NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A former Noxubee County sheriff’s deputy reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Vance Phillips has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge. He was indicted in November of last year. Phillips was one of the deputies sued in federal court over a Noxubee County jailhouse sex scandal involving a former inmate. A date…
PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Bond was set at $20,000 for a Booneville woman accused of drug possession. Early Wednesday morning, a Prentiss County Deputy made a traffic stop at Highway 30 East and County Road 2118 in the Bunkom Hill community. That traffic stop resulted in the arrest of Crystal Dawn Evans of Booneville. Evans was charged with possession…
SALTILLO, Miss. (WCBI) – For Chris Jenkins, there was no learning curve on his first day on the job as Saltillo Fire Chief. In July, Jenkins was named chief of the Saltillo Fire Department after serving for a brief time as interim chief. Jenkins has been with the department for 14 years. Before that, he served with the Tupelo Fire…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Across Lowndes County, many roads need extra attention, and with the new full-depth restoration machine, it will be a quicker process as it does more than just scratch the surface. Road Manager for Lowndes County Mike Aldridge said many of the roads on the west side of the Tombigbee have a problem with the base,…
GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A shooting near Baptist Memorial Hospital on Monday left four injured, and sources said they’re not cooperating with the police. In this case, and so many others, it’s up to the community to fill in the gaps of what really happened. Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said the community is stepping up to take down…
NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – One Noxubee County teen is gaining some horsepower in the racing world. 17-year-old Zyler Maxwell found a niche for harness racing and this past weekend, he won 11 out of 21 races at the Neshoba County Fair. Typically called buggy racing, the sport involves a horse pulling a two-wheeled cart with a rider. If you’re…
LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Three men in Shannon were arrested for allegedly robbing an undercover informant. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said during an undercover operation by the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, the informant was robbed at gunpoint by Shon Grant, Dewitt Shelby, and Lemuel Scruggs. An agent quickly arrived on the scene shortly after the incident and arrested…
LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo man was found guilty of child sex crimes. A Lee County jury found 41-year-old Charles Gandy guilty of two counts of Sexual Battery and two counts of Fondling, involving a child. Gandy will serve 30 years in the Mississippi State Penitentiary and he is not eligible for parol or early release. The sentence…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police made an arrest in connection with a deadly June car crash. 68-year-old Michael Mobley was charged with aggravated DUI and DUI 4th. The one-vehicle accident happened on June 30 at the intersection of Highway 12 and Bluefield Road. 71-year-old Ollice James Nichols of Starkville died at the scene. Mobley was flown to Tupelo for…
PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Thrasher man is in jail accused of shooting his own son. On Monday, Prentiss County 911 took a report of a gunshot victim on County Road 1040 in the Thrasher community. When Prentiss County Deputies and the Highway Patrol got there, they found a man who had been assaulted and shot. The man’s father,…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County deputies made a sexual battery arrest. Bond for 34-year-old Bryant Dotson was set at $50,000. Investigators told WCBI a report was taken at OCH Regional Medical Center on July 29. The alleged incident happened in the Sunset Subdivision. The French Camp man was arrested Tuesday. The reported victim was under the age of…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A west Alabama woman died in an early morning crash in Lowndes County. The crash happened on Highway 12, near Jack Wiggins Road, just before 8 a.m. The Mississippi Highway Patrol said a Dodge Durango left the road, hit a tree, and overturned. Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant said 54-year-old Marty Dollar of Vernon, Alabama…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Healthcare workers had to spring into action after multiple gunshots were heard near Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus on July 31. The exchange of gunfire happened near the back of the hospital. The staff went into their lockdown Code Freeze for about an hour until law enforcement cleared the area. Hospital CEO Rob Coleman said even…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s almost time for college students to return to town, and local cleaning companies are working overtime to prepare houses and apartments for new residents. Worker Bees is a Starkville-based cleaning company that has lived up to its name this year, and since management had so much on their plate they stuck to only cleaning vacant…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – WCBI News spoke with Columbus Police Chief Daughtry about where his department is on the investigation. No arrests have been made but we do know the ages of the victims. According to the chief, these were just kids, ages 16, 18, 18, and 23. Daughtry said he’s calling on leaders in the community to band together…
ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – School has already started back in some districts. Others will begin in the coming weeks. Area colleges and universities will also be welcoming students back to campus. Just last week, a local incoming college freshman got $1,000 worth of help to jumpstart her college career. Erica McCoy has been awarded the 2023 Walter S. Bounds Scholarship…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The East Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department is retiring its 19-year-old fire truck for a new one. The new fire truck was paid for by county funds to upgrade Oktibbeha’s fire services. Patrick Warren is the Fire Coordinator of Oktibbeha County, and he said the custom firefighting cab will be greatly appreciated. “For this truck is…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – An Okolona teenager is making a name for himself in the sport of powerlifting. When trainer Nick Romano met Jayden Lowe to talk about powerlifting, he was upfront with the teenager. “He told me his goals and we said, ‘ok, this is what you have to do, Friday nights, Saturday nights, late nights, no partying, no…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A New Hope Elementary School student was struck by a car. A Lowndes County Schools spokesperson said the incident happened just after the school day ended. The eight-year-old student was leaving campus when the collision happened. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said the child was crossing New Hope Road when he was struck. The victim was flown…
CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Chickasaw County couple was arrested for allegedly stealing money from an elderly man. Robert and Martha Henson were arrested and charged with false pretense and exploitation of a vulnerable adult. That vulnerable adult is 77-year-old Charles Farned. The Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office reported that Robert Henson, who is a long-time friend of Farned, invited…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County deputies are investigating a shooting in the New Hope area. Deputies were called to Shane Circle, just off Hughes Road, last night for a shots-fired call. The victims inside the home were asleep when they heard the gunfire. A vehicle and the home were damaged by bullets. No one was injured. Deputies did…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus City Council is set to take up a $3 million bond issue for the city’s parks at Tuesday night’s meeting. The Council adopted an Intent Resolution in June to either issue bonds or enter into a loan agreement to fund park improvements. The resolution was published, as required by state law, and there was…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – National Night Out returns to Starkville for its 40th celebration, giving law enforcement and the community a chance to build on its relationship. Similar to previous years, people, particularly children, are able to connect with officers in a friendly and peaceful environment. Games, school supplies, and other games will be available at tonight’s event at the…