Woman accused of taking purse

RUSSELLVILLE — Authorities said a Franklin County woman has been arrested after she was found with credit cards and a purse taken from a children's beauty pageant in Lauderdale County.

Jocelynn James, 32, Franklin 75, Russellville, is charged with third-degree receiving stolen property, fraudulent use of a credit card and criminal possession of stolen credit cards, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said.

Investigators said James is accused of taking the purse from Underwood-Petersville Community Center on Oct. 14.

Reports indicate on Oct. 22, James was stopped by a deputy for improper lane usage. During a search of her car, deputies found a purse and credit cards that did not belong to James, but had not been reported stolen at the time.

Investigators said James told authorities she found the purse in a store restroom.

Oliver said later that day, his department received information that the purse and credit cards were reported stolen in Lauderdale County. Warrants were issued for James' arrest.

Investigators said James is accused of using the credit card at a convenience store in Haleyville. She has pending theft charges in Lauderdale and Winston counties.

She was being held without bail Thursday at in the Franklin County Detention Center.

Baby tests positive; mother arrested

FLORENCE — A woman is in jail after tests revealed her infant son had methadone and barbiturates in his system at birth, officials said.

Hailey Breeannn Pounders, 25, 795 Lot 3, Lauderdale 24, Florence, is charged with chemical endangerment of a child, police said. Reports indicate the baby was born Nov. 8.

Police said Pounders tested positive four times during her pregnancy for methadone, benzodiazepines and marijuana.

Authorities said the baby is still in the hospital being treated for withdrawal.
Pounders is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bail totaling $5,000.

One injured in motorcycle wreck

TUSCUMBIA — A local man was flown to Huntsville Hospital after he was injured in a Thursday afternoon motorcycle accident, police said.

Danny Zills, 63, Tuscumbia, was injured when the motorcycle he was riding slid into the back of another car, Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan said.

The accident happened just after 4 p.m. near Sixth Street and Commons Street. Logan said the motorcycle apparently was trying to avoid the car, which was turning. He said Zills was conscious and was talking to his family before he was flown to Huntsville.

Zills condition was unknown Thursday. The driver of the other car was not injured, according to reports.

The accident is under investigation by the Tuscumbia Police Department.

Wreck victim remains critical

HUNTSVILLE — A Phil Campbell man, injured in a two-car accident that killed one man Wednesday morning, remains critical, officials said.

Uthell Bankston, 71, is in Huntsville Hospital, a hospital official confirmed Thursday.

"I talked with the family (Thursday morning) and he underwent his fifth surgery," said Greg Beasley, a neighbor and family friend. "He's in pretty bad shape, fighting for his life."

The accident was 2:25 a.m. Wednesday on U.S. 43 south of Russellville. Larry Edward Presley, 64, 35 Bama Lane, Russellville, was killed in the accident.

The State Troopers Quad-Cities Post is investigating.

ARRESTS

Franklin County sheriff

Ryan Hester, 32, Smith Road, Phil Campbell; reckless endangerment and second-degree receiving stolen property.

REPORTS

Florence police

Thefts

An ice cream machine was taken from a residence in the 800 block of Kendrick Street.

A wig was taken from a business in the 400 block of East Tennessee Street.
Criminal mischief

A 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer was damaged while parked in the 1400 block of Chisholm Road.

Burglaries

A laptop and $50 were taken from a residence on Tombigbee Street.

Coin collections were taken from a residence on Malone Circle.

Cash totaling $30 was taken from a residence on Huntsville Road.

Copper wiring was taken from a residence in the 3400 block of Huntsville Road.

A fuse box, gas heater, walls, a window and air conditioning vent also were damaged.