News Around Us

Blakely - A Blakely woman was charged with robbery last week in Dothan, along with two Blakely men, after robbing a man who had given the woman a ride.

Kelly Jackson, 26, Patrick Brown, 26, and Antonio Carrow, 18, were all charged with second degree robbery at the Houston County Jail.

According to a report of the robbery in the April 25 Dothan Eagle, Jackson was working at an exotic dancing bar in Dothan when she convinced the victim to give her a ride home.

When the man parked in front of an abandoned house to talk, Brown and Carrow parked behind them. Jackson handcuffed the victim. They stole $150, his cell phone and car keys.

Authorities were notified by a nearby resident who witnessed the robbery. When authorities arrived on the scene, a description of the suspects' vehicle was issued.

A short time later the suspects were spotted and stopped by the Columbia Police Department.

Local authorities told the News that Jackson was also charged last week with shoplifting at Harvey's Supermarket in Blakely.

Blounstown - A fourwheeler wreck claimed the life of a Liberty County man over the weekend.

Larry Louis Brake, 43, of Blountstown died Saturday from injuries sustained in the accident.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Brake was traveling south on the Kingquad 4 x 4 all-terrain vehicle (ATV) around 1 p.m. on a dirt road in Liberty County. As the ATV exited a slight curve in the roadway, it travelled across a washed out area and began to rotate counter-clockwise and overturn. Brake was thrown from the four-wheeler. He was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

Cairo - After escaping through the ceiling tiles of Grady General Hospital, a Grady County Jail inmate spent five hours on the run before being tracked down and recaptured early Wednesday morning.

Leonard Scott Rathel, 30, had been taken to the local hospital Tuesday evening after complaining of diarrhea and knots in his neck, according to Steve Clark, sheriff's office investigator. While waiting for the doctor, Rathel, wearing leg chains and a prison uniform, had been allowed to go to the restroom four or five times, Clark says. On each visit it was necessary to unlock one of the prisoner's handcuffs to allow him a free hand to use the facilities.

A jailer stood watch outside the restroom door each time Rathel complained of needing to use the facilities. On the final restroom visit, Rathel took longer than usual, and the jailer discovered the door was locked.

After forcing the door open, the jailer found a ceiling tile had been removed, and Rathel had disappeared.

Dogs from sheriff's offices in Decatur County and Sneads, FL, were called into assist in the hunt. They picked up Rathel's scent in a wooded area behind Cairo High School, followed it across 20th Street, into the industrial park, and finally, to Graco Fertilizer Plant.

At Graco, the hounds seemed to concentrate on a large bark pile. With about 20 officers in the area and dogs hot on his trial, Rathel apparently decided his escape had come to an end, and in surrender slid down from his hiding spot at the top of the bark pile.

He was taken back into custody around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Pelham - Bob Bettison's guardian angel was on the job as a gunman took two shots at him Saturday, April 28.

Police have retrieved a vehicle from Hillcrest Apartments believed to have been used by the suspects sometime during the day.

Bettison was working in his family's store, located at 273 Glausier Street in Pelham, when a young black male around 5'4'' between 120- 140 pounds, who appeared to be in his twenties, entered the store.

According to Investigator Melvin Ray with the Pelham Police Department, the man asked to have some luncheon meat cut. "The suspect went to the back meat counter where Bettison began filling the customer's request," Ray said.

Bettison, who has been in business in Pelham for over 40 years, said he and the suspect talked briefly as he was cutting his meat. "He asked me if I remembered him," Bettison said. He even asked Bettison about his wife Peggy who died in February of this year.

"After receiving the luncheon meat, the suspect went back up front to the register where he then placed the meat on the front counter near the register, turned, and headed back to the meat counter."

Janice Poppell, an employer at Bettison's, observed the suspect pull a gun from his waistband and start firing it at Bettison.

"I did not see the gun," Bettison said. I just heard Janice scream my name, and she told me to watch out. I was trying to duck and get out of the way when I slipped and fell. Thank God, because falling probably saved my life."

The suspect fled the store. Later police were called by someone in Hillcrest Apartments, notifying them that two men had just jumped out of a car and left it in the apartment complex.

Evidence was gathered from the car, and hopefully it will lead to an arrest.