News Briefs From Across The State
Employee charged with aggravated assault
Police in Greenwood say a car owner’s complaint about a bad paint job allegedly led to gunfire. The Greenwood Commonwealth reported that Jonathan Fleming told police he was shot at after taking his car back to an automobile body worker on Sept. 8 to complain about the paint job.
Fleming said he sensed danger as the worker approached him with his hand underneath his shirt. Fleming said he got in his car and drove away, but the car was hit by gunfire. A bullet penetrated the back of the car and hit the car’s radio.
Police said 28-year-old Jarvis M. Fluker was charged with attempted aggravated assault and released on bond. The Commonwealth reports that a number listed for Fluker was disconnected. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.
Horn Lake woman killed in one-car accident
Police say a 30-year-old Horn Lake woman died in a one-car crash in Olive Branch. Police Maj. Danny Vasser told The Commercial Appeal Jenny Lynn Austin was traveling on Craft Road about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, when her car went off the road and hit a tree. She was airlifted from the scene in extremely critical condition to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, where she was pronounced dead at 7:36 p.m.
Vasser says Austin was alone in her car. He said the police department’s crash team is still investigating the accident
Trial set for man on federal mail fraud charges
A Stone County man will go to trial next month on charges of mail fraud and passing a fictitious financial instrument. Drew Allen Rayner, 72, was arraigned in July on those charges, U.S. Attorney John Dowdy said. The indictment alleges that Rayner mailed a fictitious bonded promissory note to the City of Poplarville in payment for a court ordered fine.
The fictitious note directed the City of Poplarville, to redeem the note from the United States Department of Treasury in Washington, D.C.
Rayner’s trial is set for Oct. 3 before Senior United States District Judge Walter J. Gex III. If convicted, Rayner faces a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Kentucky man collected $150k in workers’ comp fraud
A former Biloxi resident is facing charges that he fraudulently received workers’ compensation totaling over $150,000. Justin Matthew Hughes, 41, now a resident of Kentucky, was arraigned in Madison County Circuit Court on the charges brought by the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Unit.
Attorney General Jim Hood said Hughes was indicted on the charges late last year, but his whereabouts were unknown to investigators, until they were assisted by authorities in Kentucky.
“I appreciate the diligence of our investigators and the assistance of the Kentucky State Police in tracking down this defendant to face these charges brought forth by the grand jury,” said Attorney General Hood.
The indictment alleges that Hughes did knowingly misrepresent that he was not receiving a secondary income while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, which total $153,648.42 among the three counts.
Thompson recognized for commitment to National Parks
Congressman Bennie G. Thompson was honored with a Friend of the National Parks award from the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for his contribution to protecting and enhancing America’s national parks.
The award, presented to 57 senators and 179 representatives, recognizes members with pro-park voting records during the 111th Congress.
“America’s national parks are living classrooms that teach us valuable lessons about our shared heritage, and Congressman Thompson’s support is essential to the protection and preservation of our national treasures,” said NPCA President Tom Kiernan.
NPCA’s Friend of the National Parks Award was established in 1999 to track and publicize congressional members’ votes on significant park issues.
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