Nurse charged with fraud

News Briefs From Across The State

By Monica Land

Nurse reportedly took drugs from nursing home

A Lauderdale County nurse has been arrested on a charge of illegally obtaining drugs from the nursing home where she was working.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office said 36-year-old Shannon Bomar, of Lauderdale, was recently indicted on a charge of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance or prescription by misrepresentation or fraud.

The indictment alleges that Bomar, while working as a nurse at the Golden Living Nursing Center of Meridian, illegally took a quantity of Lortab tablets from the facility.

If convicted of the charge, Bomar could face up to 5 years in prison.

Woman found dead in vehicle in Attala County

The body of a 41-year-old Leake County woman found dead behind the wheel of her vehicle has been sent to the crime lab for an autopsy.

Attala County authorities said the vehicle of Annie Marie Cox was discovered Monday, Feb. 18 around 10:15 a.m. Cox was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheriff Tim Nail said the vehicle, a GMC Envoy, had run off County Road 1116 and into a ditch.

Cox’s cause of death is unknown, but authorities do not suspect foul play. Autopsy results are pending.

Man suffers heart attack, dies in vehicle fire

The Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) is investigating a vehicle accident that claimed the life of a Kosciusko man.

Cpl. Ben Williams, of the MHP, said on Feb. 18, Douglas Burt, 45, pulled over on Highway 43 where he had an apparent heart attack. For some unknown reason, Williams said the vehicle caught fire with Burt still inside.

Burt was pronounced dead at the scene by Attala County Coroner Sam Bell.

The body has been sent to Jackson for an autopsy.

Eupora man sentenced for failure to pay child support

A Eupora  man has been sentenced to five years in jail, two and a half months to serve, for failing to support his child.

James Scott Jones, 42, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Lowndes County Circuit Court Judge James T. Kitchens, Jr.

Besides the time in jail, Jones will have four years and 10 ½ months of supervised post release supervision in the custody of MDOC. During the five year sentence, Jones is to pay an additional $250 a month on top of his regular child support obligation until his arrearage of $25,000 is paid in full.

Attorney general Jim Hood said Jones is “finally being forced to pay what he owes through imprisonment, probation, and garnishment from his employment.”

Bland to run for mayor of Meridian

Former mayor, Percy Bland, who was defeated by Cheri Barry in a general election four years ago, has announced he is running for his old post.

At a ceremony on the steps of Meridian City Hall, Bland announced his intentions. Bland said his top priority as he begins his campaign is to the show the constituents that he is ready to deal with crime in the city.

“The most attention right now is on the safety in our community,” Bland said. “People are scared to go to Walmart. People are scared to go out right now, so we need to do a good job at getting our police department under control and providing the leadership from the mayor’s

office to get those things done.”

Mayor Barry and former Lauderdale County Election Commissioner Rod Amos are running against Bland, WTOK reported.