ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY FRIDAY | JULY 6, 2018 Statistics don’t support claims of rising crime Inside Violent crime dropping in Columbus; ■ PROPERTY CRIME: Property Crime statistics summary numbers flat in Starkville crime rising locally. Page 3A By year in Columbus BY ISABELLE ALTMAN an anomaly and violent crime 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 [email protected] rates have decreased since. one year where Murder 1 2 3 3 7 2 1* According to statistics pro- there seemed to In January 2017, then Co- Colom Aggravated vided by Columbus Police De- be some really 70 83 87 86 63 50 25 lumbus Police Chief Oscar partment, murder, aggravated some significant crime was assault Lewis answered a reporter’s assault, robberies and sexual 2016.” Robbery 18 22 35 35 55 47 11 question about the city’s crime assaults have all decreased Starting in 2012, the murder Sex crimes 25 22 19 29 35 29 8 rate with a promise that vio- since 2016. rate gradually increased, with lence was on the rise and that “I think crime has leveled one reported to CPD in 2012, Burglary 438 572 480 487 615 530 132 a biblical end-times prophesy out,” District Attorney Scott two in 2013, three in 2014 and * All reported statistics in 2018 are through May 31 except the Columbus mur- was being fulfilled. Colom said. “As far as I see, 2015 and peaking at seven in der, which occurred July 1. At the time, Columbus had you’ll see one year there’ll be 2016. A year later, it decreased just seen an unusually high an increase in robberies but to two. So far in 2018 there has during that time, with 86 in In Starkville, statistics pro- number of murders (seven), a decrease in burglaries. The been one murder reported in 2015, 63 in 2016 and 50 in 2017. vided by the city’s police de- and the city had a reputation next year, there’ll be a de- Columbus. CPD received reports of 25 ag- partment show violent crime of being a hotbed for crime. crease in larcenies but an in- Aggravated assaults have gravated assaults in the first has remained at marginal lev- But statistics suggest 2016 was crease in embezzlements. The also decreased in the city five months of 2018. See CRIME, 6A SLIP AND SLIDE Missing motorist called 911 twice before disappearing Oktibbeha woman crashed off Highway 50 before going missing BY ALEX HOLLOWAY [email protected] A regional team of first responders con- tinued a search Fri- day morning for an Oktibbeha County woman who is miss- ing in southwestern Clay County. Clay County Sher- Hudson iff Eddie Scott said officials started at about 5 a.m. Thursday looking for Victoria Hud- son. Hudson, a 23-year-old black woman, has been missing since an early morning crash where her car left the road on Mhoon Valley Road, off of Highway 50. Scott said officials from across Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff the Golden Triangle, including Lilla Berry, 9, gives a thumbs-up through an inflatable tube while she slides down a 100-foot roll of visqueen in her front yard Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee and Ok- on Chickasaw Drive Saturday. “This is my 39th time to slide today,” she said. “I like how fast it is. It is really fun, but a little tibbeha counties, participated in scary at the end.” Lilla is the daughter of Caitlin and Brooks Berry. a search for Hudson until after dark on Thursday. They resumed searching for her at 6:30 a.m. Fri- day. He said a regional task force command trailer from Lowndes County was set up overnight to as- Columbus man killed in LaGrange, Georgia sist Friday’s efforts. They had not located Hudson by press time. Thursday’s efforts included Deceased was allegedly involved in armed robbery attempt Medical Center where he aerial searching, including with was pronounced dead, ac- some drones. Scott said he doesn’t The AssoCiateD PRess robbery attempt that ended “He was involved and ac- cording to a LPD press re- know how useful that will be, going with Javontay Carr, 24, of Co- cording to them, he got in be- lease. forward, due to the terrain. LAGRANGE, Ga. — Five lumbus dead. tween the others who were The armed robbery at- “There’s a lot of timber and gul- people are in custody and a Carr was one of the peo- shooting and the car, and tempt included suspects act- lies,” he said. “It’s difficult.” sixth is wanted for a homi- ple involved in the robbery they accidentally hit him,” ing like they were working Oktibbeha County Emergen- cide in Georgia. attempt of three LaGrange Strickland said. on a vehicle, and the store cy Management Director Kristen The LaGrange Police De- store owners, Lt. Dale Strick- Carr was shot three times owners were ambushed Campanella said responders ini- partment said it happened land told the LaGrange Daily in the torso and transported when they drove by, author- tially believed Hudson was in Ok- June 27 during an armed News . to WellStar West Georgia See ARMED ROBBERY, 3A See MISSING, 3A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What luxury high heels have signa- MEETINGS Today through Saturday July 16: Lown- ture red soles? ■ Crawford Cotton Boll Festival: 2 What two U.S. states mark the end- des County Held in downtown Crawford, this festi- points of the Appalachian Trail? Supervisors, 9 val celebrates those who helped make 3 What Tim Burton character has a.m., Court- hands that can pick locks, carve ice cotton a leading industry in the South. house and masterfully clip hedges and hair? It features live entertainment, speak- July 17: Lown- 4 What TV network launched the X Hailey Mayfield ers, a step show, food and more. For des County Games? information, call 662-272-5164. Second grade, Caledonia 5 Who claimed that his vampire Supervisors, story came from having a nightmarish recreation work High Low dream after eating too much crab? Thursday, July 12 session, 10 92 70 a.m., Court- Chance of a p.m. t-storm ■ Sounds of Summer: Stormy Answers, 6B house Full forecast on Monday entertains from 7-9 p.m. at July 17: City page 2A. the Columbus Riverwalk in downtown Columbus. Bring lawn chairs or blan- Council, 5 p.m., kets. No coolers or pets. Concessions Municipal Com- available for purchase. For more plex INSIDE information, contact Main Street Co- Classifieds6B Dear Abby 4B lumbus, 662-328-6305, or Columbus Christopher Thompson likes Comics 4B Obituaries 2A Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, to go to the library to use the 139TH YEAR, NO. 99 Crossword 5B Opinions 4A 662-328-4491. internet and read. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “Great start. Scores were good though, so you’ve got to keep the pedal down.” PGA golfer Webb Simpson after the first round of A EPA chief Pruitt resigns Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in West Virginia on after months of scandals Friday Thursday. Story, 1B. ‘He came to me and said I have such AREA OBITUARIES great confidence in the administration Carlos Brown Mubiru and Gregory p.m. Friday at Carter’s Institution. He was for- MABEN — Carlos Harris, both of Detroit, Funeral Services of merly employed with I don’t want to be a distraction ...’ Terone Brown, 38, Michigan, Patrick Har- Columbus. Carter’s Baldor Electric and a President Donald Trump on Scott Pruitt died June 28, 2018, in ris, Beatrice Harris, Funeral Services is member of Zion Gate Eupora. Deangelo Harris and in charge of arrange- M.B. Church. The AssoCiateD PRess chief, saying there was “no Services will be Carlos Pruitt, all of Co- ments. In addition to his final straw” and he had not at 2 p.m. Saturday at lumbus; sibling, Allie Mrs. Malone was mother, he is survived WASHINGTON — En- asked for Pruitt’s resigna- Peter’s Rock COGIC in Peete of Detroit, Mich- born July 31, 1946, in by his siblings, Annie vironmental Protection tion. igan; 14 grandchildren; Crawford, to the late Hinton and Natasha Agency Administrator “Scott is a terrific guy,” Starkville. Burial will follow at Bell Chapel and 15 great-grandchil- Horrace Hubbard Sr. Williams, both of Scott Pruitt resigned Trump said. “He came to dren. and Irene Hubbard. Columbus and Mack Thursday amid ethics in- Cemetery. Visitation me and said I have such Pallbearers will be She was formerly em- Williams Jr. of Tulsa, vestigations of outsized se- will be from 1-6 p.m. great confidence in the Bernard Buckhalter, ployed with Johnston Arizona. curity spending, first-class administration I don’t want Friday at West Memo- Albert Buckhalter, Tombigbee Furniture Pallbearers will be flights and a sweetheart to be a distraction. ... He’ll rial Funeral Home. Stevie Buckhalter, Jason Brown, Cantrell condo lease. go and do great things and West Memorial Funer- Company and a mem- With Pruitt’s depar- have a wonderful life, I al Home is in charge of Dennis Buckhalter, ber of Oakland M.B. Hawthorne, Sharad ture, President Donald hope.” arrangements. Nokomis Elem and Church. Stafford, Willie Saffore Trump loses an adminis- In his resignation letter He is survived Bobby Hines. In addition to her Jr., Javonne Wells, trator many conservatives to Trump, obtained by The by his wife, Rhonda parents, she was pre- Levaris Williams, John regarded as one of the Associated Press, Pruitt Brown; parents, Hazel Javontay Carr ceded in death by her Wrench and Albert more effective members expressed no regrets.