Hoover teen, 14, killed in wreck on way to school

Golson         (Hoover Police Department)

HOOVER, Alabama 
A Hoover High School freshman was killed, and two others injured, on the way to school Thursday.
Dallas Virginia Golson, 14, was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival at Children's of Alabama hospital.
Her mother, Barbara Wood, said the accident is devastating.
"She was a precious, sweet girl that was loved by everybody who knew her," Wood said. "It's so sad to see such a promising life cut short."
Wood said Thursday started out just like any other day. Dallas left their Lake Crest home to walk down the street to catch the school bus. Instead of riding the bus, however, she accepted a ride from a 16-year-old friend who is a junior.
The girls, along with a 15-year-old passenger, were making a left turn from South Shades Crest Road onto Brocks Gap Parkway about 8 a.m., when they turned in front of an oncoming dump truck, authorities said.
The truck struck the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier on the passenger's side, where Dallas was sitting in the back seat.
The other two teens were also taken to Children's with non-life-threatening injuries, said Hoover police spokesman Capt. Jim Coker. The other passenger was undergoing surgery Thursday afternoon.
The 65-year-old truck driver wasn't injured.
Wood said Dallas liked to be with friends and had a passion for the outdoors. She was in the choir for three years at Simmons Middle School and attended Shades Crest Baptist Church.
She was close to her younger sister, a seventh-grader at Simmons.
"She was a beautiful girl, inside and out. She was much loved by her family," Wood said. "It's one of those things we don't understand, but have to trust there is a greater plan."
School officials told students about the accident mid-morning.
Hoover City Schools spokesman Jason Gaston said the system's Hoover Emotional Assistance Response Team immediately went to the campus.
HEART is a district-level group of counselors, teachers and administrators who help students needing emotional support during a time like this, he said.
"We are saddened to hear of the loss of one of our students this morning," Gaston said. "It's a tragedy for the entire Hoover community. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family."
Coker said the department's Crash Reconstruction Team will investigate all aspects of the circumstances that led to the collision. Dallas was wearing her seatbelt, authorities said, and there was no early indication that cell phone use had anything to do with the accident.
Coker said the requirements of the Alabama's Graduated Driver's License law will be considered in the investigation.
Under the 2010 law, it is illegal for a 16-year-old driver (and 17-year-old drivers who have been licensed less than six months) to drive with more than one non-family member passenger.
"This crash will have profound effects on not only all of those involved, but their families as well," Coker said. "It is our duty to fully investigate the crash, in order to find answers."

Huntsville pharmaceuticals company recalls birth-control pills

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals is recalling multiple lots of birth-control pills because of a packaging error that could lead to incorrect dosing and unintended pregnancies.
The company says the error caused the weekly tablet orientation to be reversed and obscuring the lot number and expiration date on certain packages. The problem could lead to inadequate contraception if women don't get the proper daily regimen of the drug.
The recall affects certain lots of Cyclafem, Emoquette, Gildess, Orsythia, Previfem and Tri-Previfem. Doctors, pharmacists and patients seeking more information can contact Qualitest at 1-877-300-6153.
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals is a unit of Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc.

Man dies after crashing car into Prattville tire store and refusing medical treatment

PRATTVILLE, Alabama 
Police are looking into the death of a man who crashed his vehicle into a storefront Tuesday morning, refused medical treatment and died later that night.

According to police, 45-year-old Donald Ian Lee drove his 2003 Ford F-150 into the Big Ten Tire store on East Main Street around 2:10 a.m., causing extensive damage to the exterior of the building.  Lee refused medical treatment on the scene and returned to his home. Tuesday evening, paramedics responded to a call at his home and took him to a Montgomery hospital, where he later died from his injuries. 

Lee was pronounced dead at Baptist around 10:30 p.m. Police say that the investigation is ongoing and the body has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. 

Mother, son arrested on drug charges

Brewton, Al.

Officers examine one of the 13 marijuana plants found

A mother and son were arrested by officers with the Narcotics Division of Brewton Police Department Wednesday morning at their home on Old Castleberry Road.
Joann Downing and her son, Joseph Aaron Downing, were arrested after officers received a tip that marijuana plants were being grown in the yard of their home.
Officers obtained a search warrant and confiscated 13 marijuana plants growing in plane view in the back yard with most of the plant being grown in pots.
A search of the home resulted in the discovery of marijuana, numerous pills and drug paraphernalia. Some evidence consistent with the sale of marijuana was also recovered at the scene.
Both Downings were transported to the Escambia County Detention Center where they were booked on the charges against them. Brewton Police are continuing their investigation into the case

Sheffield woman accused of slapping child

SHEFFIELD, Al.
A Sheffield woman faces child abuse charges amid allegations that she hit her 6-year-old daughter in the face hard enough to bloody her nose, police said Wednesday.

Jo Ann Barranco

Jo Ann Barranco, 39, 406 Austin Ave., Sheffield, is charged with torture, willful abuse of a child under 18 years old. Sheffield police Capt. Scott Wallace said several witnesses saw Barranco slap her daughter in the face.
“The child was not injured other than the bloody nose, but she could have been hurt a lot worse,” Wallace said. He said the incident occurred Friday, and arrest warrants were issued Wednesday morning.
Witnesses told police Barranco was walking on Second Street, near the Sheffield Fire Department, with three of her four children.
“She was pushing her 2-year-old daughter in a stroller and her 6-year-old twin girls were walking ahead of her,” Wallace said. “At some point, one of the girls either walked into or ran into the street.”
Witnesses said Barranco caught up to the girl, grabbed her by the head, put one of her hands at the back of her head and then slapped the child in the face.
Wallace said the Colbert County Department of Human Resources investigated the allegation. When completed, all three of Barranco’s children, along with a 12-year-old girl who was left at home alone, were placed in foster care.
“After we completed our investigation, the case was presented to the Colbert County District Attorney’s Office and Barranco was charged,” Wallace said.
The charge is a Class C felony, which is punishable by 1-10 years in prison should she be found guilty.
Barranco is being held in the Colbert County Jail on bail totaling $20,000.

Man charged with trying to sell stolen jewelry

RUSSELLVILLE , Al.
A Franklin County man is in jail after police said he tried to sell stolen jewelry to the jewelry store that is owned by a co-worker of the person who owned the jewelry.
Cody Ray Anderson, 28, 2197 Franklin 624, Russellville, is charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said this morning.
Reports indicate Anderson was charged late Wednesday afternoon after he tried to sell a wedding ring set to the owner of Artistic Jewelry in Russellville.
The owner, Neil Willis, is also a fireman and the jewelry was identified as being taken from Fire Chief Joe Mansell’s house during a burglary Monday, Russellville police investigator Lt. Scotty Lowery said.
“Neil was suspicious when the man brought the jewelry to the store,” Lowery said. “He called Mansell, who came to the business and identified the items as being his wife’s.”
Lowery said police were notified and Anderson was taken into custody. He said the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the burglary that occurred on Franklin 624.
Lowery said at the time of the arrest, Anderson was out of jail on bail for misdemeanor theft charges, so he is being held in the Russellville City Jail without bail at this time.

Brewton man charged with rape

Brewton, Al.
Brewton Police are continuing an investigation into an alleged sexual assault case involving a 4-year-old victim.
Sgt. Steven Ferguson with Brewton Police said a Brewton man was arrested after a mother suspected something wrong with her daughter.
Jessie Porterfield, 33, of Sowell Road in Brewton, was arrested and charged with first-degree rape in connection with the allegations against him.
“The mother called our office and said her daughter wasn’t acting right and she said she suspected that she had been sexually assaulted,” Ferguson said. “We responded to the call and reported the allegations to the Department of Human Resources.”
Ferguson said workers with DHR responded to the case and officials with the Regional Child Advocacy Center also became involved in the investigation of the case.
“The victim was taken to the hospital where she was examined and treated,” Ferguson said. “She was also interviewed by staff members at the Child Advocacy Center. Actually, our arrest was based on the evidence from that interview and our investigation.”
Ferguson said the incident is believed to have occurred during the morning of Sept. 8.
“We received the call that afternoon and immediately began our investigation,” Ferguson said. “Once everyone got on board with the investigation, we took about two days to gather evidence and information in the case.”
Ferguson said Porterfield was arrested Friday afternoon and was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center on the charges. He was released on $25,000 bond Monday, he said.
Ferguson said an investigation into the case is continuing.
“We want to make sure we have all our information correct and true,” Ferguson said. “This investigation is certainly not over.”