LOCAL Shaw airman killed in Sunday car crash WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 $1.00 A2 Stephen King TV Sumter PD will series finale will be serve the public filmed in Manning BY TREVOR BAUKNIGHT call on Tuesday looking for [email protected] some 300 extras per day to help populate the season fi- Season 2 of Mr. Mercedes nale of the show, which is di- from new facility is filming its season finale in rected by Jack Bender, direc- Manning, and the producers tor of Lost and Game of BY ADRIENNE SARVIS the old building at 107 E. Hampton Ave., the of the AT&T Original series, Thrones, and adapted for TV [email protected] agency’s former stomping ground for the based on a Stephen King by David E. Kelley. King, past 42 years, said Chief Russell Roark III. novel, want you in the pic- Bender and Kelley are the Sumter Police Department is ready to He said all of the officers within this agen- ture. show’s executive producers. serve the community from a new location cy spent most of their careers or started serv- Tona B. Dahlquist Casting, According to the show’s after moving into its new facility on North ing the community from the other building. out of Charleston, where website, Mr. Mercedes is the Lafayette Drive earlier this week. much of Mr. Mercedes has Monday was the department’s last day in SEE POLICE, PAGE A4 been shot, sent out a casting SEE EXTRAS, PAGE A5 IN REMEMBRANCE 74 years later, world marks D-Day On June 6, 1944, U.S. and Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to liberate northwestern Europe from Nazi Germany and ultimately help win World War II. More than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded. BY SAMMY WAY [email protected] illiam H. STF/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Brown of U.S. assault troops approach Utah Beach in a Sumter, a barge June 6, 1944, as Allied forces storm the W Normandy beaches on D-Day. D-Day is still one participant in D-Day, of the world’s most gut-wrenching and conse- wrote a letter to his son quential battles, as the Allied landing in Nor- four days before one of mandy led to the liberation of France which marked the turning point in the Western the- the largest invasions ater of World War II. ever attempted by man- kind. When the war came, William Brown volunteered to be a glider pilot, considered to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the Army Air Corps. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROBERT BROWN For the D-Day invasion, William H. Brown’s glider is seen after it crashed in a forest in darkness in Normandy dur- AP FILE PHOTO his glider was carrying a Airborne troops prepare for the descent on Eu- ing the D-Day invasion. Brown survived and made his way to the beaches where Allied communications jeep. forces fought Nazi Germany on June 6, 1944. He received the Purple Heart and Air Medal. rope during the D-Day invasion. When he reached the drop zone, he found the area completely blacked This letter was first published in 1994 in The Sum- out. The first wave of ter Item at the request of the late Lt. Col. Robert L. paratroopers was unable to light the landing fields, Brown, USAF, in honor of his father. but they had no choice but to release from the Somewhere in England tow ship and go in. June 2, 1944 He crashed in the trees in the dark and suffered Dear Little Robert, serious injuries to his foot WILLIAM H. In a very little while the greatest war ever created and leg and cuts to his BROWN face. When he regained by man will have begun, and as we sit here waiting consciousness, he found for it to start, I’m writing you a letter that I think I himself on the hood of the READ MORE owe to you. Yesterday, I wrote the last letters that I AP FILE PHOTO jeep, which had crashed ABOUT THE had expected to write for some time, but today I re- U.S. paratroopers fix their static lines before a into the pilot’s seats. INVASION ceived your letter so am taking time to write to you. jump before dawn over Normandy on D-Day, He survived the ordeal Tell Mother not to be hurt because I didn’t write to June 6, 1944, in France. The decision to launch and was able to fight his This Sunday’s her too, but I only have time for the one letter, so in a the airborne attack in darkness instead of wait- way back to the beach- edition of ing for first light was probably one of the few head, and for his merito- Reflections will way it is to both of you. Allied missteps on June 6. Improvements were rious achievements he re- focus on Little Robert, you have been unfortunate in having called for after the invasion; the hard-won ceived the Purple Heart D-Day. knowledge would be used to advantage later. and the Air Medal. SEE D-DAY, PAGE A5 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 LueMisher Jordan SUNNY AND HOT 3 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 David McCray Jr. VOL. 123, NO. 163 Classifieds: 774-1200 Cassandra Furman Scott Mostly sunny; mainly Delivery: 774-1258 Daniel McCray Jr. clear tonight Food C4 Panorama C1 News and Sports: 774-1226 Velma Colfield Vest HIGH 93, LOW 69 Classifieds B6 Opinion A7 Bertha Addison Eady Comics C2 Television C3 Mary Lee Jackson Jenester Reddick Bolden Choose The Bank That Works Hard For You It’s a world of difference when you bank with someone who lives and works in your community. When you need a car loan, checking account, credit card, or home mortgage, we speak your language. And we make decisions locally, not in a board room hundreds of miles away. We’re all the bank you’ll ever need. As the bank’s president, I make sure of that every day. Barry Ham Sumter: 803.469.0156 Manning: 803.433.4451 bankofclarendon.com ."//*/(t46.5&3t4"/5&&t46..&350/t8:#00 A2 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Shaw airman Turbeville correctional officer identified as driver killed in charged with bribery, contraband BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Another arrest warrant states Stro- less than two weeks after a riot at Lee Sunday crash [email protected] man — who started working at the me- Correctional Institution that report- dium-security men’s state prison on edly began over territory, money and FROM STAFF REPORTS A Turbeville Correctional Institution April 2 — conspired with an inmate to contraband such as cellphones, ac- A 24-year-old airman stationed officer faces three charges, including deliver the cellphone and charger in cording to SCDC Director Bryan Stir- at Shaw Air Force Base has been bribery, for allegedly attempting to de- exchange for money. ling. The riot left seven inmates dead identified as the driver killed in a liver a cellphone and cell- Stroman is charged with attempting and more than 20 injured in Lee Cor- wreck Sunday morning. phone charger to an in- to furnish a prisoner with contra- rectional Institution. Senior Airman Trevor Moheit, mate in exchange for $700 band, bribery and misconduct in of- Corrections department officials who was assigned to the 20th on Saturday. fice. have asked the Federal Communica- Equipment Maintenance Squad- Kyontae Ty’ Tiauna She was being held at Clarendon tions Commission to block cellphone ron, was killed when his pickup Moni Stroman, of County Detention Center before she signals in state prisons to keep in- truck crashed about 7:15 a.m. Longcreek Drive in Co- was released on bond — a $2,500 sure- mates from communicating with each while traveling on South St. Pauls STROMAN lumbia, was arrested ty bond was set for each charge. other if they acquire cellphones. Church Road. after an LG cellphone In April, federal indictments were Corrections officials announced in “Trevor’s sudden and cellphone charger were found in- issued for 14 now-former South Caro- May that South Carolina will be the passing is a tragedy,” side her state-issued vest during a lina Department of Corrections em- first state in the country to use drones Lt. Col. Casey Cra- search when she entered the institu- ployees and correction officers on to keep an eye on inmates and the bill, 20th EMS com- tion on Clarence Coker Highway on bribery and contraband charges for grounds of 21 state prisons. The mander, said in a Saturday, according to an arrest war- allegedly bringing contraband into drones will be used in an effort to news release. “He rant issued by S.C. Department of state prisons. keep contraband such as cellphones was an outstanding Corrections Police Services on Sun- The arrests at eight of the state’s and drugs from being thrown over MOHEIT maintainer who rose day. institutions were made by the FBI prison fences. to every challenge presented to him, and he could always be counted on to lift others. Trevor was passionate Sumter native Lewis about his service and very proud Brice will perform for of his recent promotion. As a trea- the Carolina Country sured member of this team, our Music Fest at Myrtle hearts are heavy with his loss. Beach at 2:30 p.m.