I Trojans vs. To|
Kick-off for the first home gc
the season is Friday at 8 p.m
on Page 9-B.
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it Trucker I
H
I In Supply
BY DOUG RUTTER ]
A South Carolina man was out of t
the hospital Monday following an
two-vehicle collision last Friday near <
K Supply that left another man dead. 1
Thomas Lee Nick, 25, of Hugen, (
S.C., was traveling north on U.S. 17 in i
a dumptruck that skidded into the \
path of a southbound tanker truck
loaded with gasoline. \
r In the accident, Trooper Bobby (
Wilkes charged Nick with exceeding i
safe speed, driving left of center and t
| death by vehicle, according to c
Highway Patrol spokesperson Ruby
Oakley. i
Earl Eugene Chavis, 41, of Con- \
way, S.C., was killed in the accident s
when the tanker he was driving ?
caught fire shortly after the collision, t
Brunswick County Emergency t
Management Coordinator Cecil 1
Logan said the impact did not cause
an immediate explosion and allowed i
Nick to escape the wreckage with no \
burns.
"It kinda smoldered a little bit then t
burst into flames," he said. "It never g
did explode." i
Nick was rushed to The Brunswick ?
Hospital near Supply following the (
accident and was admitted in stable
condition at about 4 p.m., according i
to spokesperson Francis Williamson. <
He was transferred to a Wilm- t
ington hospital 2Vi hours later and 1
was released from New Hanover
Memorial Hospital Monday. i
The only injury Nick suffered was i
a stable fracture of a cervical i
vertebra, added Mrs. Williamson, t
"He was alert and cooperative," she
said. "He was a luckv man." i
The accident brought to 13 the i
number of fatalities on Brunswick c
County roads this year, said Ms. j
Oakley. By the same time last year, s
15 motorists had died on local e
highways. t
The wreck occured Friday about
2:30 p.m. on U.S. 17 approximately t
9.5 miles north of Shallotte, accor- I
ding to Highway Patrol report. The t
vehicles collided on a straight stretch
of road just south of Brunswick Com- t
munity College's main campus. J
Five area volunteer fire depart- I
ments and three rescue squads
responded to the accident, which ?
forced rerouting of traffic along N.C. t
211 south of the scene and Midway r
Com mis
BY RAHN ADAMS
Brunswick County Commissioners
Monday discussed a full range of
potential capital projects facing the
county and decided to tackle the two
most pressing needs first?relieving
overcrowded conditions in both the
county jail and local Department of
Social Services.
Attended by all five commissioners,
the four-hour work session in
Bolivia also included an hour-long executive
session requested by Chairman
Grace Beasley to discuss the
proposed purchase of land for expan
sion ot me county landfill near Supp- l
ly. No action was announced after the t
closed-door session.
On a motion by Commissioner (
Chris Chappell, the board j
unanimously voted to seek architec- 4
tural proposals for expansion of the (
county jail and construction of a new j
building for the Brunswick County
Department of Social Services. (
Chappell also stated in his motion e
that the county should "get on with v
those two projects as soon as possible."
1
According to County Manager John c
T. Smith, the county's $1.4 million f
capital projects fund should cover ex- j
pansion of the jail and construction of
new DSS facilities, even though the 1
fund would be depleted. t
He noted that 1986 estimates placed s
the cost of the *wo projects at v
4
psail
1 ^tory
IF I%V1|
HOAG & SONS BOOK i
PO _ _ _ BO
SPR i NGPOR frl I 4!
Killed
f Wreck
itoad on the north side for about
:hree hours.
"We had a lot of sand on the road to
soak up the oil," said Logan. N.C.
7orest Service workers also respond>d
to the blaze and used tractors to
nove heavy debris from the roadvay.
Logan said emergency personnel
vere on the scene until about 10:30
>.m. Friday removing oil from the
oadside ditch. The remains of the
rucks were not removed until Monlay.
An estimated 50 to 60 fire and
escue volunteers responded to the
vreck, which Logan said was very
timilur to an onniHont tViof
vu c*i? UV.V1UVIII. (.not ULV.UUCU
:ight years ago on the same stretch
>f road. In December of 1980, a
anker collided with an automobile,
tilling both drivers.
"I really can't say why it happens
it that spot," he said. "I'd say they
veren't 20 feet from each other."
The tanker in last week's accident
rontained about 8,800 gallons of
;asoline stored in five compartnents,
according to Bob Childs,
jeneral manager of G.J. Creel Inc. of
Conway, owners of the vehicle.
T /lUfln fiSJlH firofiohforc nraifo/1 fr\r
. uu>u k?vti(jiuvio nai^u ivii
nost of the gasoline to burn before
;xtinguishing the blaze, which sent
hick black smoke towering several
lundred feet into the air.
"In a gas type situation the cleanuf
s a whole lot less when you let it burr
tself out," he said, adding that batting
such blazes presents an addiional
risk to firefighters.
Chavis was en route from Wilmngton
to Conway at the time of the
iccident, said Childs, and was the
:ompany's senior driver with eight
'ears of service. Chavis had earned
[even safe driver awards during his
tmployment, he continued, adding
hat "he was an excellent driver."
The Highway Patrol report listed
lamage to the 1983 tanker at $50,000,
iut Childs said it was closer to $60,000
ir $65,000 with the gasoline included.
Damage to the 1987 Ford dumpruck
was estimated at $25,000, said
ds. Oakley. It was owned by S.S.
.easing Inc. of Greensboro.
Ms. Oakley also said the wreck did
ibout $5,000 damage to the highway.
V 75-foot-long section will have to be
eplaced.
>sioners Se
J1,175,720. The new DSS building
would cost $750,000, while a new
parking area would cost $50,000. The
arice tag on expansion of the jail
would be $375,720.
Although no action on financing
was taken, Smith suggested that the
county fund the projects through a
ease-purchase method, since the
;wo-year-old estimates are probably
ower than current costs.
The lease-purchase method would
seep the county from having to make
lp-front payments on the construc;ion
projects. However, interest
would be owed to the lending instituion
that provided funding, he said.
Prior to the board's vote. Smith
:mphasized the urgency of both proects.
The jail regularly exceeds its
14-inmate capacity, and over:rowding
has been noted on monthly
ail inspections, he said.
Commissioner Jim Poole pointed
>ut that 18 prisoners had to be "farm;d
out" to other area jails last
veekend, due to local overcrowding.
Sheriff John C. Davis said Monday
le feels the jail would have to be
loubled in size, or else another ex>ansion
would be needed within five
'ears.
Also, "the state has been on us very
leavy about our Social Services
milding," Smith said, noting that the
tate could eventually choose to
withhold its DSS funding if additional
Canal Dred
Sunset Beach gives tf"
Ocean Isle extends pc
I
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' ft.. . -' - ? ' K <
STATE TROOPERS Bobby Wilkes, left
background.
'Assistan
BY RAHN ADAMS 1
A judge's finding that a drug traf- 1
ficker has been of "substantial '
assistance" to investigators ap- ^
parently affects more than just the
1 prison sentence the defendant '
receives. Trie uncling also is taken in)
to consideration when the inmate is
i up for parole.
DeCarol Williamson, who was
sentenced in May to a two-year 1
prison term after he pleaded guilty to
cocaine trafficking, was paroled !
from the N.C. Department of Correc- '
tions last month, according to N.C.
Parole Commission Chairman Sam 1
Wilson. '
1
Wilson said Williamson's parole ?
was granted Aug. 8, after the defen- <
dant's case was reviewed by the com- (
mission in Raleigh. j
"We consider everything," Wilson i
told the Beacon last Thursday. "The ?
public record showed that Mr.
Williamson provided substantial t
assistance to law enforcement." i
According to state law, a finding f
that a defendant has "provided i
substantial assistance in the iden- f.
tification, arrest or conviction of any C
accomplices, accessories, co- ?
conspirators or principals..." t
it Jail, DSS E
I space isn't provided by the county. >
r No official action to require the ex- ]
! pansion has been taken yet by the (
1 state. i
The county's expansion plan calls
; for the new building and parking lot
i to be located behind the present
Human Services Building. Smith has
! said that the additional parking also
would help relieve the government
complex's current parking problems.
I Later in the work session, Smith
i brought the board up to date on completion
of a new building to house the
offices of Operations Services, Solid
Waste, and Building and Grounds.
The office space vacated by Operai
tions Services and Solid Waste in the
Planning building will be used by
Building Inspections, he said.
Cost of the new 30-foot by 56-foot
building, which opened Friday, was
approximately $36,000, Smith noted.
Construction was done in-house by
Operations Services.
Water System Discussed
Commissioners also discussed but
took no action on matters involving
the Brunswick County Water System.
At the outset of Monday's work session,
Public Utilities Director Jerry
Webb briefly outlined the findings of
a just-released study on the water
system's immediate needs south of
Shallotte (see related story).
Webb said the initial phase of the
proposed water system expansion
Iging:
ie go-ahead, 2-A
lyment deadline, 6-A
ruM
irsday, September 15, 1988
i
I
PbJ ?
I
i
,
and B.C. Jones investigate the acci
ce' Is Factor
illows a trial judge to give the defen
iant a lighter sentence and fine thai
s required by state drug traffickinj
aws.
Although the chairman would no
comment on specific reasons behin
the commission's decision to grai
early parole, Wilson also noted th<
U7ill 1 nmrnn'p frrrr* ?fAn?< ?
Ktuiuiiuuii o tnir/cai fjiiauii icii
was "substantially lower" than th
presumptive 12-year sentenc
Williamson faced after the finding c
substantial assistance by Superio
Jourt Judge Gile Clark.
The 37-year-old Williamson?i
ocal businessman and the son o
Jcean Isle Beach developer Odel
Williamson?was one of 48 in
iividuals indicted on drug trafficking
:harges in April by a Brunswicl
bounty special investigative grant
ury. His indictments stemmed fron
\ 1984 drug conspiracy involving
seven other area residents.
On May 16, he pleaded guilty ai
:harged in Brunswick Count]
Superior Court to conspiracy to traf
ic in more man 4UU grams of cocaim
ind trafficking in more than 4CM
prams of cocaine. The following da}
Jlark consolidated the charges an<
ientenced him to a $10,000 fine and i
wo-year prison term.
xpansion
will cost an estimated $1.5 millior
He added that the immediate need
Df the system?a storage tank o
Ocean Isle Beach Road and a pum
NOMINATED BY i
Lower L*
Could G
A portion of Lockwood Fol!
became the first area in Brunswic
for designation as an Outstanding
Lower Lockwood Folly south <
one of 12 coastal areas statewide n
consideration for protection again;
last Thursday by the state's Envi
ment Commission was unanimous
While the areas will receive ;
tion immediately, their nominatic
series of studies and hearings by
vironrnental Management. "We a
at the same time," said Presto
manager. He added that over the
staff will be doing "use attainabili
checking for existing and pote
shellfish and recreation, taking
projecting how the water could
with the ORW classfication.
ggMMgjfggggKHfn
New Presid
Allan Dameron is the new \
South Brunswick Islands O
Commerce. Story on Page 1
MBgBfr;'_ V'^HPBHtI
dent scene as steam and smoke rise
In Williamsor
Williamson's possible maximum
1 prison term on the consolidated
' charges was 40 years. He also faced a
mlnimiro fino tlKfl OAO iC 1 C?
..uiiunuiu tuiv VI ywu,UUU, U 11UI< IVIL
't the finding of substantial assistance,
d During the sentencing hearing in
May, an SBI agent testified that
it Williamson had helped set up a
11 "sting" operation near Calabash that
e resulted in the arrest of three cocaine
e traffickers from Florida. According
f to documents on file at the clerk of
r court's office, the arrests were made
Dec. 19, 1987, around 3:30 a.m., at
i Williamson's The Pearl Golf Links,
f
1 In addition to finding that William
son had provided substantial
I assistance, the judge also listed no
c aggravating factors and several
i mitigating factors in the sentenci
ing?facts which Wilson also noted
1 last tupplr fYinrt rppnrHe ohnnr
, > wwix wwua V * vwv* uu Uliun VIJC2V
the mitigating factors were that
3 Williamson had no prior criminal
' convictions, admitted guilt prior to
- his arrest and cooperated with law
J enforcement.
) Department of Corrections Public
f Information Officer David Guth said
1 last Thursday that Williamson was
i admitted to the prison system on
May 18. He was placed on work
Projects In A
i. station near the intersection of N.C.
s 904 and N.C. 179?should be comn
pleted by late 1989, according to the
p study.
EAAC
ockwood Folly
ain Added Pre
ly River last week Within nine n
:k County nominated studies as well as
Resource Water. project
>f Genoe's Point was In July the Con
ominated for special it will deal with
3t pollution. The vote specific criteria an
ironmental Manage- While under coi
i. tion, that section of
tected to the extent
iome special protec- stormwater manai
in sets into motion a lands within 575 fe
the Division of En- density controls cai
in't work all of them Howard 3aid
n Howard, regional nomination would
next six months the development abovi
ty analyses," that is, peripheral to the w
ntial uses such as Several other b
water samples and for consideration a!
be better protected eluding the Waccai
to date.
tamber of
2-C. P
/
%HI
1HP1M1 : Sfe^dges j
?warns
V/'"5^ '
'?C
v
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG RUTTER
from charred wreckage in the
i Parole
release on June 3 and was assigned to
the New Hanover County Prison
Unit. He was paroled on Aug. 10.
According to Wilson, even with a
two-year prison sentence, Williamson's
sentence would have "maxed
out" on May 17, 1939, due to the
Department of Correction's policy of
giving inmates one clay of credit for
every day of good behavior.
New Hanover Unit Supervisor Ray
Murphy said Friday that
Williamson's release date is March 9,
1989, as a result of additional "gain
time" credit he earned while in
custody.
Murphy explained that Williamson
was granted a standard 270-day
parole, which is allowed when the
Department of Corrections is under a
"system emergency" such as overcrowding.
Murphy said the system
has been in that situation for the past
several years. The Emergency
Powers Act allows the commission to
parole inmates for the last 270 days of
At i_ A
meir sentences.
Citing confidentiality requirements,
neither Wilson nor Murphy
would comment last week on the
specific terms of Williamson's
parole.
Aotion
Commissioners instructed Webb to
set up a joint meeting between them
and the Brunswick County Utility
(See EXPANSION, Page 2-A)
River
Section
nontns DEM must complete its
public hearings on each proposed
imission adopted guidelines on how
requests for nomination, but left
d rules unchanged,
nsideration for the special designaLockwood
Folly River will be pro;
that no "engineered solutions" for
*ement can be used on adjacent
iet of mean high water. Only lown
be used.
he didn't see any way that the
affect a marina proposed for
8 Genoe's Point since only area3
ater gain protection.
~e x? ' "
uuics ox water were proposed eariy
3 Outstanding Resource Waters, innaw
River, with no decision made
t