Former Chief of Mississippi Highway Patrol has died

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – A former Department of Public Safety Commissioner and Chief of the Mississippi Highway Patrol has died. The MHP announced the death of David Huggins this afternoon. Huggins served as Chief of the Highway Patrol under Governor Ray Mabus from 1988 until 1992. In 2000, he was named Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and served…

Doctors urge other physicians to talk with their patients about gun safety

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – They probably see it first hand more than anyone else – the damage that can happen from firearms. Friday, the doctors who make up Mississippi’s Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Mississippi College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma urged physicians to talk with their patients about gun safety. Mississippi has the highest rate of…

City of Booneville and its Police Chief headed to Federal Court

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The City of Booneville and its Police Chief are headed to Federal Court in October. A Mississippi woman has filed a Federal civil lawsuit against a former Booneville Police Officer, the City of Booneville, and Police Chief Michael Ramey. The woman claims she was sexually assaulted by an on-duty police officer in August of 2020. In…

Name released of man killed in wreck on Highway 45 Alternate

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – We now know the name of the man killed on Highway 45 Alternate Friday morning. 37-year-old Thomas C. Brown Junior of Crawford died after being hit by an 18 wheeler. The crash happened just after 4 AM on Highway 45 Alternate at Sam Hill Road near Crawford. According to the Highway Patrol, Brown was walking…

Another arrest made in connection to Lee County homicide

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Another arrest is made in connection with a Lee County homicide. Patricia Flakes was captured in Tennessee by U.S. Marshals. The Lee County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page made the announcement this morning. Shannon Bramlett and Darick Moody were captured in Florida last week and have since been returned to Lee County. Flakes is the estranged…

Owner of Oxford moving company found and arrested

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – The owner of an Oxford moving company has been found and arrested. 26-year-old “Vlad” Ladygin is charged with two counts of embezzlement under contract. He was arrested Thursday. Oxford police started investigating Spyder Moving Services and arrested employee Charles Joiner on August 5th. Investigators had been searching for Ladygin, the owner of the company, ever since….

Columbus City Council beginning search for next police chief

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus City Council is getting to work to begin the search for the city’s next police chief. At a work session today, council members and the mayor began selecting members for a search committee that will help select a chief. They also began putting together a job description and figuring out a salary range for…

Columbus City Council discuss future of Luxapalila Creek Park

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Luxapalila Creek Park will remain closed for the time being. The park came up at Thursday’s Columbus City Council work session. The Army of Corps of Engineers officially closed the park Monday. Before that there had been complaints of lack of maintenance and reports of vandalism. A group of interested residents has expressed interest in cleaning…

Clay County officials continue to search for wanted gunman

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It has been over a week since a man was shot to death in Clay County and the search continues for the gunman. Sheriff Eddie Scott says no arrest has been made in the shooting death of 72-year-old Joe Parker of Houston. Parker, who was disabled, died at the scene of the shooting on Webber…

Columbus Municipal School District could have interim Superintendent

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Municipal School District could have an interim leader as early as Thursday evening. A special called meeting with the board of trustees is scheduled for six o’clock tonight. Former Superintendent Dr. Cherie Labat resigned on Tuesday, just before the board was set to meet and discuss her employment with the district. The agenda calls…

Community raises nearly $10K for beloved Starkville Café waitress after fire destroyed her home

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville Café has been a landmark downtown for years. And not just for their pancakes and scrambled eggs. Meet Shirley Powell. She’s been a waitress at Starkville Café for 22 years. “I love my customers, I love the atmosphere here and I love the people that I work with,” she says. “She’s one of the reasons…

Health care officials encourage people to be cautious with rising covid case numbers

COVID-19 cases are trending upward again; fortunately, this round doesn't have as many hospitalizations

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- COVID-19 cases are trending upward again; fortunately, this round doesn’t have as many hospitalizations. Health care officials say they’ve adjusted to the new norm and are doing what they can to help keep numbers low. The staff at Allegro Plaza in Columbus saw numbers decline in June 2022, but in July 2022 they started to climb again,…

Columbus Chief of Police Fred Shelton’s last week on the job

COLUMBUS, Miss – (WCBI) Columbus Police Chief is less than a week away from retirement. But as he wraps up his tenure with CPD, Shelton took time out to reflect on his nearly 40 year career. Chief Fred Shelton has been with the Columbus Police Department for 38 years, the last 5 of those as Chief. Shelton says that being…

No bond for murder suspect Tim Herrington, who was in relationship with victim Jay Lee

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday, Judge Gray Tollison denied bail for suspect Tim Herrington Jr., who is charged with first degree murder in the death of Ole Miss student Jay Lee.  The nearly six-hour bond hearing in Lafayette County Circuit Court shed major light on the continuing murder investigation. Lee’s mother says that after going through the day and not…

Famous Maroon Band training for the football season

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s day two of a week long band camp for the Famous Maroon Band. This year’s band is made up of 386 members. They spent most of the morning on the practice field getting their sets together for the show this fall. Last night’s rain members say put them a little behind. Their days start at…

Law enforcement encourages parents to get gun safes

MACON, Miss. (WCBI) – Accidental deaths among kids don’t often happen, but law enforcement encourages parents to do their part to help limit it from happening. Macon police stress to families to keep guns out of the way of kids or to use gun locks. The police department is expecting to get more gun lock-in soon to issue out to…

Ackerman burglar broke into a Tobacco Shed

ACKERMAN, Miss. (WCBI) – An Ackerman burglar uses a garbage can to help make a clean sweep. Ackerman police say this man broke into a Tobacco Shed about 2:30 Tuesday morning. The thief was inside the store about 45 seconds before crawling out of the broken glass front door. If you have any information call Ackerman police or Crime Stoppers…

Grand jury in Greenville declined to indict Carolyn Bryant

LEFLORE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – – For more than 70 years, there has been controversy surrounding the woman at the center of the Emmett Till lynching. Tuesday a grand jury in Greenville declined to indict Carolyn Bryant on kidnapping charges and on manslaughter charges. Dewayne Richardson, Leflore County District attorney says the grand jury cited insufficient evidence. Emmett Till was…