The
ews
Journal
If it happened, if s news to ib
N0.06V0L102
RAiFO“r> & Hoke County n.c.
75t
Wednesday, April 25,2007
Mother makes first court appearance
D. A. outlines pattern of alleged child neglect before son drowned in swimming pool
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
April Dru Jimmerson, ac
cused of felony involuntary
manslaughter and misde
meanor child abuse in the
death of two-year-old son
Austin last July, is out on
bond.
Jimmerson received a
secured bond reduction last
week from $150,000 to
$25,000 at the request of her
attorney.
Hoke District Attorney
Kristy M. Newton described
the prelude to Austin’s death
during a first appearance in
court for Jimmerson. The
Lumber Bridge mom of four
children entered the court
room shackled and hand
cuffed. She made no com
ments during the proceedings.
Superior Court Judge Gregory
Weeks presided over the hear
ing.
Newton told the court
when neighbors witnessed
Austin, he was usually naked
or wearing only a diaper “ex
tremely soiled.” Newton also
told of people who alleged
Jimmerson was keeping her
children “strapped in child
enforced car seats” for hours
in her home.
“On Ellis Road, which is
down the road from where
they resided - one day before
he was drowned - motorists,
strangers had to stop and
get Emma, 3, and Austin
out of the street,” Newton
said. “A neighbor took
the children back to the
(See NEGLECT, page 4A)
2 chased, killed
man, sheriff says
Motive may have been gmdge
By VicroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Two men have been ar
rested in the death of Hoke
man who was gunned down
after being chased while he
drove along Highway 211.
Hoke resident Michael
Freeman who was murdered
la.st month was hired full-time
by a Goodyear tire store in
Fayetteville the day after he
was buried, according to his
sisters Jettie Hailey and Jea
nette Freeman.
“They did not realize my
brother had been slain during
a high-speed chase,” Jeanette
said sadly. “He had been em
ployed at the store part-time.
Avery
Blanks
East Hoke
sweeps West Hoke
page7A
Emergency team
seeks volunteers
page 8 A
County honors
diverse group
page IB
Fire threat increases
page 6 B
“My brother was a fun-lov
ing person, and I cannot imag
ine how anybody would have
done something this brutal to
him. He should not have died
in this violent way.
“He left behind two young
daughters and a stepdaughter
who live in Southern Pines.”
Described by his mother
as a mama’s boy and nick
named Rabbit. Freeman
was pursued by a gatig of
(See ARREST, page 5A)
Museum
paid off
The Raeford-Hoke
Museum is now paid off
and is debt-free, accord
ing to its board.
Chairperson Grace
McDonald, and Joyce
Monroe, past chairper
son, accepted the deed
after a $250,000 mort
gage was paid in full.
The Raeford-Hoke
Museum was organized
as a non-profit organiza
tion in 2001 under the
direction of the late Bob
Gentry.
(See MUSEUM,
page 8A)
Leanne Shepley at work at ACE Automotive in Raeford.
Only female NASCAR mechanic
in Hoke County means business
By Victoriana Simmers
Staff writer
When Leanne Shepley is
under the hood of a vehicle,
she steers with a one track
mind, diagnosing problems
like a car-diologist.
As the only local female
NASCAR technician, Leanne
listens to engines purring and
checks fluids on a daily basis
at Ace Automotive in Raeford.
She says she has come a long
way since she studied weld
ing courses at Hoke County
High.
A 2003 graduate of Hoke
High, Shepley is the daugh
ter of insurance firm owner
Clyde Shepley of Rockfish.
Her professional goals led
her to become an automotive
technician rather than seek a
career in nursing as initially
planned.
“I have learned that a car
has to be tested and diagnosed
in order to know what the
problem is - just like a doc
tor,” Shepley said. “I am one
of only three females out of
3,000 guys that graduated
from the NASCAR Techni
cal Institute in Mooresville
last year.”
Shepley said her first career
offer came from NASCAR’s
famous Penske racing team
after she graduated with
honors from the NASCAR
school with an automotive
diploma.
“Believe me, I was flat
tered,” she said. “I guess
taking apart all those racing
engines paid off.
“Working for NASCAR is
the equivalent of working on
the Oprah Winfrey show. You
get bragging rights.”
However, preferring to
stay closer to home, Shepley
accepted a position with the
family owned Ace Automo
tive team at 319 North Bethel
Road. It included an extra
perk for Leanne, because
boyfriend Joel Lemer, also a
NASCAR institute grad and
Hoke High graduate, accepted
a job with ACE.
“I could do a little stuff
back during high school, but
I was never into cars,” Leanne
said. “I got my first job with a
tire store in Fayetteville.
(See MECHANIC, page 8A)
Caleixlar
4B
Classifieds
5B
Deaths
3A
Editorials
2A
Engagements
6A
Legals
3B
Sports
7A
Stxniils
6A
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Students narrowly escape bus fire
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke school superinten
dent Dr. Freddie Williamson
has ordered an investiga
tion into the origin of a fire
that destroyed a school bus
early Monday morning after
Students on board narrowly
escaped.
Hoke schools transporta
tion director Robert Creech shal Major Freddy Johnson
said sabotage was initially
suspected because someone
broke into the bus, which
was parked at Rockfish Hoke
Elementary School over the
weekend. He said someone
stole the bus keys, and the
route map was missing. His
office took anot her set of keys
to the bus driver.
However, Hoke fire mar-
said the fire was a legitimate
blaze caused by an apparent
electrical short. He inspected
the bus yesterday afternoon at
the school bus garage.
Early on Monday, black
smoke began filling the mov
ing bus loaded with East Hoke
Middle School students, who
were evacuated by school
(See BUS FIRE, page 4A)
Bus garage workers survey the damage from Monday’s fire.
lie INews-
News
By Ken MuDonaei)
Publisher
f Journal
Other stuff
, Mil#
1 was sipping Sprite at the cookout and
waiting for the food to be released to the
guests when suddenly I heard bagpipes in
the distance.
I knew insfnnfly it
Maureen had spent the week as houseguests,
and just the day before, I had heard him piping
in our backyard, rousing the neighborhcKKi
and tormenting the dogs.
r - -t
There were a couple hundred of us there for
the pig picking, and I noted the puzzled looks
on the faces of others as Ian walked slowly up
the driveway playing “Highland Cathedral”
or “Scotland the Brave.”
“Silly people,” I thought, “he’s just killing
time and trying to add sttme ambiance to this
.-vUlitt.
It didn’t occur to me he was asked to play
the pipes.
The hosts - Rick Sandy and Kathy
(See OTHER STUFF, page 8A)
Student charged
with rape at school
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke Sheriff Hubert Peter-
kin has confirmed a female
student at Hoke County High
al leged another student raped
her last month.
1 he alleged rape occurred
on March 29 after hours
on the campus, according
to Peterkin. He said both
(See RAPE, page 5At)
Sheriff’s office
sets opening
Hoke Sheriff Hubert
Peterkin, along with coun
ty officials, announces the
grand opening and ribbon
cutting for the new Hoke
County Sheri ITs Office on
Friday at 11 a.in.
Digniiaiies trom the
city and county have
been invited to the spe
cial event scheduled at
(See OFFICE, page 5A)