The
ews
IH
I ournal
Hoke County^s newspaper since 1905
No.48Vol.llO
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, February 3,2016
A sick dog. (ASPCA photo)
Living conditions for humans and animals at The Haven. (ASPCA photo)
Preparing to move animals. (Ken
MacDonald photo)
Raid closes The Haven
Owners charged with animal abuse
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
After more than a decade of
license denials, failed inspections
and warnings about inadequate
conditions at The Haven no-kill
animal shelter, last week the facil
ity was shut down and the owners
arrested on animal cruelty charges.
Local authorities and the Ameri
can Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
seized more than 650 animals in
cluding dogs, cats and horses from
the facility operated by Linden and
Stephen Joseph Spear.
“The animals were kept in filthy
kennels, cages, outdoor pens and pad-
docks, many without protection from
the elements. Many animals are suf
fering from untreated medical issues
including open wounds, severe upper
respiratory disease and emaciation,”
according to the ASPCA.
The Spears were arrested and
charged with four counts of cruelty
to animals and three counts of felony
possession of a controlled substance,
with the latter charges related to
Stephen and Linden Spear
medication for the animals the Spears
allegedly had in their possession. Ad
ditional charges may be pending after
investigators found the remains of
(See THE HAVEN, page 9)
Mobile animal hospitals from the ASPCA line the grounds of The Haven last Wednesday. (Ken MacDonald photo)
This Week
Politics draws Rockfish crowd
Kerosene heater
starts fire
Page 4
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Browsing the Files 2
Classifieds 9
Deaths 4
Editorials 3
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News-Journal
A meeting of the Rock-
fish community board that
invited local candidates
for political office to speak
to the public saw one of
the largest turnouts since
the volunteer organization
started meeting last year.
About 90 showed for the
meeting, hosted by county
commission candidate
William “Brownie” Brown
at Brownie’s Towing on
Lindsay Road. Candidates
including District Attorney
incumbent Kristy Newton,
commission incumbent
Bobby Wright, state Senate
candidate Dan Travieso and
House of Representatives
candidate Jim Duncan were
among those who spoke.
Sheriff Hubert Peterkin,
who is not up for election
this year, spoke in favor of
Newton and commission
candidate Joe Allston.
Sampson teenager murdered here
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By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Requena
A 17-year-old from Sampson
County was found dead of a gun
shot wound last week, according
to the Hoke County Sheriffs
Office. Investigators are seeking
suspects in the apparent murder
of Bryan Stuart Requena, 17,
of Bobwhite Lane in Sampson
County. Officers dispatched to the
area of North Old Wire Road and
(See MURDER, page 4)
Woman finds
intruder, kills him
A woman in Lumber
Bridge shot and killed a
would-be robber last week
when she arrived home to
find him inside her house,
according to the Robeson
County Sheriffs Office.
The woman, who has
not been identified, shot
and killed an intruder who
has been identified through
fingerprints as Brian Keith
Ratley of Camden Road in
Fayetteville.
Ratley had been con
victed in Hoke County
Superior Court on at least
two previous occasions,
according to News-Journal
records. In 2007, he was
convicted
of felony
breaking
and enter
ing and
sentenced
to 11
months in
Ratley prison with
orders to pay $9,000 resti
tution if work release were
to be granted. In 2010, he
was convicted of felony
fleeing to elude arrest by
motor vehicle and sen
tenced to 15 to 18 months
m prison.
In Friday’s incident, au
thorities received an alarm
(See INTRUDER, page 5)
This Nissan Versa Note was knocked across N.C. 21 I
Monday when it turned into the path of the truck behind it.
(Ken MacDonald photo)
Turn from NC 211
puts car in Buck’s path
Injured driver flown to hospital
After the candidates
spoke, the community board
invited engineer Adam
Kiker to discuss the plans
to provide sewer access
to parts of eastern Hoke
County. Kiker brought maps
and showed where the sewer
lines will go and where they
will stop south of the main
Rockfish area, where a set of
railroad tracks cross Bostic
Road.
The county doesn’t have
(See ROCKFISH, page 4)
A driver who turned
in front of a tractor-trailer
on Highway 211 Monday
sustained serious injuries
and had to be airlifted to
UNC-Chapel Hill Hospi
tals, according to the North
Carolina Highway Patrol.
The wreck happened
around 9:30 a.m. at the
intersection of Army
Road and blocked traffic
for some time afterward
while rescuers responded
to the scene.
Marquis Baker, 21, of
Hoke County apparently
failed to yield to oncoming
traffic while turning off of
211, according to Trooper
Nelson of the Highway
Patrol.
“He was attempting to
turn left onto Army Road
off of 211, and when he
turned left, he turned right
in front of the tractor-
(See WRECK, page 9)
Deputies catch 2 after
homeowner shoots at them
A Hoke resident fired
gunshots at two suspects
who fled from his house
on Balfour Road during a
home invasion last week.
Investigators with the
Hoke County Sheriff’s
Office used tracking dogs
to hunt down and arrest the
two suspects a few hours
later, according to authori
ties.
Deputies arrested Joshua
Sanchez Winston, 27, of
the 300 block of Branch
Road in Red Springs and
Jamel Gates, 26, of the
300 block of Keith Avenue
in Raeford. Both suspects
were charged with one
count each of breaking or
entering and conspiracy to
commit breaking or enter
ing.
Officers responded to a
call at the home of Andre
McPhaul on the 2500 block
of Balfour Road around 2
p.m. January 28.
(See CAUGHT, page 4)
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