Friday,
July 4, 2003
Maryland
Cocaine Dealer In Custody
Frank
Maurice Burrell Arrested By Task Force At Halifax County
Convenience Store
A
man described by police as a "major purchaser and supplier
of cocaine" was arrested yesterday by members of the
Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task
Force, according to Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam.
Frank Maurice Burrell, 33, of Trotter Lane in Gaithersburg,
Maryland, was arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy
to violate the Drug Control Act and one count of attempting
to possess cocaine with intent to distribute cocaine.
"Burrell was arrested as he drove onto a convenience
store parking lot in Halifax County," Pulliam said
yesterday.
At the time of his arrest, officers from the Drug Enforcement
Agency and members of the task force surrounded Burrell
and took the suspected drug dealer into custody.
Police seized a large amount of cash which was in a hidden
compartment in Burrell's vehicle, according to Pulliam.
According to the task force coordinator, the charges against
Burrell stem from a two-year investigation.
"The investigation revealed Burrell was a major purchaser
and supplier of cocaine," he said. "Halifax County
was just one of the communities in which he conducted his
cocaine operation."
Pulliam said investigators believe the operation stretched
from New York to North Carolina.
After Burrell was taken into custody, several homes were
searched in Maryland.
"A large quantity of cocaine was seized with a street
value of approximately $52,000," Pulliam reported.
"Additional arrests are forthcoming," Pulliam
said. "Federal prosecution is expected against this
organization."
Burrell is currently being held in the Halifax Regional
Jail without bond.
Agencies working on the investigation with the task force
include the DEA, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control, the Virginia State Police, the South Boston Police
Department and the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.
In other task force matters, members of the task force have
taken another step to stem the flow of illegal drugs in
the county by shutting down another major cocaine operation
based in South Boston.
Pulliam said Wednesday that three alleged major crack cocaine
dealers were arrested this week.
Jamel Lamar Faulkner, 28, of Ridge Street in South Boston,
Timothy Shakeel Carr, 33, of Crawley Avenue in South Boston,
and Craig Napoleon Hammonds, 30, of Highway 92 in Chase
City, were arrested and each were charged with one count
of conspiracy to violate the Drug Control Act.
According to the task force coordinator, the investigation
into the operation revealed that Faulkner, the alleged ringleader
of the group, was responsible for distributing approximately
80 kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine over the past
two years, with a street value of $7.8 million.
"His organization operated in three states," Pulliam
said.
During the arrest, task force officers seized a large quantity
of crack cocaine with a street value of approximately $29,000.
Pulliam expects more arrests in connection with the organization
in the future.
"These arrests are just the beginning," he said.
"Additional co-conspirators will be arrested in the
near future."
He said investigators will seek federal prosecution against
the three.
Working with the Southside Drug Task Force in Mecklenburg
County, the task force was able to arrest Hammonds in Chase
City.
Pulliam said Hammonds, who police believe was the manager
of drug sales for the organization in Mecklenburg County,
was arrested on a traffic stop.
Police seized crack cocaine and marijuana with a street
value of approximately $3,000 at the time of Hammonds' arrest.
Faulkner and Carr are both being held in the Halifax Regional
Jail without bond. Hammonds is being held in Halifax on
a $100,000 secured bond.
In making the three arrests, the task force was assisted
by the DEA, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control, the Virginia State Police, the South Boston Police
Department, the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, the Southside
Drug Task Force, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
and the Chase City and South Hill Police Departments.
Tuesday
Morning Accident Kills One
Crash
Kills Chase City Woman; Juvenile Is Charged In Accident
An
accident at the intersection of Routes 360 and 729 late
Tuesday morning claimed the life of an elderly Chase City
woman, according to police.
As a result of the accident, a Halifax juvenile has been
charged with not having an operator's license and failure
to yield the right of way, Virginia State Police Trooper
G.M. Gilliam said yesterday.
The 11 a.m. wreck claimed the life of Edith B. Collins,
89, who was a passenger in a 1991Cadillac driven by Alice
O. Robertson, 74, also of Chase City.
Gilliam said the two women were traveling west on Route
360 when their vehicle struck a 1998 Ford Explorer operated
by the juvenile.
The trooper said the juvenile pulled into the path of the
Cadillac when it attempted to pull into the intersection.
"The Explorer pulled in front of her (Robertson) from
the median and she hit them on the side," Gilliam said.
Both Collins and Robertson were transported to Halifax Regional
Hospital, and Robertson was admitted for treatment.
Collins was en route to Duke University Medical Center in
Durham, N.C., when she died of her injuries, according to
police officials.
Gilliam reported that Collins was conscious shortly after
the accident, and said that her injuries didn't appear to
be life threatening.
"I talked to her at the hospital and she was alert,"
he said.
Several young passengers in the Explorer were also taken
to Halifax Regional Hospital, where they were treated for
minor injuries and released, according to published reports.
The driver was not injured.
The owner of the Explorer, Cassandra L. Stovall of South
Boston, was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Both vehicles were listed as a total loss.
Flextec,
Inc. Operations Moving To Danville
Officials with Flextec, Inc., a machining, fabrication,
design and maintenance firm located in the Halifax County
Industrial Park, announced yesterday that all operations
in South Boston will be moved to Danville.
The company, which is based in Danville where it operates
under the name Piedmont Precision, began operations in South
Boston in 1988.
According to Randy Shackleford, the decision to relocate
the business was made to “support customers” better.
“We just chose to consolidate,” said Shackleford.
A total of six persons, three of whom have accepted job
offers in Danville, are affected by the decision.
Shackleford said that approximately 50 persons are now employed
in Danville.
“Right now, we’re real busy in Danville and have
been in a hiring mode.”
Flextec officials say that no decision has been made relative
to the future use, or possible disposal, of the South Boston
facility.
Yesterday’s announcement comes on the heels of other
layoffs in the industrial park including O’Sullivan
Industries, maker of ready-to-assemble furniture, and Lasco
Bathware, which makes fiberglass bath fixtures.
Commenting on the recent job losses, Scott Morris, Halifax
County IDA director, said that efforts are being made to
obtain additional VEC benefits for displaced O’Sullivan
employees since the layoffs are, in part, the result of
overseas competition.
If approved, those workers could receive up to two years
of benefits that include tuition payments for job-related
education.
Barker
To Host Racing Segment On Television
By
ERIK ARENSON | Special To The Gazette-Virginian
NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chief and Halifax County
native Robert "Bootie" Barker has been added to
SPEED Channel’s on-air team and is scheduled to host
a regular segment each Saturday as part of SpeedNews–
NASCAR Edition.
The new segment – Bootie Call -- debuts this weekend
from Daytona and will be an insider’s look at what’s
going on in the NASCAR garage area from week to week.
"Most of what is said about what’s going on at
the track is from an outsider’s perspective,"
said Barker, crew chief for the No. 77 Jasper Motorsports
Ford piloted by Dave Blaney.
"This will be an effort to get the SPEED Channel viewers
even closer to the action."
SPEED Channel expects Barker’s role to grow with the
network.
"We’re excited about getting Bootie on the team,"
said Rick Miner, SPEED Channel Sr. VP Programming &
Production/Executive Producer.
"Viewers can expect to see him on more of our shows
in the near future."
The Pepsi 400 at Daytona this weekend will be the 17th race
with the No. 77 Jasper Ford team for Barker, who joined
the team last November.
Barker, a mechanical engineering graduate of Old Dominion
University, is a former chassis/shock specialist for the
No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team for four-time NASCAR Winston
Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon (1999-2000) and for the
No. 22 Bill Davis Racing team and driver Ward Burton (1998-99).
Barker rejoined BDR in fall, 2000 as crew chief for Scott
Wimmer, then a recent graduate of the American Speed Association
(ASA), and flourished in his first managerial role, guiding
Wimmer to four NASCAR Busch Series victories in the final
eight races of 2002 and finishes of 11th and third, respectively,
in the series points standings (2001-02).
This weekend’s Pepsi 400 will also be Barker's 22nd
NASCAR start with BLANEY, who finished third at both Dover
and Charlotte in fall, 2000 in BDR Busch Series entries
(four races total) as well as Blaney's final WC race for
BDR (2001) at Atlanta (qualified a then-career-best third,
led 16 laps before engine failure) with Barker.
Obituaries
Bernice Ann Motley Lacks
Bernice Ann Motley Lacks, 81, of 1033 Mosley Ferry Rd.,
Clover, died July 2 at Twin Oaks Convalescent Home.
Mrs. Lacks was born in Pittsylvania County on October 4,
1921, the daughter of the late U.T. Motley and Lilly Garner
Motley and was married to the late Thomas Wilson Lacks Sr.
She was a member of Clover Baptist Church where she was
the choir director and organist. Mrs. Lacks was a retired
salesperson with Leggett Department Store.
Survivors include one daughter, Cheryl Pace of Hockessin,
Del.; one son, Thomas Wilson Lacks Jr. and his wife, Cathy,
of Hayes, N.C.; two brothers, Julian Motley of Wake Forest,
N.C. and U.T. Motley of Danville; two sisters, Linwood M.
Snead of Danville and Janell M. Robbins of Martinsville;
six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was
also preceded in death by one sister, Teresa M. Critz; and
one brother, Gerald Motley.
Funeral services for Mrs. Lacks will be held at Clover Baptist
Church tomorrow, July 5 at 2 p.m. with the Revs. Tom Walker
and Julian Motley officiating. Burial will follow in Clover
Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening between 7:00
and 8:30 at Clover Baptist Church, and other times at the
home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Clover
Baptist Church, PO Box 306, Clover, 24534.
Margaret Lawson
Margaret Lawson, 67, of 1110 Bethel Hill Road, Alton died
July 1 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Lawson was born in Halifax County on June 5, 1936,
the daughter of the late Joe Lawson and Lucy Garfield Lawson.
She was a member of Denniston Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Keister Lawson of New York; three
sisters, Mary L. Bolling of New York, N.Y., Janie Poole
of Roxboro, N.C., and Rosa Lawson of Alton.
Mrs. Lawson was preceded in death by one sister, Lillian
Lawson; and three brothers, Eugene, Samuel and Paul Lawson.
Graveside services will be held Sunday, July 6 at 2 p.m.
at Denniston Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev.
John Hubbard officiating.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Mary Lucille Tucker Lewis
Mary Lucille Tucker Lewis, 83, of 5211 Chatham Road, Halifax,
died June 28 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Lewis was born in Wheeling, W.Va. on June 5, 1920,
the daughter of the late Henry Archer Tucker and Mildred
Hendricks Tucker. She was a member of First Baptist Church
in Meadville.
Survivors include three daughters, Jean Claiborne of Fredericksburg,
Ann Ferrell of Riverdale, Ga. and Mildred Yvonne Harper
of Cincinnati, Ohio; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren;
two brothers, Johnnie B. Tucker of Yonkers, N.Y. and Harold
Tucker of Washington, D.C.
Funeral services for Mrs. Lewis will be held tomorrow, July
5 at 1 p.m. at New Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie
N. Yancey officiating. Burial will follow in First Baptist
Church Cemetery in Meadville.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Regina Maria LaPrade
Regina Maria LaPrade of 1248 Rabat Road, Nathalie died July
2 at her home.
She is survived by her mother, Jerolean Rice LaPrade of
the home; and her father, Robert LaPrade.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. July 6 at New Shiloh
Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.
Mary Edmonds Womack
Mary Edmonds Womack, 70, of 1215 Waltman Trail, Vernon Hill
died July 2 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Womack was born in Halifax County on November 10, 1932,
the daughter of the late William Braxton Edmonds and Lillie
Adams Edmonds and was married to Onzie Womack. She was a
member of New Vernon Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Emma W. Sutphin
of Richmond and Grindle W. Martin of Halifax; five sons,
Glen O. Womack and Onzie Womack Jr., both of Halifax, Robert
L. Womack, James K. Womack and John W. Womack, all of South
Boston; three sisters, Isabelle Womack, Louise Womack and
Ida Barksdale, all of Halifax; five grandchildren; one great-grandson;
one son-in-law; and three daughters-in-law.
Funeral services for Mrs. Womack will be held July 5 at
10 a.m. at New Vernon Baptist Church with the Rev. Roger
Ford conducting the service. Burial will follow in the church
cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
