Two Fires Strike Crystal Hill Area

Firefighters responded to two structure fires in three days in the Crystal Hill area, according to a Triangle Volunteer Fire Department official.
No one was injured in either of the blazes, according to reports.
The first of the two fires was Thursday at Pratt’s Store located at the intersection of Howard P. Anderson Highway and Route 603, a fire official said.
The call went out at 7:40 p.m. and Triangle responded with 28 volunteers and three trucks.
Liberty, Halifax and Clover also responded to the scene, the Triangle official said.
The property owner is listed as Ethel Washington, according to the official.
Firefighters cleared the scene of the fire at 11:40 p.m.
Property damage estimates were not available at press time.
The second fire was Saturday at a Howard P. Anderson Highway residence owned by Bill Crews and Ester Smith, a Triangle official said.
Six volunteer departments and South Boston’s ladder truck responded to the blaze.
Triangle responded with 24 volunteers and two trucks, Halifax responded with 15 volunteers and three trucks, Liberty responded with 13 and three, Clover with two and one, North Halifax with three and one and Scottsburg with one and one, according to the fire report.
The call went out at 11:05 p.m. Saturday and the scene was cleared at 2:05 a.m. Sunday.
According to officials, the fire began in the rear of the structure.
The property was valued at $125,000 and the contents of the residence were valued at $45,000, the official said, noting both were a total loss.

Chase Yields Drug Charges

An attempted vehicle stop Friday led to a pursuit that ended in Person County, N. C., with three suspects taken into custody, according to Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Major R.S.B. Pulliam.
Once the vehicle was stopped, drug investigators began detaining the occupants when an individual later identified as Michael Williams, 35, of Cunningham Road in Semora, N. C., allegedly approached the drug investigators in an aggressive manor from a nearby residence, according to Pulliam.
“Investigators believed that Williams was concerned about the effect of the presence of law enforcement on the local crack distribution market,” Pulliam said, noting that investigators had drug indictments for his arrest.
Williams allegedly did not comply with drug investigators’ commands and after a brief struggle was handcuffed and detained, according to Pulliam.
“The drug investigators were outnumbered and Williams allegedly was calling individuals to come out of a nearby alleged ‘crack house’ to assist him,” Pulliam said. “At one point, Williams even summoned his dogs.”
Halifax County deputies, deputies and investigators with the Person County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia state troopers arrived and assisted the drug investigators, Pulliam said.
“Investigators and deputies of the Person County Sheriff’s Office arrested Williams as a fugitive of justice based on the drug indictments and for obstruction of justice based on his actions at the scene,” Pulliam said.
Williams was transported to the Person County Jail where he is being held without bail, according to investigators.
Halifax drug investigators arrested the driver of the vehicle, Abraham Lee Sanford, 56, of Clyde Barker Road in Milton, N.C. for felony driving to elude and endangering the lives of people, Pulliam said.
The passenger in the vehicle identified himself as Donald Stewart, investigators said.
“Drug investigators did not believe that Stewart was his name, but in fact suspected that he is an individual known as ‘Joe Joe,’” Pulliam said.
The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Department also had a drug indictment for his arrest.
“Joe Joe” was arrested for possession of crack cocaine based on evidence seized from him at his arrest and for an indictment for distribution of crack cocaine, Pulliam added, noting he is being held in the Halifax Regional Jail without bond as a “John Doe.”
His identity will be released once his fingerprints are processed, Pulliam said.
Following the pursuit and subsequent incident, the narcotics department was able to focus and continue their investigation, Pulliam said.
“It is routine for the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Department to further its drug investigations after arresting alleged drug dealers by conducting what is known as ‘reversals,’” Pulliam explained. “Alleged drug users continue to call or arrive and order or attempt to purchase drugs.
“One technique of “reversals” is the drug investigators pose as the drug dealer and take the order of the drug user and arrange delivery of the drugs,” Pulliam said, “or the investigators pose as the drug dealer and upon exchange of money the alleged purchaser is arrested.”
One of the “reversals” conducted shortly after the initial arrests led to the arrest of two more individuals, investigators said.
Andrea Hodnett Jordan, 40, of Piney Grove Road in Alton, was charged with attempting to possess crack cocaine and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine from Jan. 1 to April 28, Pulliam said.
Larry Cornelius Thorpe Jr., 50, of New Bethel Church Road in Alton, was charged with possession of cocaine, police said.
Jordan was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond and Thorpe was released on a $2,500 unsecured bond, police added.
“Once again, a situation quickly escalated into a very serious and dangerous one,” Halifax County Sheriff Jeff Oakes said. “In my opinion, the individuals in the vehicle attempted to get my investigators into their environment.
“They picked that area to stop in order to increase their chance to potentially escape or overtake and hurt the drug investigators,” Oakes said. “We were very fortunate that my drug investigators were able to detain three individuals, safely hold them, and minimize the potential of additional individuals from assaulting them or worse.
“The investigators had to contend with these individuals, as well as a pack of dogs,” Oakes added. “I want to thank the quick and powerful response of my deputies, troopers and deputies and investigators of the Person County Sheriff’s Office.”

 

Obituaries

Ryan Andrew Asbell
Ryan Andrew Asbell, 17, of Chesapeake died Sunday, April 29, 2007, at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.
He was born October 19, 1989, in Danville, to Anita Stevens Asbell and Kenneth Andrew Asbell Jr. Ryan was a junior at Hickory High and a member of Great Bridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include his parents; his brother, Alex of
the home; his Aunt Phyllis Dalton of Durham, N.C.; his Uncle Allen and Aunt Sherry Stevens of South Boston; his Uncle Joe and Aunt Linda Asbell of Suffolk, and his cousins Ashley Stevens, Andy Asbell, Chris Asbell, Holly Reese, and Nicky Davis; and a special friend, Mary Ann Cash of South Boston.
Ryan was preceded in death by his grandparents, Kenneth and Pansy Asbell, and Josephine and Wistar Stevens.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. today, May 2, at Great Bridge Baptist Church with the Revs. Charles Moseley and Richard Castleberry officiating. Burial will be private at Holly Lawn Cemetery in Suffolk.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider donations to: Ryan A. Asbell Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Hickory High School, 1996 Hawk Blvd. Chesapeake, VA 23322.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at hdoliver.com
Thomas Earl Covington
Thomas Earl Covington, 85, of 439 Crescent Drive, South Boston died April 29, 2007, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Covington was born November 19, 1921, in Halifax County to the late John T. Covington and the late Maude Cooke Covington. He was a Corporal in the US Army serving with Bat-C 474th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion, was a squad leader in Normandy, Northern France and Central Europe. Mr. Covington’s decorations and citations include Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Service Ribbon, European-African Service Ribbon-Bronze Arrowhead, and WWII Victory Ribbon.
Survivors include two sisters, Polly Bradley and Darlene Osborne, both of South Boston. One brother, Clarence Covington, also preceded him in death.
Graveside services were held May 1, at 11 a.m. at Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery with the Rev. Rodney Barwick officiating.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
Joy Brogden Butler
Joy Brogden Butler, 52, of 1187 Sandy Beach Road, South Boston died May 1, 2007 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Butler was born February 7, 1955, in Halifax County the daughter of Ophelia W. Brogden and the late Harold Brogden, and was married to Raymond D. Butler. She was a member of Dan River Baptist Church and of Women of Hope and was employed by Dollar General.
Survivors include her husband; her mother of South Boston; one daughter, Karen L. Butler-Dixon and husband, Michael, of South Boston; two sons, Ray Allen Butler of US Army, Iraq, and Nicholas B. Butler of South Boston; one brother, Ricky Brogden and wife, Sharon, of South Boston; her mother-in-law, Virginia Francis Butler of Halifax; one nephew, Shane Brogden; and two nieces, Elizabeth and Sarah Brogden.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston, 24592.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time and will be announced later by Brooks Funeral Home.

Katherine Kay Cope
Katherine Kay Cope of Springmoor Retirement Community, Raleigh, N.C., died April 29, 2007. Her husband, Ralph Cope, predeceased her in 1981. Mrs. Cope was born August 28, 1909 in Shamokin, Pa.
Mrs. Cope was a 1958 Meredith College graduate and then taught for 12 years at Swift Creek Elementary School. She was a member of Community United Church, was a Wake County United Nations Association member. In 1991, she was presented the Dag Hammarskjold Award for her service.
Surviving are son, Kenneth Cope and wife, Billie, of Clarksville; daughter, Carol Edwards of Raleigh; five grandchildren, Elizabeth Cope and husband, David Conner, of Turbeville, Kenneth and wife, Jessie Cope, of Rockville, Md., Michael and Angela Cope of Clarksville, Alecia Gamble and husband, Carl Johnson, of Apex, N.C., and Charles Gamble of Raleigh; and eight great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends this evening, May 2, from 6:00-8:00, at the home of Carol Edwards, 2305 Lawrence Dr., Raleigh.
A memorial service will be held May 6, at 12:30 p.m. at Community United Church, 814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, 27607.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the church.

Giles Edwin ‘Jolly’ Jones Jr.
Giles Edwin ‘Jolly’ Jones Jr., 35, of 1090 Ashcroft Place, South Boston died April 27, 2007.
He was born February 12, 1972, in Halifax County the son of Giles E. Jones Sr. and Brenda Powell Jones, and was married to Cathy Farrar Jones.
Mr. Jones was a member of Grace Baptist Church and was employed by Progress Energy.
Survivors include his wife; his parents of Vernon Hill; children, Lainey, Layne, Christian and Jordan, all of the home; grandfather, Andrew Vaughan of Scottsburg; four sisters, Suzanne Jones and Wendy Jones, both of Vernon Hill, Lisa Moore of Scottsburg, and Rhonda Moore of Roxboro, N.C., and a number of nieces and nephews.
Mr. Jones was preceded in death by his grandparents, Elise P. Vaughan, J. Howard Jones and Sylvia S. Jones.
The family will receive friends at Grace Baptist Church this evening, May 2, from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, May 3, at Grace Baptist Church at 11 a.m. with the Revs. Jack Stewart and Dave Cline officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, or the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, 23058.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net

Marie Lane Jones
Marie Lane Jones, 96, of 1080 Alphonse Dairy Road, South Boston died April 28, 2007, at The Woodview.
Mrs. Jones was born in Halifax County December 19, 1910, to the late Susie Watkins King and was married to the late Harvey Jones. She was a member of Dan River View Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Bishop Morris R.Lane of Richmond; four grandchildren, Belinda M. Lane of Cumming, Ga., Zelda D. Hampton of Marietta, Ga., Diana P. Belton and M. Donnal Lane, both of Baltimore, Md.; seven great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; one daughter-in-law, Lorraine Lane of Richmond; and devoted friends, Rev. Larry Green, Sarah Green and her church family.
Four sisters and three brothers preceded Mrs. Jones in death.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, May 3, at 11 a.m. at Dan River View Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Green officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church tomorrow.

Comets Crush Pioneers 15-0

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
The Halifax County High School varsity softball team made it clear early that it meant business when it faced Heritage High School here Monday afternoon.
And Comets sophomore hurler Paige Rickman took it upon herself to send that message.
Rickman blasted a three-homer in the first inning to stake herself and her Comets teammates to a 3-0 lead. From there, the Comets rolled to an easy 15-0 win in a game stopped after five innings under a slaughter rule.
“As a whole I was pleased,” said Comets coach Melanie Saunders.
“We need to take this intensity into tomorrow’s game (last night’s game) against Franklin County and we have E.C. Glass on Friday. This was a good game to lead us into those games.”
The game, which was the sixth contest this season that the Comets had ended early under a slaughter rule, turned out to be more of a tune-up for the Comets.
Halifax County (14-1 overall, 3-0 district) pounded Heritage for 17 hits with Rickman having a big 3-4 night at the plate that included four RBIs. Liz Trickey and Betty Rose also went 3-4 at the plate with Rose collecting two RBIs.
Between the trio, they recorded nine of the team’s hits and six of the team’s RBIs.
Stephanie Clark, Lashunda Davis, Key Ferrell, Amber Bowman, Heather Hudson, Ally Thompson, Emily New Melissa Sims chipped in one hit each.
Saunders said the team adjusted well to the Heritage pitcher.
“This pitcher was a little slower than what we’re used to but we were able to make the adjustments at the plate,” Saunders pointed out.
“ We had a hard time when we went to Heritage. It took us a few innings to really get the bats going. But today we were able to do better and started scoring in the first inning. In the game up there I don’t think we scored until the third innings.”
In addition to inflicting a good deal of damage to the Pioneers with her bat, Rickman had a good night on the mound. Rickman fanned five batters and yielded only three hits. While the Pioneers got a runner on the basepaths in each of the first three innings, Rickman was able to control the game.
Rickman’s first-inning homer put the Comets up 3-0. A run-scoring hit from Rose that plated Clark gave the Comets a 4-0 edge after two innings. Four more runs in the third inning, two of which came from a two-RBI double from Thompson, put the Comets up 8-0 after three innings.
Four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning that resulted from a combination of two Heritage errors and a run-scoring hit from Sims put the Comets up 12-0.
Three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning that came with the help of run-scoring hits from Rickman and Bowman put the game away for the Comets.

Coleman Is A Cowboy

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
Alonzo Coleman, record setting running back at Halifax County High School and Hampton University, got the call he had been waiting for Sunday, and will get his shot at NFL stardom as a member of the Dallas Cowboys
Coleman said will leave South Boston in about two weeks for a Cowboys mini-camp and return home briefly before leaving for the start of training camp.
“It’s a free agent type of deal through training camp and after camp we’ll sit down and talk about a contract,” said Coleman Monday afternoon.
The last three days have been a whirlwind for Coleman, beginning Saturday with a two-day NFL draft which went seven rounds and drafted a total of 255 players picked.
Coleman’s Hampton teammate, linebacker Justin Durant was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 16th pick of the second round.
Coleman waited a little longer than that to find out where he was headed, but is comfortable with where he’s going.
“Going into the fifth round, I thought there were some backs taken that weren’t even half better than me, and I kind of got down on myself, but my family picked me back up,” he noted.
“They told me everything would be okay, and it turned out fine.”
Ironically, it came down to the Cowboys and Washington Redskins, long-time and bitter NFC East rivals, in addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I went with the best situation for me,” said Coleman, who had been speaking with an agent to find the best possible situation.
“I decided on Dallas, because they have only two real backs, the third is sort of a special teams player,” explained Coleman.
“One is coming to the end of his contract this year and the other next year.
“If I play like I normally do, one will have to go and it won’t be me.”
Coleman put up impressive numbers at the NFL combine earlier this year, the 5-10, 210-pounder running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, while benching 225 pounds a total of 27 times.
The Cowboys coaches liked his running style as well as his speed and power, according to Coleman.
It was the Cowboys’ running backs coach who called with the good news, and Coleman said he has since spoken both to head coach Wade Phillips and owner Jerry Jones.
“They told me that they were excited about me being a Cowboy, and that they see me being a big time player,” said Coleman.
Several other players from 1-AA Hampton University are expected to compete for spots on NFL teams, and Coleman is proud of the tradition his college has built.
“I expect that once we get to training camp, we’ll take care of the rest.
“Hampton has a good program and we can play with anybody. When they see me at camp, they’ll ask where I came from and I’ll tell them I’m from Hampton University.”
HIs success at the NFL level will mirror his success at Halifax County High School and Hampton University for three reasons, said Coleman.
“You have to keep God first, and if you have a strong family and believe in yourself, everything will turn out all right.
“You have to work hard and have to keep moving forward. My parents (Thomas and Gladys) and my whole family have stuck behind me.”
His love of the game has also kept Coleman moving forward and all he has done is change uniforms.
“I’ve gone from Comet blue to Hampton blue to Cowboy blue. The way I look at it, the sky is blue and that’s where the Lord is,” said Coleman.
“I guess there must be something about that color,” added Coleman, the latest in a line of pro-level Comets running backs, such as Earl Ferrell, Barry Word and Donald Testerman.
He acknowledged that’s pretty select company.
“I’m excited to be a part of it [NFL] and I won’t let anyone down, including myself.”

Angelelli, Magnussen Top Field In VIR 400

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
For much of the weekend Max Angelelli and Jan Magnussen struggled trying to get a handle on their SunTrust Pontiac Riley.
Through Friday and Saturday’s practice and qualifying the pair could never get the car quite where they wanted it.
“I have to say that after yesterday in qualifying I didn’t think we were going to have a race-winning car,” said Magnussen.
Something changed when the team took the car out for a 15-minute practice yesterday morning.
“We had some problems all through practice and qualifying, which we sorted out during practice this morning luckily. The warm-up was great, and in the race we had a great race car.”
That, Magnussen and Angelelli did.
Angelelli posted his second career triumph here yesterday as he and Magnussen returned the SunTrust Racing Team and team owner Wayne Taylor to VIR’s Victory Lane in yesterday’s VIR 400 Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype race.
Driving the final stint, Angelelli drove his team’s Pontiac Riley across the finish line 3.567 seconds ahead of the runner-up Pontiac Riley driven by Max Papis of Miami, Fla.
David Donahue of Malvern, Pa., driving the Brumos Racing Porsche Riley, finished third, taking the spot from Ryan Dalziel of of Orlando, Fla. on the final lap. Alex Gurney of Irvine, Cal, driving a Pontiac Riley, rounded out the top five finishers.
The Lexus Riley co-driven by Burt Frisselle of Lynchburg and Ian James of Phoenix, Ariz. finished sixth and was followed by a Pontiac Riley co-driven by Jim Matthews and Marc Goossens of Belgium, the Lexus Riley co-driven by Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, the Porsche Crawford of Patrick Long and Jorg Bergmeister of Germany and the Lexus Riley co-driven by Mark Patterson and Oswaldo Negri.
“It’s a fantastic feeling,” Angelelli said.
“We’ve always been good at this track, but this year is different, with so many different people involved. Like Jan said, up until this morning, we had a terrible car, and luckily we turned everything around and had a good race.”them, Magnussen and Angelelli led 27 laps of yesterday’s 77-lap, 400K event over VIR’s 3.27-mile layout with Angelelli leading the final 25 circuits of the race.
Angelelli took the lead from Papis on lap 53 and led pretty much unchallenged the rest of the way.
Papis said once Angelelli broke into the lead, he knew it would be difficult to remain in contention for the win. He did, however, manage to cut Angelelli’s five second lead down to three and a half seconds at the end of the race.
“I got the lead car from Colin (teammate Colin Braun), and we knew it was going to be a short stint and I had to be as fast as possible,” Papis said.
“It was good for the first couple of laps, and after that, it became difficult to keep up the pace. We were quite loose, and it was quite difficult to hold the car, especially turning in. We were struggling a little bit, and I was trying to hold my pace the best I could. When I saw Angelelli try to make his move, I tried to make it a little more difficult, but I knew once he found his way through, it would be difficult to match his pace. I tried to keep pressure on him.”
Magnussen started the race in fifth place and didn’t get to the top spot until he took the lead from Braun when Braun pitted on lap 43 and turned the car over to Papis. A lap later, Magnussen pitted and turned the car over to Angelelli, handing the lead to Michael Valiante
A lap later, a full-course caution came out and Fogarty took the lead as Valiante pitted. Fogarty then pitted and turned his car over to Alex Gurney, giving Papis the lead.
By that time, Angelelli had worked his way back up to second place with Dalziel and Donahue following in order.
Angelelli got past Papis on the inside in the first turn on lap 53. By the time they pair got back to the start/finish line again, Angelelli had a lead of 1.315 seconds and was pulling away.
While Angelelli and Magnussen celebrated their win, Donahue and co-driver Darren Law celebrated the team’s first podium finish since the Daytona finale in 2003. It was an emotion-filled day for the two drivers who competed with heavy hearts in the wake of the death last week of the team’s president and CEO, Bob Snodgrass, Jr.
“It’s been a tough weekend for everybody,” said Law.
“We’re really proud of the team. They’ve done a great job. We were up late last night working on the car. I’ve already said that it’s great to have a podium, but it’s even more special this weekend because of what’s happened to Bob. There were a lot of happy people today.”
The race was a competitive one with eight car lead changes and eight driver lead changes. Braun led the most laps, racing at the point for a total of 34 laps. Between them, Braun and Angelelli led 59 of the race’s 77 laps.
Yesterday’s win vaultted Angelelli and Magnussen into the series points lead. The pair have 127 points and hold an 11-point edge over Pruett who has 116 points. Braun and Papis trail in third place with 107 points each.
Angelelli, who, with Taylor, won here at VIR in 2004, averaged 102.171 mph in the race that took two hours, 27 minutes and 51.875 seconds to complete.