Bail set at $100,000 for 3 teens in Gravine Island incident

FOLEY, Al.
 Bond was set at $100,000 this morning for each of three teens charged as adults with first-degree burglary in the Gravine Island shooting case.

Scott Byrd               Daniel Parnell          Dillon Tyree

Baldwin County District Court Judge Jody Bishop also added the condition that the 17-year-olds have no contact with shooting victim Summer Moody or her family. Moody, also 17, was listed in critical condition at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in the latest reports made available on Tuesday.
A prosecutor in the burglary cases of Scott Tipton Byrd and Dillon Wade Tyree, both of Stapleton, and Daniel Parnell of Bay Minette, said an investigation of an incident that occurred prior to the alleged 4 a.m. fishing camp break-in is under way. "We see additional charges forthcoming," he said.
Family members for the teens present in the court hearing were emotional and one woman asked the judge to consider reducing the bond. Bishop said that as soon as attorneys file a request to that effect, a hearing would be held to consider it.
Should the teens post bail, they will remain under house arrest, the judge said.
During the hearing, Byrd and Tyree said that attorneys would be hired for their defense, and Parnell requested that a lawyer be appointed to his case.
No additional details involving the case were revealed.
The three teens had initially been charged as juveniles with a lesser offense. A person accused of carrying a weapon during a burglary can be charged with first-degree burglary, a crime with a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon said information gathered so far in the investigation led to the upgraded charges.
Moody was shot after two men at the scene each fired a shot from small-caliber rifles after they heard the group. The girl was the only person hit by a bullet, according to officials.

Brewton Bank robbery suspects caught

Brewton, Al.

Robin Ann Godwin           Norman Alvin Godwin

Less than two months after the Feb. 17 robbery of Bank of Brewton’s downtown location, FBI agents and Brewton police officers have arrested two suspects believed to be a part of the heist in what may have been a family plan.
Robin Ann Godwin, 42, of the Bluff Springs Road area in Century, Fla., was taken into custody by FBI agents at her home Thursday night. The location is an RV park just off Bluff Springs Road.
Norman Alvin Godwin, 75, of 1139 Pine Road in Brewton, was taken into custody at his residence Thursday night as well.
Sgt. Steven Ferguson with the Brewton Police Department said the arrests came after weeks of investigation and surveillance by several law enforcement agencies.
“We left no stone unturned in this investigation,” Ferguson said. ‘We had been working the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. Once we cracked these leads in the case with help from other agencies that helped make the arrests possible.”
Ferguson said officers with Brewton police, FBI, Escambia County Sheriffs Department, Escambia County, Fla., Sheriffs Department and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol worked to complete the arrests.
“This investigation is still open,” Ferguson said. “We expect other charges to be filed and other arrests to be made in this case.”
Both Robin and Norman Godwin are believed to be the prime suspects in the Feb. 17 robbery.
Ferguson said surveillance on the two locations where the arrests were made was conducted just hours before the arrests.
“We had help from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol with aerial surveillance of the Pine Road location and the Century location Thursday,” Ferguson said. “Once we had all of the descriptions for the locations we were able to get federal search warrants signed to search both locations.”
Ferguson said a search at the Pine Road residence turned up a large amount of money believed to be a part of the cash taken in the bank robbery.
Robin Godwin was booked into the Escambia County, Fla., jail as a fugitive from justice. She has been charged with first-degree robbery. She is being held without bond and extradition back to Brewton is being requested.
Norman Godwin is being held at the Escambia County (Ala.)Detention Center charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and first-degree robbery.
Bond has been set at $30,000 on the conspiracy charge and $60,000 on the robbery charge. He remained behind bars as of press time Friday.
Law enforcement officials still have not disclosed the amount of money taken during the robbery.

Woman arrested on credit card fraud charges after flagging down Tuscaloosa deputies

TUSCALOOSA, Al.
 A woman who flagged down deputies Wednesday morning near the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office to track down a supposedly stolen vehicle was arrested for credit card fraud and identity theft.

Teresa Cunningham Averette, 47, told deputies about a possibly stolen Toyota 4Runner after contacting them at 8th Street and Lurleen Wallace Blvd North, Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Andy Norris said in a news release.

Deputies located the vehicle and its owner, Richard Morgan Shirley, 51, who was found with prescription drugs that were not his, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Norris said.

"The vehicle was found to be not stolen but the object of a civil dispute," Norris said.

During the investigation, Averette was found to be wanted by the Sheriff's Office for two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. Her daughter, Bambi Tiffany Nicole Averette-Dunn, 28, was arrested for unlawful possession of prescription drugs.

All three were transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail.

Averette was charged with two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. She was released on $45,000 bond.

Averette-Dunn was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. She was released on $10,000 bond.

Shirley was charged with unlawful possession of prescription drugs, first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. His bond was set at $17,500.

More than 13,000 prescription pills stolen from Russellville pharmacy

RUSSELLVILLE, Al.
More than 13,000 prescription pills were stolen early this morning during a burglary at a pharmacy, according to Russellville Police.
An alarm at a Russellville pharmacy was triggered today around 4:45 a.m. when two individuals wearing all black with masks entered the business and stole more than 13,000 tablets of hydrocodone. Police believe there was a third individual outside, but don't have any suspects at this time.
Police said there was also an attempted burglary at another Russellville pharmacy today around 4:15 a.m.

Domestic Violence results in arrest

Rodney Rhodes, black male, 36 years of age, of Williams Avenue was arrested and charged with Domestic Violence by Strangulation or Suffocation with a $30,000 bond.

Rodney Rhodes

On April 14, 2012 the Dothan Police Department responded to a call for service at a residence on North Range Street. Upon arrival, police learned the victim received multiple injuries during a domestic related incident. Due to nature of the case, limited details are being released; however investigators say they have now arrested the suspect for the assault.

Man arrested for Second Degree Theft of Property

Christopher Randall Courson, white male, 37 years of age, is WANTED for Second Degree Theft of Property.

Dothan, Al.

Christopher Randall Courson

The Dothan Police Department is seeking the help of our local community in locating a man wanted for felony theft. Investigators signed a warrant against Courson following a lengthy investigation which revealed ongoing theft. Police say Courson, a tenant of a complex located on South Ussery Street, was tasked with collecting boarding fees from other occupants within the building. Between February and March 2012 Courson collected money from numerous tenants providing them with receipts but failing to pass the money along to the rightful owner, keeping it for himself instead. Police are asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect to call the Dothan Police Department or CrimeStoppers 334-793-7000.

Man jailed on multiple charges after leaving the scene of accident

MOBILE, Al.
 A 51-year-old man who Mobile police said left the scene of an accident Monday night was arrested later at a car detailing shop, spokeswoman Ashley Rains said.

Michael Wayne Shepherd

Michael Wayne Shepherd was charged with disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, failure to obey police, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest, Rains said. He was in Mobile County Metro Jail today on bail totaling $3,300, according to the jail records.
Police originally went to Government Boulevard and Satchel Paige Drive for the report of a traffic accident in which one driver left the scene, rains said.
Officers found the Dodge Caravan involved at 1st Class Auto Detailing in the 700 block of Holcombe Avenue, and Rains said that 2 men were in the Caravan. Rains said that the vehicle had extensive front end damage.
Rains said that Shepherd, the driver, became aggressive toward the officers while he was being taken into custody. A passenger, whom Rains did not identify, was arrested without incident on a charge of public intoxication.