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WVAS Crime Report

Deadly Accident Under Investigation

Montgomery Police are investigating a deadly traffic accident that occurred over the weekend.
On Sunday at about 7:59 p.m., MPD and Fire Medics responded to Eastern Boulevard and Haskell Drive regarding a two-vehicle collision.
At the scene, the driver of one of the vehicles, 39-year-old John Todd of Montgomery was pronounced dead at the scene.

Teen Accused in Car Chase

A 16-year-old is now behind bars in Montgomery charged in a car chase that ended in a crash near Interstate 85 and Ann Street.

Officials say around 11:56 a.m. a Montgomery officer attempted to pull over a stolen vehicle in the area of Ann Street and Poplar Street.

The suspect did not stop causing a chase that ended when the vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle in the area of Interstate 85 and Ann Street.

WSFA reports an MPD spokesperson reported minor injuries. The 16-year-old male was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Authorities are conducting an investigation with charges pending against the minor.

Reward Increase

A five thousand-dollar reward is now being offered for information leading to the arrest of a suspect or suspects connected to the death of 52-year-old Yvette Carter.

City Councilman, Oronde Mitchell has donated $1,000 and County Commissioner, Carmen Moore-Zeigler has donated $1,000 to CrimeStoppers in an effort to encourage someone to come forward.

Authorities report on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at about 10:35 p.m., police and medics responded to the 4900 block of Hatton Avenue in reference to a subject shot.

There they found Yvette Carter, with a fatal gunshot wound. Investigators say three hooded suspects were seen exiting a small black sedan with no tint and factory rims before the shooting.
One subject is seen walking from the car wearing all black with a white or grey hood, black bottoms, and white shoes, while pulling a rifle from his pants, before the shooting.

The victim’s family is pleading for answers. Officials invite the public to call CrimeStoppers anonymously. The number is 334-215-STOP.

Montgomery Police have charged 42-year-old Kelvin Surls with Murder and Attempted Murder.

Surles was identified as the suspect in the May 23, 2024 shooting death of 23-year-old Khiana Humphrey.

He was taken into custody Thursday by MPD SWAT and the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Surls is now in the Montgomery County Detention Facility under no bond.

Missing Woman’s Body Found

The body of a missing woman has been discovered in Dadeville, Alabama and a suspect is in custody.

During Thursday’s news conference officials with the Alexander City and Dadeville police departments and Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office discussed finding the body of 30-year-old Quanisha Davis of Alexander City.

Action 8 News reports Davis’ family who hadn’t seen her since early May reported her missing last Friday.

Authorities say Davis’ body was found in a wooded area off Herren Street in Dadeville at about 7:45 Thursday morning; officials also report finding her SUV Wednesday night in a separate wooded area on North Loop Road in Dadeville.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said around 11 a.m. a suspect, 55-year-old Robert Lee Young of Dadeville, was arrested and charged with murder.

The two were apparently in a dating relationship.

Young is being held in the county jail as he awaits a bond hearing.

Nitrogen Execution

Alabama is set to execute a man Thursday evening who was convicted of bludgeoning an elderly couple to death 20 years ago to steal prescription drugs and $140 from their home.

50-year-old Jamie Ray Mills is scheduled to be put to death Thursday evening at a south Alabama prison.

It will be Alabama’s first execution since the state conducted the nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas in January.

Lethal injection remains the state’s main execution method unless an inmate has requested nitrogen.

Attorneys for Mills cited problems at past lethal injections to argue that Alabama subjects inmates to an “unnecessarily prolonged and torturous execution process” where inmates are strapped to the gurney for a long period of time ahead of the lethal injection, without access to counsel.

The state called the claim meritless.

Child Labor Lawsuit

The U.S. Department of Labor wants a federal judge to prevent Hyundai and two other Alabama companies from what the government contends is the illegal employment of children.

The complaint filed Thursday follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that found a 13-year-old worked between 50 and 60 hours a week operating machines on an assembly line that formed sheet metal into auto body parts.

The defendants include Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC and Best Practice Service, LLC.

The lawsuit said it seeks to end the use of child labor and require that the companies give up profits linked to the alleged practice.

Hyundai said in a statement that it cooperated fully with the Labor Department and that it is unfair to be held accountable for the practices of its suppliers.

“We are reviewing the new lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the company,” the statement said.

Melanie began her career as a work study student, working in the areas of news reporting, anchoring and news-gathering. After graduating from Alabama State University, she worked as a production assistant at the local NBC affiliate, WSFA-TV. As a News Director at WVAS-FM, Melanie leads her team to produce award- winning newscasts and talk shows. Her professional achievements includes News Reporter of the Year for a number of years and awards for talk show producer, by the Alabama Broadcasters Association and the Associated Press. She is an active member of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Her goals are to expand the reach of WVAS FM into more homes locally, regionally and nationally.