A bazaar time of year - Crafty Ladies celebrates 25th birthday

By Sam Wineka

news@kannapoliscitizen.com

Frances Richardson smiled looking around the multi-purpose room at Trinity United Methodist Church on East First Street in Kannapolis. There wasn’t much in the room, but that’s just how she wanted it.

That meant most of the things that were there had been sold.

“It’s doing good,” Richardson, 92, said. “It’s much better this year than last.”

Richardson is the only charter member remaining of the Crafty Ladies, a group at the church that held its 25th annual bazaar Saturday. 

The group meets weekly starting the second Monday in January to the third Monday in October to make crafts for the fundraiser. Church members donate baked and canned goods for the country store at the event, which has raised more than $200,000 for church projects over the years. All proceeds from the bazaar go to Trinity United Methodist.

“We have a group that does sewing and one that does painting,” said Crafty Ladies Chairman Doris Buchanan. “We have a group that works with beads.”

Items ranged from seasonal things like snowmen, wreaths and reindeer, to year-round decorations like wine bottles with lights inside them, painted gourds and woven bookmarks. 

Ruth Sigmon of Concord talked her husband into coming with her to the bazaar.

“I’m impressed with the crafts,” she said. “And the thing that’s impressed me is the friendliness.”

Dot Query has been a member of the Crafty Ladies since 1988, about 20 years, and does “anything I’m told to do.”

“I sew, I crochet,” she said. “Mostly handiwork.” 

The bazaar also sells ham and sausage biscuits and fried apple pie, its specialty. The apple pie was sold out by 10 a.m. at the event, which ran from 8 a.m. to noon. 

“I came to look at all the crafts and to eat, of course,” said Ruby McClamrock, who bought a doll for her granddaughter. 

Richardson says the group started when she and several other friends decided to make a quilt for an assistant pastor at the church.

“After that, we stared making things for each other,” she said. “After we got everything we wanted, we didn’t want to stop. It just sort of grew.” 

20-year-old man jailed on break-ins, drug charges

A Kannapolis man is being held under $100,000 bond in the Cabarrus County Jail after being charged with two break-ins and two drug offenses.

Kannapolis police officers arrested Roger Dale Connell, 20, 802 Rogers Lake Road, on Oct. 6. He is charged with two counts each of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering, and one count of possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana and misdemeanor possession of a schedule VI controlled substance.

According the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office Web site, Connell, who previously lived at 1510 Oakshade Ave., was arrested late in 2007 on charges of driving while impaired and with no operator’s license and carrying a concealed weapon.

He served three months in the county jail and was sentenced to time served on those charges.

In March 2007, according to the Sheriff’s Office, Connell was charged with breaking or entering, resisting an officer and violating probation on a previousl case in Rowan County.

Other arrests and incidents reported by the Kannapolis Police Department include:

 

Arrests

• Eric Antonio Ross, 42, 101 Sibbie Court, Concord; probation violation; Oct. 6.

• Dennis Ray Williams, 24, 805 E. 22nd St.; obtaining property by false pretense; $10,000 bond; Oct. 6.

• Robin Renee Wallace, 45, 312 Central Ave.; domestic criminal trespass (allegedly victimizing Iredell Nicholson, 72); $2,000 bond; Oct. 7.

• Carmen Rappe, 48, 1511 Oakshade Ave.; stoplifting (allegedly for placing items in her purse and leaving Walgreens); $510 bond; Oct. 7.

• Jason Tarlton, 27, 207 E. Liberty St.; vandalism, simple physical assault; Oct. 7.

• Paul Henry, 38, 430 Knights Farm Road; driving while impaired (0.09 blood-alcohol test), open container of alcohol in vehicle, headlamp violation; 8:20 a.m. Oct. 9.

• David Carpenter, 23, 809 Cadillac St.; driving while impaired; Oct. 7.

• Timothy Jacob Hess, 26, 6111 Blue Ridge Drive; failure to appear on misdemeanor larceny charge; Oct. 7.

• Vicente Acosta Peralta, 23, 816 Verona St.; reckless driving, driving while impaired (refused breath test), with no operator’s license and open container of alcohol after consuming, red light violation; $1,000 bond; Oct. 7.

• Robert David Goodman Jr., 31, 1001 Klondale Ave.; driving while impaired and with revoked license, failure to appear on speeding charge (60 mph in 45-mph zone); no bond; Oct. 6.

• Cory Steven McDonald, 39, 1105 Horton Ave.; assault with deadly weapon, driving with revoked license; $2,500 bond; 12:03 a.m. Oct. 9.

• Aaron Scott Schmidt, 20, 912 Brushwood Circle; underage drinking, disorderly conduct (allegedly cursing repeatedly), resisting arrest; $5,000 bond; 12:20 a.m. Oct. 9.

• Clint Edward Brown, 26, 1104 Brantley Road; disorderly conduct (allegedly cursing loudly in front of others), failure to appear on driving with revoked license and inspection violation charges; $3,500 bond; 10:05 p.m. Oct. 9.

Police reported Brown and seven others, ages 14, 12, 17, 19 (3 people) and 28, were involved in a loud argument about toy, airsoft guns at an unspecified location.

• Darrell Steele, 22, 624 Terrace Drive; worthless checks ($132); 9 p.m. Oct. 9.

 

Incidents

• On Oct. 6, officers responded to a report that Jacklyn Smith, 24, was missing.

• On Oct. 6, Janice Hoyt, 44, reported an unknown customer went to the back of an unidentified business and took some items.

• On Oct. 6, Dollar General reported a 36-year-old woman paid with two counterfeit checks.

• On Oct. 6, Johnny Caldwell, 49, reported someone entered through his back door and robbed him.

• On Oct. 6, Walgreens reported two teens, ages 15 and 14, took MP3 players from their packages and left the store without paying.

• On Oct. 7, Teresa Johnson reported a structure fire that has an undetermined cause and officials consider “suspicious.”

• On Oct. 7, officers interviewed a 13-year-old female student who said another student, 14, took money out of her purse.

• On Oct. 7, Arthur Blizzard, 41, reported a woman “used deceased subject’s debit card” without permission.

• On Oct. 7, officers investigated a report of a missing 15-year-old.

• On Oct. 7, Barry Law, 43, reported a 23-year-old woman used a spare key to steal a vehicle.

• On Oct. 6, officers questioned an 18-year-old male at an unspecified location who was using “abusive language to encourage argument.”

• On Oct. 7, Wyrick Mobile Home Park reported Jacob Ray Scercy, 22, 607 Venus St., Kannapolis, came into the park without permission.

Later that day, Deputy Hale charged Scercy with  first-degree burglary and probation violation. Bond was set at $3,000 bond.

• On Oct. 8, officers questioned a 49-year-old woman at an unspecified location about having marijuana.

• At 10 a.m. Oct. 9, Keith Anderson, 46, and Shelby Anderson, 69, reported getting a check that later proved to be counterfeit.

• At 10:30 a.m. Oct. 9, officers questioned a 15-year-old male at an unspecified location about having a small knife in his bookbag.

• At 1 p.m. Oct. 9, officers questioned an 18-year-old male at an unspecified location about cursing loudly and causing a disturbance.

• At 4:25 p.m. Oct. 9, Wilson Grassman, 51, reported someone tried to change the address on his account and make purchases.

• Kannapolis police are still looking for an unidentified man who robbed a Subway restaurant last Thursday night.

Holly Smith, a Subway employee, told officers the man entered the business at 11:27 p.m. Oct. 9, showed her a gun and demanded money.

• At 8:37 a.m. Oct. 10, James Caplanides, 34, reported someone stole and used his personal information.

 

Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office

Arrests

• Otecques Jamar Bell, 23, 60 Blume St., Kannapolis; speeding to elude, leaving an accident involving injury, habitual felon, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana (Mecklenburg County); $220,000 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy Hale.

• Jessie L. McMillan, 29, 1011A Horton St., Kannapolis; failure to appear on driving with revoked license and expired tag charges; $2,000 bond; Oct. 9; Deputy McGraw.

• Eugene Eldon-Ray Rivers, 30, 5966 Charlie Walker Road, Kannapolis; failure to appear on driving with revoked license charge; $226 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy J. Fetzer.

• Scott Allan Strachan, 45, 827 Richard Ave., Kannapolis; failure to pay child support; $504 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy C. Wilson.

• James Allen Morris, 46, 1500 Maryland Ave., Kannapolis; driving while impaired (.21 blood-alcohol test); $500 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy K.M. Klinglesmith.

• Justin Javan Roberts, 23, 506 E. 10th St., Kannapolis; possession of stolen firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, assault on a female, resisting an officer (two counts), assault on an officer with a deadly weapon, possession of marijuana, misdemeanor probation violation; $48,000 bond; Oct. 8; Hale.

• Douglas Reid Pete, 21, 2686 Sides Road, Kannapolis; possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer; $2,281 bond; Oct. 12; Deputy Barnhardt.

• Paul Edward Bridges, 39, 4367 Kenlough Drive, Kannapolis; felony larceny; $1,000 bond; Oct. 11; Deputy Christie.

• Jennifer Sue Kelly, 29, 4367 Kenlough Drive, Kannapolis; felony larceny; $1,000 bond; Oct. 11; Sgt. Wensil.

• Forrest Benjamin Parker, 39, 7925 Unity Church Road, Kannapolis; misdemeanor larceny (Davidson County), failure to appear on felony possession of schedule I controlled substance; $7,500 bond; Oct. 12; Deputy Gavillan.

• Fernando Alvarez Castaneda, 26, 2854 Shields Drive, Concord; failure to appear on charges of driving while impaired and with open container of alcohol, probation violation; $10,000 bond (served in jail); Oct. 6; Lt. Bailey.

• Jenna Lynn Hartsell, 24, 2661 Golfball Circle, Concord; domestic simple assault; $1,000 bond; Oct. 6; Deputy Gilmore.

• Desi Eugenio Bonds, 47, 5218 Granite Creek Lane, Charlotte; failure to appear on driving with revoked license and expired registration charges; $2,000 bond; Deputy L. Peck.

• Tyler Harrison Moss, 18, 980 Ben Black Road, Midland; failure to appear on Stanly County driving while impaired charge; $3,000 bond; Oct. 6; Bailey.

• Jami Blair Coates, 38, 1530 Barringer St., Mount Pleasant; failure to appear on charges of possession of schedule III controlled substance and drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer; $500 bond; Oct. 6; Hale.

• Daniel Lee Stephenson, 31, 5110 Cairo Road, Paducah, Ky.; worthless check; written promise; Oct. 6; Deputy Marciano.

• Luther Afton Eakin, 37, 88 Stonecrest Circle, Concord; manufacturing marijuana, maintaining dwelling for that purpose; $10,000 bond; Oct. 6; Deputy J.D. Harless.

• David Dois Lambert, 24, 26283 McSwain Road, Albemarle; failure to appear on driving with revoked license charge; $506 bond; Oct. 6; Deputy M.L. Whitley.

• Adam Clegg Hathcock, 21, 357 Freedom St., Apt. 2D, Concord; common law robbery, burglary; $1,000 bond; Oct. 7; deputies Miller, Berg.

• Carly Lynn Hartle, 17, 697 Bright Orchid Ave., Concord; assault and battery; written promise; Oct. 7; Deputy K.C. McClure.

• Nicole Maria Homan, 22, 355 Morning Dew Drive, Concord; failure to appear on speeding (76 mph in 55-mph zone) and driving with revoked license charges; $500 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy M.D. Pethel.

• John Lamar Jenkins, 37, 672 Bright Orchid Drive, Concord; worthless check, uttering forged instrument, obtaining property by false pretense, failure to appear on previous forgery charge; $10,850.55 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy K. Litaker.

• James Moses Love, 45, 1903 Marshal Ave., Gastonia; Gaston County warrants for breaking and entering, probation violation and driving with license revoked; Oct. 7; Wilson.

• Kenneth James Smith, 20, 10820 McCamie Hill Place, Concord; breaking and entering, larceny after B&E; $1,000 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy C. Measimer.

• Rufus Jerome Davis, 42, 3207 N.C. 24-27, Midland; failure to appear on violation of court order; $10,000 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy A.D. Edwards.

• Kevin Lee Kittredge, 27, 3500 Cauble Road, Mount Pleasant; driving with revoked license (Stanly County); $1,000 bond; Oct. 7; Gilmore.

• Aaron Marion Geib, 30, 807 Marilyn Court, Concord; failure to appear on possession of drug paraphernalia charge; $500 bond; Oct. 7; Litaker.

• Jacob Daniel Peifer, 24, 900 Cold Springs Road, Concord; driving while impaired; written promise/custody release; Oct. 7; Deputy J.R. Smith.

• Charles Jarod Patton, 23, 11201 Jim Sossoman Road, Midland; failure to appear on speeding and driving with revoked license charges (Guilford County); $500 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy R.E. Rodriguez.

• John Marshal Taylor, 16, 867 Loch Lomond Circle, Concord; failure to appear on underage drinking charge; $500 bond; Oct. 7; Deputy M.D. Pethel.

• Adrian Kelly Griffin, 24,  52 Patton Court, Concord; probation violation; $1,000 bond; Oct. 8; McGraw.

• Kareena Lateaka Staton, 20 4731 Aldridge Place, Charlotte; assault and battery; written promise; Oct. 8; Hale.

• Carolyn Ann Haas, 72, 10109 Kluttz Road, Rockwell; worthless check; written promise; Oct. 8; Burchett.

• Amanda Beth Furr, 31, 2991 Nellie Beaver Road, Mount Pleasant; worthless check; written promise; Oct. 8; Burchett.

• Odel Andrae Williams, 18, 6505 Harburn Forrest Drive, Charlotte; possession of marijuana and a malt beverage; $500 bond; Oct. 8; Deputy Samples.

• Donald L. White, 23, 39 Sumner Ave., Concord; driving while impaired; written promise; Oct. 8; Deputy Gue.

• Josh Davis, 60, 332 Harrison St., Charlotte; driving with revoked license, improper loading; $2,000 bond; Oct. 9; Hale.

• Nery Orlando Perez, 39, 2780 Laguna Ave., Winston-Salem; failure to appear on driving with revoked license charge; $2,000 bond; Oct. 9; Hale.

• Dannie Louis Burris Jr., 41, 12285 Hartwood Drive, Midland; domestic violation; no bond; Oct. 9; Burchett.

• Douglas Jacob Spoclora, 40, 776 Sir Raleigh Drive, Concord; communicating threats, harassing phone calls; $500 bond; Oct. 9; Burchett.

• Angela Dawn Hagler, 32, 103 Stonecrest Circle, Concord; failure to pay child support; $748 bond; Oct. 9; Burchett.

• Katara S. Greene, 25, 3029 Winners Circle, Concord; communicating threats; written promise; Oct. 9; Deputy J. Rhinehardt.

• Laura Kelsey Ogle, 21, 115 N. Cliffdale Drive, Apt. 2, Winston-Salem; driving with revoked license; $2,000 bond; Oct. 10; Wilson.

• Matthew Shane Stafford, 29, 2713 Barnfield Road, Concord; failure to appear on driving with revoked license and expired tag charges; $500 bond; Oct. 10; Whitley.

• Thurston Judd Bradford, 17, 2888 Rimer Road, Concord; simple assault, communicating threats, misuse of 911 system; written promise; Oct. 10; Deputy R.B. Buckwell.

• James Kevin Gaylan, 40, 5931 Hardwood Lane, Concord; failure to pay child support; $1,564.86 bond; Oct. 10; Troutman.

• Pamela M. Hopkins, 36, 8643 E. Franklin St., Mount Pleasant; failure to pay child  support (Stanly County); $2,904 bond; Oct. 10; Measimer, Barringer.

10; McClure.

• Michael Thomas Tosi, 34, 728 Winborne Ave. S.W., Concord; driving while impaired, no operator’s license, stop sign violation; custody release, written promise; Oct. 10; Fetzer.

• Chase Slate Kicinski, 24, 6158 Morehead Road, Harrisburg; failure to appear on driving while impaired charge; $5,000 bobnd; Oct. 12; Harless.

• Dale Little Litaker, 59, 3033 Heglar Road, Concord; driving while impaired and left of center; custody release, written promise; Oct. • Jamie Allen Hatley, 20, 13375 Bethel School Road, Midland; carrying a concealed weapon, false registration, underage possession of alcohol; written promise; Oct. 12; Gilmore.

• Troy Jeffery Hunt, 19, 11711 Riceland Way, Midland; underage possession of alcohol; written promise; Oct. 12; Gilmore.

 

Incidents

• On Oct. 8, Donald Lewis White, 53, 5644 Marion Ave., Kannapolis, reported a break-in, causing $200 damage, and theft of $1,000 in property. Deputy Logan.

• On Oct. 10, Trina Ropper reported Alyssa Taylor Yates, 15, 1395 Mistletoe Ridge, Concord, did not return from Northwest Cabarrus High School. Taylor is 5 feet 4 inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes, tanned complexion, wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes and glasses. Barnhardt.

• On Oct. 6, Lucy Montalvo, 74, 1431 Burrell Ave., Concord, reported the theft of $260 in items from her granddaughter’s book bag at Northwest Cabarrus High School. Deputy Queen.

• On Oct. 6, Kristin Denise Foster, 20, 8200 Malibu Road, Mount Pleasant, reported 65 Klonipin tablets stolen from her purse at 7230 N.C. 49 N., Mount Pleasant. Deputy Hale.

• On Oct. 6, Thomas Jefferson Howell, 3051 N.C. 24/27, Midland, reported a break-in and theft of $2,718 in property. Deputy K.C. McClure. 

• On Oct. 7, Christopher Mark Kensey, 1800 Wickersam Road, Midland, reported the theft of a $400 pressure washer from his front yard during the night. Deputy B. Berg.

• On Oct. 7, two Concord residents — Lisa Maria Jordan, 5404 Shoreview Drive, and Shelley Elizabeth Lovin-Capp, 7218 Audrey Way — received phone calls from an unidentified person who tried to obtain money fraudulently. Berg.

• On Oct. 7, Eric Wayne Barrett, 11552 Bethel Church Road, Midland, reported a $3,500, Eton L150 all-terrain vehicle from his outbuilding during the night. Berg.

• On Oct. 7, Justin Kendrick Brown, 29, 3333 Bethlehem Church Road, Gold Hill, reported a deer stand and trail camera, worth $550, stolen. Deputy Gilmore.

• On Oct. 7, Jamie Meyers, of Life Span At Cabarrus  Workshop, 2630 Odell School Road, Concord, vandals broke into and damaged the business. Berg.

• On Oct. 8, David Wayne Hartsell, 44, 2501 Oak Grove Circle, Midland, reported the theft of his $1,000 black-and-silver mo-ped from his porch. Deputy Whitley.

• On Oct. 8, two women — Kim Wheeler, 40, 1916 Barkley Road, Midland, and Liseltte Hartsell, 91, 8205 Craighead Road, Harrisburg — reported threatening phone calls from an unknown blocked number. Deputy Lisk.

• On Oct. 8, Tammy Louise Dixon, 51, 3620 Pelham Lane Midland, reported a break-in at Macedonia Baptist Church since Oct. 5, causing $200 damage. Deputy Adcock.

• On Oct. 8, Alice P. 

Williams, 47, 1640 Old Charlotte Road, Concord, reported the theft of a $1,600 Yamaha dirt bike from her outbuilding. Deputy Blakely.

• On Oct. 9, Oliver T. Love, 59, 11940 Troutman Road, Midland, reported a break-in to his outbuilding since Feb. 1 and theft of $1,500 in property. Adcock.

• On Oct. 9, Larry Griffin, 35, 9800 N.C. 73 E., Mount Pleasant, reported $705 in items stolen from his garage between Oct. 2 and 4. Deputy M. Isenhour.

• On Oct. 9, Frances O. McCombs, 72, 5970 Tuckaseegee Road, Kannapolis, reported a break-in but nothing taken. Deputy Moreau.

• On Oct. 10, Vickie Martin, 45 Moose Road N., Mount Pleasant, reported son Harold Steven Barnhardt III, 34, missing after leaving for Circle K in 1997 white Dodge Ram, N.C. license CC-8529. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall, brown hair, blue eyes, light complexion, wearing white T-shirt, dark blue pants and tennis shoes. Deputy R.L. Little.

• On Oct. 10, two people — Gary Lee Chapman and Kimberly Troutman Daniels, both of 6900 Ray Linker Road, Concord — reported the license plates stolen from their vehicles at the home. Troutman.

• On Oct. 10, Nancy Brooks, 13321 Cabarrus Station Road, Midland, reported the theft of $4,000 in items from her unlocked outbuilding. Deputy J.S. Thomas.

• On Oct. 10, Gerald Elliott Lanier, 13291 U.S. 601 S., Midland, reported a break-in to his outbuilding, causing $45 damage. Thomas.

• On Oct. 12, two residents of RoundCliff Drive in Concord reported forcible break-ins to outbuildings.

Helen Ramono, 3429 Roundcliff, reported the theft of $37 in items, and Donna Stirewalt Ryan, 3437 Roundcliff, reported $205 in property taken. Whitley, Harless.

• On Oct. 12, Ryan Dale Clark, 24, 501 Settlement Drive, Midland, reported someone fraudulently charged $28.41 to his credit cardt. Christie.

• On Oct. 12, Hubert Joe Key, 53, 1300 Lentz Harness Shop Road, Mount Pleasant, reported his $6,521.93 all-terrain vehicle stolen. Little.

• On Oct. 12, Tereska Harrell, 37, 3904 Fountain Village Drive, High Point, reported someone broke into her 1998 Lincoln, causing $500 damage, and stole $1,160 in property, including credit cards, which the thief used. The break-in occurred at 201 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Harless.

Enochville couple charged in Internet investment scam

By Jessie Burchette

news@kannapoliscitizen.com

A Kannapolis couple have been charged in what officials have described as an Internet scam that took more than $40,000 from 11 investors.

A Rowan County grand jury has indicted Sammy Biggerstaff, 60, and his wife, Shelia Biggerstaff, 59, of 8940 Wright Road, on 11 felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense.

The Biggerstaffs were arrested on Sept. 27 and released on a written promise to appear in court.

Contacted by the Post, Shelia Biggerstaff said they have no comment.

Local and state agencies began investigating the couple in September 2005 when 10 people contacted the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and said they had given the Biggerstaffs money to invest in a PIPS program.

PIPS is variously identified as People in Profit Systems, Private Investment Profit System, Pureinvestory and PIPS Financial Services.

According to investigators, the couple told potential investors their money would earn interest at a rate of 2.5 percent per day to be compounded daily.

In one case, a Kannapolis woman was told that “a $465 investment would make you a millionaire in three years,” Detective Jody Burleyson said in a sworn statement.

The State Bureau of Investigation and the N.C. Secretary of State’s office helped in the investigation. 

In November 2005, deputies and state agents raided the Biggerstaff home on Wright Road and seized a computer and numerous documents.

Capt. John Sifford said this is one of the more complicated cases he has seen in his 20 years with the Sheriff’s Office and “certainly one of the most complicated investigations.”

“The Internet is a new frontier for scams,” Sifford said. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Investors gave amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,250 to the Biggerstaffs, according to statements filed at the clerk of court’s office.

According to the statements, the Biggerstaffs told some of the investors that PIPS had been operating since 2001 and invested money in the Malaysian stock market through a man named Bryan Marsden.

The Biggerstaffs told one  investor Marsden owned PIPS along with several other companies, including a film production firm in Australia, a children’s Bible book printing company, an investment firm, a global real estate company and a nonprofit charity organization.

In the 2005 search warrant, Burleyson  said the Biggerstaffs knew the PIPS program had not paid out to investors since November 2004 and would have realized the funds in the PIPS account were worthless.

The Biggerstaffs are scheduled to appear in the next session of Rowan County Superior Court.

Police officers assist Fire Department in fighting blaze

Kannapolis police officers assisted firefighters in containing a house fire early on Oct. 7.

Fire Department spokeswoman Maria Bostian said firefighters were dispatched to a fire at 1533 Summit Ridge Lane at 4:03 a.m. that Tuesday.

Kannapolis police officers in the area arrived first and began spraying the blaze with fire extinguishers until firefighters arrived. Smoke detectors and neighbors alerted the family, Bostian said in a press release.

The fire remains under investigation, and the local chapter of the American Red Cross assisted the family, whom Bostian did not identify.

Thieves strike Murdock’s Pity’s Sake Lodge

Thieves weren’t just satisfied with a small keepsake.

Officials at Pity’s Sake Lodge, owned by billionaire David Murdock, 1635 Cannon Farm Road, reported at the retreat’s mail box and the post it was mounted on stolen the night of Sept. 28.

No one has been arrested in the theft.

Other arrests and incidents reported by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office in south Rowan and Kannapolis include:

• Larry Wingler of Kannapolis reported Sept. 25 that items valued at $2,970 were stolen July 5 from his property at 2339 St. Matthew’s Church Road, Lot 16.

• Ryan Matthew Billotte of Rockwell reported vandals threw rocks, damaging his bicycle, Sept. 26 at 4400 Daugherty Road, China Grove.

• Jeff Edward Roseman of Salisbury reported vandals threw a rock, striking his vehicle as he was driving on Daugherty Road in China Grove Sept. 27.

• Randall Tutterow reported vandals damaged a window at 630 Old Beatty Ford Road, China Grove, Sept. 27.

• Sammy Biggerstaff, 60, and Sheila Biggerstaff, 59, were charged Sept. 27 with felony obtaining property by false pretenses at 8490 Wright Road, Kannapolis. 

• Johnny Edwards Pharr, 52, was charged Sept. 30 with sexual battery at 177 Boston Grace Lane, Kannapolis.

• Angel Mae Vanderburg, 1580 Pine Ridge Road, China Grove, reported vandals cut two tires each on a car and truck parked at her home between Sept. 28 and Oct. 1. Damage totaled $400.

• Jessica Marie Payne, 109 Blackwelder St., Kannapolis, reported a $550 shotgun stolen from her home between Sept. 6 and 27.

• Gayle Wilhelm, 116 Newell Ave., Kannapolis, reported Oct. 1 that personal checks stolen from her home between Sept. 4 and Oct. 1 had been forged and passed.

• Kimberly Michelle Devries, 37, was charged Oct. 1 with simple assault based on a complaint by Jeremy Ryan Devries at 2666 Wyoming Drive, Kannapolis.

• Allen Brent Carlisle, 1046 Lenwood Lane, Kannapolis, reported items valued at $814 were stolen during an Oct. 1 burglary at his home.

• Gary Hoyte Hamilton of Huntersville reported items valued at $3,500 stolen from a utility trailer owned by Craftsman Homes of Huntersville between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 from a construction site at 243 Castlegate Way, China Grove.

• Dwayne Anthony Partee, 31, was charged Oct. 4 with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance during a traffic stop on U.S. 29 South at Webb Road.

• Jean Hanes, 923 Haley St., Kannapolis, reported a picnic table and two push lawnmowers stolen during an Oct. 5 burglary at her home. 

• David Scott Riddle, 21, was charged Oct. 4 with communicating threats at 214 Old Rockwell Road, China Grove.

• James Gelinas, 46, was charged Oct. 7 with communicating threats at 332 Cedarbrook Drive, Kannapolis.

• Wilma R. Hall, 44, was charged Oct. 7 with simple assault at 332 Cedarbrook Drive, Kannapolis.

• Eva Denise Prater, 34, was charged Oct. 7 with simple assault at 111 Cedarbrook Drive, Kannapolis.

• William Henry Kazee, 38, was charged Oct. 7 with assault inflicting serious injury at 111 Cedarbrook Drive, Kannapolis.

• Nicole Erin Lorenzen of China Grove reported the theft of medication, golf clubs, tools in a toolbox and CDs in a case from the trunk of her car while it was parked at Dan Nicholas Park, 6800 Bringle Ferry Road, between noon and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Total loss was $1,705.

Cannon Family Medicine, owner guilty of fraud

Staff report

A Kannapolis health-care practice and its president, a physician assistant, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to health care fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced.

Cannon Family Medicine and Christopher J. Caggiano pleaded guilty to four counts of health-care fraud, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Each count carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release, the press release said. 

Cannon Family Medicine and Caggiano will be sentenced Feb. 11, 2009.

Investigators believe Cannon Family Medicine submitted false claims to private insurance companies, federal employee health programs, Medicare and Medicaid, according to the release.

In July 2006, the N.C. Medical Board suspended Caggiano’s license to work as a physician assistant for two years. But the suspension was to be stayed on Jan. 1, 2007, and Caggiano was to remain on probation for the duration of the suspension.

Caggiano was accused of ordering unnecessary tests for some patients and billing patients’ insurance companies for tests not performed.

At the time, Caggiano said the allegations were untrue and blamed any misunderstandings on disgruntled former employees.

The complaint investigated by the medical board also alleged that the physician assistant violated professional standards by allowing patients to refer to him as “Dr. Caggiano.”

“The medical records produced by Mr. Caggiano consistently failed to document or demonstrate detailed medical histories and physical examinations sufficient or adequate for the extensive laboratory and diagnostic testing ordered for each patient,” the finding released in July 2006 by the medical board read. 

“As a result of the extensive laboratory and diagnostic testing, (the patients’) health insurance providers incurred significant costs,” the finding continued.

The board filed a separate complaint in 2006 against Dr. John Barr, a Cleveland doctor responsible for supervising Caggiano’s work. That year, Barr accepted a reprimand from the medical board.