilton Place. It took firefighters nearly an hour to control the fire and the house suffered extensive damage. Police reported the front door of the house was open when they arrived and they could see the flames inside. The damage to the home is estimated at $200,000.

A second fire was set in a vacant home on Sharon Road around 6:15 this morning. Officials say the front door was wide open- the same as the first house. A CFD firefighter was struck by debris and suffered injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released. The damage to the second home is estimated at $50,000.

Some news stations are reporting the fire was set using an accelerant but fire officials have not confirmed these reports. If you have information about the fires, please call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

The Crime Infested Star Choice Hotel...

UPDATE (2/15/07) A Judge has ordered the hotel to close its doors within four days.

On Monday, Carson Chambers at WBTV reported about the City of Charlotte filing a temporary restraining order against the Star Choice Hotel and Residence. This is the first legal step in getting the hotel shut down.

I went down to the courthouse and obtained a copy of the preliminary injunction. From what I read, it is perfectly clear this hotel is a one stop shop for drugs, prostitution and other criminal activity. Hopefully, the Judge who hears this case will make the right decision and shut down this crime infested hotel until they clean it up.

The hotel is located at 3024 East Independence Blvd. I took a trip to the hotel and took some photos. Of course, I was not about to go inside and get a look but the outside was enough... if you want to judge a book but its cover. The exterior of the building is run down. The parking garage looks as if it is about to collapse and the swimming pool is run down.

On December 30, 2003, Chican Hospitality Ltd. purchased the Star Choice Hotel. According to the court records, Chican Hospitality is a corporation organized in Alberta, Canada. The hotel opened in January of 2004.

Several CMPD police officers' sworn statements are included in the court documentation. Police say the street crimes division started to receive information and complaints about the hotel soon after it was opened.

The complaints included drug sales and prostitution occurring on the property and surrounding area on a daily basis. Police learned that several residents of the hotel are convicted criminals and even the so-called "security guards" were involved in the illegal activity.

Police met with the owners and managers of the hotel numerous times over the past few years. Officers tried to work with the owners to take steps to eliminate the criminal activity occurring on the premises.

The hotel management does not have any controls in place to limit access to the building or the hotel parking garage. They did not have any check-in policies and they were allowing 3rd parties to pay for others' rooms.

On several occasions, the hotel owners and management committed to improving the conditions of the hotel and take steps to curtail the illegal activities happening on the property.

In 2005, the hotel Manager signed a letter of commitment entering the "Crime Free Hotel/Motel Program" and wrote a letter to the Chief Stephens expressing his desire to commit to the program. Clearly, the hotel owners and management were giving the police lip service.

In addition to the problem with criminal activity at the hotel, the local residents who live behind the hotel have been invaded. Residents of the Echo Hills neighborhood have seen an increase in criminal activity in their neighborhood. Neighborhood residents have been robbed at gunpoint, prostitutes wonder the streets in front of their homes, drug deals are made in the street and they have had an increase of home break-ins.

Police have conducted three undercover sting operations at the Star Choice Hotel.

The first operation was in April of 2006. It lasted for one hour- from 2:00-3:00 in the afternoon. In one hour, police were able to purchase crack & cocaine from two different people. They were solicited by one male and one female prostitute. Police saw one hand to hand drug transaction and found a used condom in the stairwell.

In addition to the criminal activities, police documented that the rooms are unsanitary. They observed heavily soiled mattresses with what appeared to be urine and other bodily fluids.

Police conducted the second sting operation in May of 2006. The sting lasted for three hours from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Undercover police purchased drugs from five different people. They were solicited by one prostitute and busted a woman for smoking a crack pipe in the parking lot.

In November of 2006, police conducted the third sting operation. The sting was two hours long and police were able to purchase marijuana, crack, cocaine and were solicited by one prostitute. In addition to busting the criminals, police arranged for a third party purchase of a room and the hotel allowed it.

From January 1, 2003 to November 30, 2006, police responded to 559 service calls at the Star Choice Hotel and they filed 121 criminal offense reports. During this time period, police arrested 108 people who were either inside or outside the Star Choice Hotel. (see slide show below for photos)

In the Echo Hills neighborhood, which the Star Choice Hotel is a part of, police have filed 366 Part I crime incident reports. Part I incidents include the crimes of homicide, rape, robbery, larceny, drug possession, rape, vehicle theft, assault and arson.

Another notable thing to mention is that the Star Choice Hotel & Residence represents itself on the internet as having "clean and quality rooms at affordable rates." Can you imagine coming in from out of town expecting a decent hotel and find this place? One thing they say on the website is probably true... "Many returning guests swear by us!" However, they fail to mention the 'returning guests' are criminals.

The following slide show contains mugshots of the criminals who reside at the Star Choice Hotel and those who have been arrested on the premises:

* View all of CrimeInCharlotte Slideshows *

Nevin Rd Fire Ruled Arson

Earlier tonight, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and the Charlotte Fire Department responded to a vacant house fire on the 5600 block of Nevin Road. Four subjects were inside the vacant house- set the fire and then fled into the woods behind the house. Police searched the neighborhood and called in the K-9 unit to track the subjects but they were unsuccessful. The Charlotte Fire Department has ruled the fire as arson. The shown photos were taken by Photographer Jonathan Jones.

16 Year Old Arrested for Arson

Police have arrested 16 year old Johnny Davis (R) who confessed to starting a fire early this morning at a vacant apartment on Frew Rd. Police said that after bringing Davis in for questioning, Davis confessed to starting the Frew Rd fire and five others as well. Four of those fires were brush fires and the fifth was a fire he set at the same Frew Road apartment complex on November 1st.

Johnny Davis is no stranger to CMPD or the Mecklenburg County jail. The recent arrest is his 5th arrest this year. In January, Davis was arrested for assault on a female & spent nearly a month in jail. He was arrested again in August for assault & battery. In September, Davis was arrested for larceny of a firearm.

On Monday, Davis was arrested for larceny of a firearm, injury to personal property and interfering with emergency communications. He was released yesterday and now he is back in jail facing multiple arson related charges.

Kids Charged with Arson

According to a police report, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have arrested two juveniles after a house for sale in East Charlotte almost burned down. Fire investigators say the fire was arson.
The fire happened on Trysting Road near W.T. Harris Boulevard around 2:00 pm on Saturday. Flames were showing from the two-story home when fire crews arrived. They were able to save half of the house.

The police report says that the two children entered the vacant residence and while inside, "intentionally ignited an artificial fire log inside the living room area on the floor. The fire quickly spread to the rest of the house and destroyed the structure."

Charlotte Fire Department Captain Rob Brisley says the damage to the house is estimated at $50,000. One firefighter injured his knee while fighting the fire. He was treated and released from the hospital on Saturday. No other injuries were reported. Source: WSOC-TV

Arson Suspects Arrested

Three men were arrested yesterday for arson for setting fire to the unoccupied Upton's located at 5800 Albemarle Rd.

The three suspects are: Wayne Allen Gay (45 years old), George Talbert (47 years old) and Darnell Littlejohn (49 years old)

Arsonist Arrested

Police have taken a man into custody after a fire that damaged a vacant building this afternoon in the 4900 block of Sunset Road. No injuries were reported in the blaze, which firefighters brought under control about 1:30 p.m., a half-hour after it started. Authorities were forced to close Sunset Road for a short time, while crews battled the blaze.

Charlotte fire Capt. Rob Brisley said members of the Charlotte Fire Investigation Task Force were called to the scene. He said that as a result of their investigation, Thomas John Schuster, 36, was taken into custody. Brisley said he was among three men who were in a nearby building. Damage to the building was estimated at $30,000.

Thomas John Schuster is no stranger to police. In the past two years, he was arrested 5 times. His charges have included breaking & entering, assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. Source: The Charlotte Observer

Another Arrest in Van Fire

CMPD has made another arrest in the arson of a Charlotte Catholic High School van.

Officers said Adam Michael Krueger, 17, (R) helped three other people burn a van on school campus last Monday. They charged him with aiding and abetting the burning of personal property and aiding and abetting of malicious damage by use of an incendiary device.

He is the fourth suspect to be charged in the burning of the van at Catholic High School. Police have also charged two juveniles and one adult, John O'Brien, for setting that fire. Police said O'Brien also set a clubhouse on fire at the Waterford Square Apartments last Tuesday. Source: WCNC