A Hickory teenager was discovered fatally shot at her residence late Saturday night.

Hickory Police were called to the reported shooting at 1806 13^th Avenue Northeast where they found 17-year-old Katyln Michelle Wittcop deceased.

A news release states multiple persons were present during the deadly incident and officers are continuing interviews.

No charges have been filed.

Anyone having information is urged to contact the Hickory Police Department at 328-5551.

A McDowell County jail inmate adds to his charges after committing property damage while incarcerated.

39-year-old Joey Dale Clipse of Roan Mountain Tennessee was being held on charges from Mitchell and Avery counties.

A detention officer learned that Clipse had broken the window in his jail cell.

He was then charged with injury to real property.

Damage was listed as more than 280-dollars.

A Nebo resident is charged with 911 misuse.

McDowell County officers were called to the cedarbrook residential area to someone repeatedly dialing 911.

73-year-old Kareyn Ann Shermer of 1267 Pinnacle Church Road was charged with misuse of the 911 system.

When officers arrived they found no situations to warrant an emergency call to 911.

Dispatchers reported Shermer had called 911 five times within a 12-hour period.

An Alexander County man faces a prison term after pleading guilty to child sex offense charges.

49-year-old Frank Soloman Mecimore was sentenced to a term of up to 17 years.

Last week, Mecimore pleaded guilty to attempted statutory sex offense with a child.

He was reportedly arrested in June 2015 on charges involving a 5-year-old.

A Lincolnton man is being sought by authorities after a residential break-in and theft of 14-hundred-dollars worth of electronics.

After receiving a vehicle description and reports from a witness who observed the theft, Lincoln County deputies spotted and began pursuing the suspect vehicle registered to 54-year-old Wilson Jamie Derr of Lincolnton.

A news release reports the suspect vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100-miles-per hour.

The pursuit was terminated just inside Gaston County with regard to public safety, although deputies were able to identify Derr as the driver.

Derr is charged with one felony count each of breaking and entering a building, larceny after breaking and entering, and possession of stolen goods.

He was also charged with one count each of reckless driving and willful disregard of the safety of others, fleeing to elude arrest, and speeding.

Gaston County also holds outstanding warrants on Derr.

Anyone having information on the whereabouts of Wilson Jamie Derr is urged to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050.

A Morganton man is arrested by Burke and Caldwell officers and charged with various drug offenses.

Agents from both counties have been investigating 29-year-old Dorian Michael Morgan for the past several months as a suspected heroin dealer.

A press release states Morgan had been staying at the Days Inn in Lenoir and was stopped by officials around 11 Tuesday morning after leaving his room.

A search of his vehicle turned up a small amount of marijuana and a digital scale.

Following the vehicle search, agents executed a search warrant for his room and found over 40 grams of heroin and other drug paraphernalia.

Morgan was charged with felony trafficking in heroin by possession and felony maintaining a dwelling to keep and store a controlled substance.

He was confined under a 250-thousand-dollar secured bond with a court date set for Thursday.

The Burke County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office ICE Unit, and the Lenoir Police Departments Narcotics Division took part in the joint investigation.

An arrest has been made in the Conover shooting that left a man dead and his mother wounded.

After being on the loose following Tuesday night’s incident, Scott Anthony Putnam was taken into custody Wednesday morning at his residence – about a mile from where the shooting occurred.

The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Anthony Killian.

Killian’s mother, Roxanne Killian remains hospitalized.

Her condition has been upgraded from critical to serious.

A Marion man faces assorted drug charges including possession of methamphetamine.

A McDowell County deputy reportedly stopped a vehicle on Zion Hill Road due to traffic violations.

47-year-old Jack Douglas Whitehead of 541 Epley Drive was an occupant in the car.

A search resulted in 11 grams of meth, 2 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia that all belonged to Whitehead.

A 16-year-old McDowell County runaway has been found unharmed Tuesday night.

Michelle Wing was reported missing by her parents.

McDowell County authorities thank the public for their assistance.

A second arrest has been made in the shooting of a Caldwell County deputy.

47-year-old James Edgar Roberts of 2035 Zack’s Fork Road Lenoir has been charged with accessory after the fact to assault with a deadly weapon will intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

A news release states Roberts was arrested Thursday evening at the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office after being interviewed by investigators.

Officials believe he provided transportation to the two primary suspects Kerry Edwin Townsend And Stephanie Lee Sipes by driving them around while allegedly knowing they were responsible for the shooting.

Townsend was shot and killed after reportedly firing upon members of the Caldwell Sheriff’s SWAT team Wednesday evening.

Sipes was taken into custody, facing the same charges as Roberts, and is being held under a 1-million-dollar bond.

Roberts is also detained under a 1-million-dollar bond.

Deputy Jordan Sherrill remains stable at Carolinas Med Center in Charlotte after being shot by Townsend during a traffic stop.

A Nebo man is charged with murder.

McDowell County Sheriff's deputies and SBI agents apprehended 47-year-old Walter Sidney "Walt" Mitchell, about 7pm Saturday at a residence on Muddy Creek Road in Nebo. He was wanted in connection with the murder of his roommate, 36-year-old Matthew Glenn Pressley of Walnut Grove Road, Nebo.

Pressley was found about 11:30pm Friday inside his house with a fatal head wound. 

An undercover drug investigation raid results in the arrest of a Morganton man.

Morganton Public Safety's SWAT Team conducted a "No-Knock" Search Warrant Operation about 4pm Wednesday at 230 Sequoia Circle. Officers located 40-year-old Jason Shea Ali and charged him with two methamphetamine offenses and two other drug charges. Additional charges are likely in this case. Ali also has pending drug charges in Caldwell County. Bond was set at $60,000.

According to Morganton Public Safety, investigations and complaints about 230 Sequoia Circle have been on-going for over a year and have resulted in three, previous search warrants and multiple arrests of persons from out of county on a variety of drug and other offenses.

An argument leads to shots fired and the arrest of two people in Alexander County.

Sheriff's officers arrived about 8:45 Thursday morning to a residence in the Wittenburg Community and talked with Teresa Petrea She stated that her nephew, Nathan Teague had come on the property asking for money owed to him. An argument ensued with both people reportedly firing shots .

Teague was charged with charged with Felony Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling and Felony Possession of Firearm by Felon. Petrea was charged with one count of Felony Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle.

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office has released a more detailed vehicle description of the suspect car involved in Sunday night’s shooting incident along with the name of the injured deputy.

A news release describes the vehicle as an early 90’s model blue four-door Toyota Corolla with NC plate AFJ-5570.

Anyone recognizing the vehicle should call the Caldwell Sheriff’s Office at 758-2324.

Crimestoppers will pay up to 1-thousand dollars for information leading to an arrest.

The driver of the vehicle was reportedly a white male with a white female passenger.

Around 11:30 Sunday evening, the car was halted in a traffic stop at Cheraw Road near Pisgah Church Road.

Reports say as the deputy 21-year-old Jordan Sherill approached the car, he was shot.

Officer Sherill was wearing a protective vest, but was hit below the vest.

He was airlifted to Carolinas Med Center in Charlotte where he underwent surgery and is listed in stable condition.

The Caldwell sheriff’s office and SBI along with other area law enforcement agencies are working to gather additional information to determine a motive and suspect.

What could have been a tragic day at the lake turned in to a praise for local park officials and emergency responders.

An 18-month old child was reportedly rescued from Paddy’s Creek access at Lake James State Park Saturday afternoon.

Reports say CPR was performed on the child for nearly a minute before breathing was restored.

The child was awake and conscious whenever Burke EMS arrived on the scene.

Published reports state the child was transported to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte for observation.

Lake James park rangers, the Lakes James Fire department, Burke County Search and Rescue and Long Town Fire Department assisted at the scene.

A Marion pair is charged after a McDowell deputy discovers them sitting in a vehicle unresponsive.

The deputy found the auto sitting in the roadway on Ivy Drive in Marion.

A subsequent search of the vehicle and the suspects inside turned up point-52 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and two concealed knives.

43-year-old Scott Ellis Davis of Proctors Knob Road was charged with possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, and carrying a concealed weapon.

37-year-old Holly Michelle Schism of Tom’s Creek Road was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

A Taylorsville man is charged after allegedly shooting at firefighters who were on a call Tuesday afternoon.

Alexander County Sheriff’s Reports say 54-year-old Michael Douglas Porter summoned the Bethlehem Volunteer fire department regarding a grass fire on Icard Ridge Road.

Porter told officials he was making the call on behalf of the homeowner; however, authorities report that was false.

As the fire truck reportedly arrived on the scene, the driver stated he heard a popping sound.

According to sheriff’s reports, it was later determined the noise was a shot that came from across the street; roughly 25 to 30 yards from the fire truck.

Porter was then charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon on emergency personnel.

He was issued a 20-thousand-dollar secured bond.

The investigation is still on-going.

A shooting in Shelby early Wednesday morning results in the arrest of a teenager.

According to reports with Shelby Police, officers were called to a traffic accident on Clegg Street.

Whenever they arrived, officers report they discovered the car’s driver had been shot.

The victim was taken to a local hospital, but then transferred to Carolinas Healthcare Charlotte for treatment.

Police have charged 18-year-old Corey Keshawn Brown with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or to inflict serious injury.

The investigation is continuing; with more arrests possible.

Should you have information about the incident, call Cleveland County Crimestoppers at 704-481-TIPS.

An Old Fort man ends up being charged with drug possession while McDowell officers were responding to a 911 hang-up call.

Around 3:30 Wednesday morning, deputies were checking 970 Bat Cave Road; where 54-year-old Ronnie Eugene Hobbs told them someone was following him.

Reports say the deputy failed to observe any one else in the area.

A subsequent search of Hobbs turned up 2 grams of meth in his pocket.

The state department of transportation announces the closing of two secondary roads in McDowell County to replace aging bridges.

Old Linville Road will be closed to replace a 60-year-old bridge over the Pond Branch; while another 60-year-old bridge over Katy Creek will close Tater Town Loop.

These bridges no longer meet current design standards.

The roads will both close tomorrow with construction expected to be completed by November 9^th.

Transportation officials remind motorists to drive with caution, obey posted signs, and slow down in work zones.

A Lenoir woman faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with an overdose death that took place last May.

The Lenoir Police Department reports Hanna Marie Kincaid was found deceased at 831 Montclair Circle May 1^st.

Officials say she had ingested a deadly amount of fentanyl.

Last week, police arrested 23-year-old Erica Sierra Haas as a suspect who allegedly delivered the drugs to Kincaid.

Haas was issued a 500-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and further charges may be forthcoming.

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorneys Office have worked in conjunction with Lenoir Police during the investigation.

For the second time in less than two weeks, an arrest has resulted from Hickory officers detecting the smell of marijuana coming from a motel room.

While patrolling Days Inn and Suites on 13^th Avenue Sunday, officers detected the order and upon investigation discovered nearly 18 grams of cocaine and point-1 grams of marijuana.

Reports say they also found a stolen handgun and drug paraphernalia.

34-year-old Craig Lashawn McClain of Catawba was charged with felony counts of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to sale or deliver cocaine.

He also faces misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

McClain was served a 9-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Catawba County has confirmed its’ fifth case of rabies this year.

A news release says Catawba County Animal Services responded to a call from a citizen in Vale whose dog had possibly been exposed to a raccoon that was displaying abnormal behavior.

The raccoon was sent to the state’s public health lab in Raleigh which notified county health officials today that the animal tested positive for rabies.

The dog was current on its rabies vaccine, and was provided a rabies booster within 96 hours of its encounter with the raccoon.

Animal services reminds pet owners that rabies is a threat to pets and humans year-round.

And the best way to protect your pet is to have them properly vaccinated for rabies.

Investigators with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office are looking for a person of interest in a recent spree of mail thefts.

A suspect named Ashley Allison is wanted for questioning.

The news release does not offer a description, and goes on to say further information about Allison is unknown.

Anyone have information though about the suspect’s whereabouts should call the McDowell Detective Division at 652-2237 or McDowell Crimestoppers at 65-CRIME.

A Morganton man douses his home with gasoline, and sets it on fire with himself and his five children inside.

A release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office states 37-year-old Floyd Elmer Tate the fourth had poured the gasoline inside his Pritchard Drive mobile home and locked himself and the children inside the home before igniting the blaze.

However, when deputies arrived Tate was outside the residence and had reportedly extinguished the fire.

Officers detected a strong odor of gasoline upon entering the home as they proceeded to remove the children ages 5 to 12. 

The Burke County Fire Marshal’s office responded to the scene in order to collect suspected arson evidence.

Tate was then charged with felony arson, misdemeanor communicating threats, and misdemeanor child abuse.

He was detained in the Burke-Catawba Confinement Facility under a 100-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Glen Alpine Police and West End Fire-Rescue assisted at the scene.

Two Morganton men attempt breaking and entering a newly-constructed home Wednesday evening.

20-year-old Preston Luke Collingwood of Waterford Way and 20-year-old Samuel Lee Keller of Pea Ridge Road were spotted covering the home’s security cameras according to a news release.

Whenever deputies with the Burke Sheriff’s Office arrived, the two suspects were observed on the home’s back patio at 2063 West Bluewater Drive.

Lawmen ordered the two to lie down – Collingwood complied with the officer’s command; however, Keller initially ran but later laid down in the yard.

A trash bag Keller was carrying contained the lockbox for the house with the key inside.

The pair was arrested and each charged with attempted breaking and entering, misdemeanor larceny, and receiving stolen goods or property.

Both Collingwood and Keller were transported to the Burke-Catawba confinement facility, with each under a 10-thousand dollar secured bond.

Both will appear in court July 17^th.

A Marion man is charged with strangling his wife during a domestic dispute.

45-year-old Travis Ray Mace of 399 Old Morganton Road allegedly assaulted and choked his pregnant wife while the two were arguing.

The McDowell Sheriff’s Office charged Mace with assault by strangulation,

He was also served with outstanding warrants for assault on a female and battery of an unborn child.

An all-terrain vehicle accident Tuesday evening proved fatal for a Claremont man.

Reports with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Department say 21-year-old Josh Helms was riding with friends off Edwards Road whenever he crashed into a tree on the ATV.

Helms was pronounced deceased at Catawba Valley Med Center.

Sheriff’s reports state he was not wearing a helmet.

A Connelly Springs man was killed in a motorcycle crash Tuesday morning on Interstate 40.

Reports from the state highway patrol say 30-year-old Aaron Bachelder Junior was driving the motorcycle traveling east when he struck the back of another vehicle near the 97 mile marker.

Bachelder was reportedly ejected from the cycle and was deceased at the scene.

Troopers estimate he was traveling at 100 miles per hour before the accident.

There were no other injuries.

Meanwhile, another motorcyclist was flown to a trauma center with serious injuries following another mishap on US 70 in Nebo last weekend.

According to the Highway Patrol, 44-year-old Billy Lee Ferguson of Marion was traveling eastbound near the Burke/ McDowell County line when he crossed the center line, side-swiping an on-coming truck driven by 57-year-old Randy Pruitt of Granite Falls.

Reports say Ferguson was ejected from the cycle, and later flown to Mission Hospital in Asheville.

A chase that began in Caldwell County ended in Morganton early Monday.

Reports say 21-year-old Triston Jay Gibson was driving a vehicle with an expired license plate when a Caldwell County deputy attempted to stop him.

Gibson fled from the deputy, continuing along NC 18 to Morganton, with the chase ending on Rockyford Street.

Gibson reportedly exited the car and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by officers.

He allegedly had borrowed the car from a friend.

Gibson was charged with felony speeding to elude arrest and was taken to the Caldwell County jail, where he was confined under a 40-thousand-dollar secured bond.

An officer with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office locates a suspect with outstanding warrants and also discovers drugs in his possession.

The officers stopped 51-year-old Thomas Edward Grigg of 455 Spooky Hollow Road Marion for having a suspended license.

At that time, deputies learned Grigg had outstanding warrants in McDowell.

A search of the suspect turned up 7 grams of marijuana.