*■1-
The
ews
No. 24 Vol. 93
Visit us at
our new web location
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
Young songsters
perform wherever
they go
page 1B
JROTC cadets
master summer
camp skills
page 8A
County to move
two offices
to armory
page 4A
Index
Calendar....
2B
Classifieds....
....8-10B
Deaths....
6A
Editorials....
2,3A
Legals....
6-7B
Public Record....
5A
Religion....
.. 6A, 2B
Schools...,
.. 8A, 6B
Socials....
3B
TV Listings....
4-5B
Weddings....
3B
Around Town
J oumal
50 cents
Wednesday, September 13, 2000
911 tapes raise questions over chase
OiBcers defend their actions at scene after suspect kills himself
By Victoriana Summers
Staff Writer
Law enforcement transmissions and
other comments heard on Hoke Emer
gency 911 recordings, as well as witness
accounts, appear to indicate a fleeing
Raleigh man may not have received medi
cal attention in an attempt to save his life
after he shot himself at the end of a high
speed pursuit last week.
Red Springs police say Anthony Lee
Scarboro, 20, shot himself last Tuesday
evening after leading several law enforce
ment vehicles from Robeson County on a
chase that began in Lumberton and went
through Red Springs before ending with
the fatality in southern Hoke County on
Hilltop Road. He was driving a stolen car,
they said.
The Hoke Emergency transmission tape
from that evening indicates a time period
of almost 14 minutes between when a
Red Springs officer told Hoke’s 911 dis
patcher/operator of a 10-50, the code in
dicating an accident, and another voice
said the driver was still breathing.
The tape raises questions about whether
a Red Springs rescue worker was denied
(See DEFENDS, page 7A)
♦
Leaders respond
to Davis’ probe
Chairman Leach offended
by charge against McLaughlin
■■■ .
I
Contributing Editor
The weather for the past
week has been as nice as any
one could ask for. The rain
stopped for a few days and the
temperatures have been in the
80s during the day. As you
read and listen to the weather
reports for the entire United
States, you wonder how some
people can endure it. In Texas
and Oklahoma they haven’t
had any rain for over two
months. In other places it is
flooded and some states have
been fighting forest fires for
several months. Mother Na
ture has something in store for
all of us.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, cal Is for the
highs to be in the 80s and the
lows in the 60s. It is possible
for rain about any afternoon.
:ic
Linda Steed, Centennial
Chairman, asked that the fol
lowing notice be run in this
column:
Those former members of
Raeford United Methodist
Church who would like to at
tend the centennial dinner-on-
the-grounds following church
services on November 5,2000,
please contact Alma Ferguson
at 875-2743 or the church of
fice at 875-2111 no later than
Oct. 14. We need to know the
number planning to attend the
catered dinner. Thank you.
♦ 4 * -ik ♦
Tom Squier, Veterans Ser
vice Officer for Hoke County,
was by the office last week
(See AROUND, page WA)
>0
h.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
With the culmination of the
SBl probe last week that was
called in February by Sheriff Jim
Davis, Hoke Commission Chair
man James A. Leach voiced in
dignation on Monday overcrimi
nal allegations reportedly told
by Dav is to the SBl that involved
Commissioner L.E. McLaughlin
Jr.
District Attorney Jean Powell
said she found no foundation —
" not one shred of evidence”—to
support any of Davis’ accusa
tions. She dismissed the SBl in
vestigation. determining no
criminal misconduct ever oc-
ai ii>
Big Day
East Hoke Middle School is ready
to play its first football game on a
new field, constructed complete
with bleachers and an electronic
scoreboard. The game, against a
Laurinburg team, will be played
today because East Hoke was stood
up after a scheduling misunder
standing yesterday.
Butcheerleadersjasmine Marcano,
(left to right) Roshawnga Peoples,
Alison Dover and Heather Ramsey
practiced anyway, and so did these
players: Mark Spann, Quannelle
Brooks, Lucio Miguel, Josh Rob
erts, and Jeff Huey.
Speeding deputy’s car goes out of control
in curve, collides with another vehicle
Witnesses say a Hoke County
Sheriff’s Department patrol car
was speeding when it went out
of control, traveled across a
median, and struck a pickup be
fore coming to rest in a woodline
alongside U.S. Highway 401.
The accident was reported at
9:20 Saturday night. Deputy
Suzanne Burrow, 27, was the only
reported injury. She was taken to
Cape Fear Valley Medical Cen
ter by ambulance and was later
released.
State Trooper G.L. Roth’s re
port states Burrow’s 1994 Ford
patrol car was traveling north
west on U.S. 401 Business at a
high rate of speed en route to
assist another deputy on a do
mestic call. The car’s speed was
estimated at 75 miles per hour,
according to the report.
As Burrow attempted to merge
from 401 Business to U.S. 401,
she lost control of her vehicle. It
(See WRECK, page 9 \)
Auditor reports city is financially sound
By Pai' Allen Wilson
Editor
The City of Raeford is fis
cally sound, CPA Frank Baker
reported when he gave his an
nual audit report for the year FY
1999-2000 at Monday night’s
council.
“The city is doing a pretty
good job; that hasn’t changed,”
Baker said. “Accounting proce
dures are running along nicely.”
Baker reported “no major
problems in accounting, only two
minor ones,” which he said were
already corrected.
The town’s general fund bal
ance is well over legal require
ments by the state although “a
little low for the average small
town” at the time of the audit,
accord i ng to Ba ker. “ 11 ’ s not h i ng
to worry about,” he said.
curred.
According to SBl documents,
Davis said he suspected former
Hoke chief deputy Hubert
Peterkin of being involved in an
alleged drug conspiracy with
McLaughlin. Repeated phone
calls to Davis for comments on
the SBl investigation have gone
unanswered during the past week.
McLaughlin, a retired U.S.
Army major and winner of nu
merous regional civic awards, is
presently recovering from sur
gery. McLaughlin said he was
not surprised he became a “tar
get for Sheriff Davis,” saying he
is an outspoken critic of Davis'
managerial practices and budget
(See RESPOND, /nige W\)
Mayor Bob Gentry said the
positive report “reflects on our
good health.”
In other business, councilmen
voted to expand the inspections
department and amended the dog
ordinance.
1 he changes in the inspection
department were approved after
a brief closed session. The city
now contracts the county to do
(See AUDIT, page lOA)
Football player’s death
shocks family, fiiends
Was grandson of House of Raeford owner
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Members of his football team served as pallbearers at the funeral
of 17-year-old Will Johnson after he died at a football game at
Harrells Christian Academy Friday night. He was the grandson of
House of Raeford owner Marvin Johnson.
Young Johnson died after he successfully executed a tackle on an
opposi ng player at a home game,
colliding with the other player.
He is thought to have suffered
from a fatal cardiac concussion
due to the impact.
“It was not the other boy’s
fault,” Johnson said. “It was just
one of those oddball things that
could not be helped.
“His heart just stopped beat
ing and they could never get it
started.”
According to Johnson, rescue
workers began administering
medical treatment to his grand
son in an attempt to revive him;
the game continued. When spec
tators and school officials real
ized how serious the injuries
might be, the game was halted. It
ended with 33 seconds remain
ing to be played.
Johnson was transported to
Sampson County Hospital in
Clinton, where he was pro
nounced dead. According to preliminary findings from the Sampson
County medical examiner and forensic office, he is thought to have
died from the cardiac concussion, which is very rare, said Johnson,
An autopsy is being completed to pinpoint the cause of death.
“He got hit just right to cause his heart to stop,” Johnson said.
“They never could get his heart back to beating.”
“He made the tackle and got up,” Johnson said. “He walked two
or three steps — he told the coach (Bron Thompson) he had to leave
the game. He just collapsed, and fell face down on the field.”
Academy headmaster Jackie Parrish said all athletic and after
school activities at the school were canceled this week out of respect
to Johnson. A conference is slated with football players, parents and
physicians on Thursday night to discuss the future of the football
program, Parrish said.
Two crisis intervention counselors and a minister were available
for the students on Tuesday morning.
“He was one of our very best athletes and comes from a family
that puts God and family first — school and athletics next," Parrish
said. “Will seemed to have the same character, he seemed to ha\ e the
same feelings the rest of his family did.”
(See JOHNSON, page 10A)
Will Johnson was ‘as good a per
son as you will find.’