State briefs: Police say dad cursed at elementary school students on bus

Published 11:54 pm Wednesday, September 29, 2021

MONROE (AP) — A North Carolina father was arrested after he boarded a school bus and cursed at a group of elementary school students over how they had treated his child, according to a sheriff’s office.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Demor Lee Brooks of Monroe was charged with trespassing on a school bus, refusing to leave and disorderly conduct on a school bus.

Students were being picked up on Tuesday when a man walked onto the school bus, the sheriff’s office said. The man was ordered to get off the bus by the driver, but the man refused to get off and began berating the children about how they were treating his child, according to the news release.

An investigation said the incident lasted approximately 30 seconds and that no students were harmed, the sheriff’s office said.

Brooks was released from jail on bond, and it’s not known if he has an attorney.

Attempted carjacking attempt closes RDU parking deck

MORRISVILLE (AP) — A parking deck at Raleigh-Durham International Airport was closed for about two hours Tuesday night while officials responded to a report of an attempted carjacking, the airport said.

The airport said in a statements that the parking deck was closed after law enforcement with the RDU Airport Authority responded to a call in the parking garage around 5 p.m., The News & Observer reported. During the search, passengers were told to stay inside the terminals, and travelers arriving at the airport were redirected to a nearby parking lot.

No one was injured, and no suspects were identified or detained, airport officials said. The garage reopened around 7 p.m., airport officials said.

Couple convicted for multiple tax violations

GREENSBORO (AP) — A North Carolina couple has been convicted of getting around paying employment and income taxes for almost a decade to pay for boarding their dog, a country club membership and visits to a spiritual adviser, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

James and Susan Rice were convicted on conspiracy and tax evasion charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for North Carolina’s Middle District said in a news release.

At the time of their indictment nearly a year ago, prosecutors said James Rice was an orthopedic surgeon in Southern Pines, and Susan Rice worked at the practice handling payroll and employment taxes. According to the news release, between 2007 and 2014, the Rices allegedly withheld employment taxes, but didn’t pay more than $580,000 in social security and other tax withholdings to the IRS. The indictment also alleges the Rices didn’t file individual income tax returns from 2014 through 2016 despite exceeding the filing threshold.

The news release says that to conceal their income, the Rices transferred funds from Sandhills Orthopaedic’s bank accounts to other accounts that they controlled, such as those for Susan Rice’s truffle business. The Rices also used their business bank accounts to fund personnel expenditures. In all, from June 2013 through December 2016, the Rices diverted at least $1 million in cash and check co-payments to Sandhills Orthopaedic directly into their personal bank accounts, prosecutors said.

Ex-manager of Highland Games charged with attempted murder

NEWLAND (AP) — The former office manager of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games was arrested by state law enforcement officials and faces charges including three counts of attempted first-degree murder, authorities said.

Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye said Thomas Dewey Taylor, 43, is being held in the county jail on charges of possession of a weapon of mass destruction in addition to the attempted murder charge, news outlets reported.

Taylor was charged Monday night by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, but a spokeswoman referred additional questions on Tuesday to Frye’s office. The sheriff said he couldn’t provide more information because the SBI brought the charges.

Taylor’s arrest was connected to an incident at the office in Linville, said Stephen Quillin, president of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Quillin said Taylor was dismissed as office manager in August.

Taylor was jailed on a $500,000 bond.