RECAP: Sadly, three lives were lost on Thursday, Oct. 8 in the East Central Alabama region in two separate incidents.

Early Thursday morning, a male body was discovered inside a parked vehicle on the Talladega Square in front of the courthouse. The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man was identified as Bobby Lee Gotti, born Bobby Trussell. It is unknown why Gotti took his own life, but sources say he was having a hard time dealing with a breakup.

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Later that day, at approximately 2:30 PM, the discovery of two bodies inside a mobile home is a remote area was made after Dean Carl Stevens, age 50, white male had walked into New Site Town Hall and turned himself in for the killings. Stevens willingly led the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office and New Site Police to 424 Pate Rd, Cragford, AL, the scene of the murders.

The bodies were identified as siblings, Dianna Mitchell Sharpe, age 48 and male, Robert Wayne Mitchell, Age 50. Both victims had sustained gunshot wounds that resulted in their death.

Stevens, who also resided at the same residence was arrested and charged with Capital Murder and placed in the Tallapoosa County Jail. The victims have been transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for the post mortem examination. This is an ongoing investigation.

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On Oct. 4^th, another grisly assault took place at the residence of 1020 Mountain View Rd , home of Terry Hayes, age 49. Hayes was allegedly attacked by Raymond Leroy Wiseman, age 59, resulting in a throat-slashing knife wound from ear-to-ear. Wiseman declined to comment on a motive for the assault, other than saying Hayes was an “acquaintance”.

The arrest without incident was made at Clay County Hospital, where Wiseman had enrolled in the Journey Detoxification program the day before. Lineville and Ashland Police Department assisted in the arrest.

Wiseman was charged with assault in the first degree and is currently being held on a $50,000 bond. Hayes is currently on a ventilator at Regional Medical Center in Anniston. Wiseman’s charges are subject to change if his condition worsens.

Power has now been restored in downtown Lineville after a log truck hit a power pole in the middle of town.  Crews worked thru the night to replace the pole. Downtown business are experiencing slow internet today.

The question of a mass-casualty incident occurring in Clay County is not just an if…it’s a when. And as with anything, preparedness is always the key. Today, Central High Sr. High students were able to get a glimpse into the makings of a deadly accident scene as some students actually took part in a mass-casualty exercise.

(Photo gallery below)

The makeshift scenario of a car loaded with students that had rear-ended a school bus full of students due to texting while driving, causing the bus to get pushed into an oncoming train, was set up in the parking area in front at the Baseball field at Central High School on Sept. 24th with students and faculty present.

Just before the test exercise began at 9:45 am,  Clay County Assistant District  Attorney Jeff Willis spoke to the students about the importance of this drill and how your life could change in an instant by texting and driving.

As the test exercise drill began, you could hear the chilling sounds of the student’s screams in the bus as students began to pour out of the bus drenched in fake blood, running and screaming wildly as the emergency personnel began to arrive on the scene. A triage station was quickly established, as the wounded were freed from the wreckage and carried out on backboards and tagged after a patient assessment was performed. They were placed in the appropriate areas in triage to be transported. The wounded were taken via ambulance to Clay County Hospital by extent of injury.

• Red- Immediate ( Life-threatening)
• Yellow-Delayed (Serious, Non life- threatening)
•  Green-minor ( walking wounded).

In the end, there were 18 injuries, with 2 dead at the scene. It was an eye-opening experience for all who observed.

The following organizations played a key part in the exercise:

• Clay County Rescue Squad
• Lineville Fire Department
• Ashland Fire Department
• Lineville Police Department
• Ashland Police Department
• Clay County Sheriff’s Office
• Clay County Coroner Dale Rush
• Clay County Hospital
• Clay County Emergency Management Agency
• Clay County 911
• CHS Health Science Students
• CHS Drama Club

This Mass Casualty Exercise sponsored by Clay County Healthcare Authority.

All of this information is still unconfirmed at this time and I will update it when I get the official info.

It is my understanding that a suspect taken in custody sometime around 1:00 AM this morning escaped from the back seat of the police car in front of the Randolph County Jail.

The suspect in question, last name Smith is all I have at this time, was being transported to the Randolph County Jail, when the escape occurred. Smith was not going quietly and had already had to be tased three times, but still somehow managed to get his handcuffs from behind him to the front and kicked out the back door window of the car. Smith was then re-handcuffed behind his back and had his feet tied up, but still somehow managed to pull off the escape.

Smith ran toward the 1st Avenue area and a search ensued. A thermal imagery chopper was brought in, as well as tracking dogs, but there was no sign of him. The last word I got was that Smith’s whereabouts are still unknown at this time.

It is unknown why Smith was taken into custody at this time, but he is a convicted felon, after given a 15 year sentence, for assault and attempting to elude approximately 15 years ago. Randolph County Schools are still on lockdown at this time. More updates to follow.  Again, this is all unconfirmed information and I am waiting on official word from Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

Press release issued by Clay County Sheriff, Ray Latham

On Sunday afternoon at approximately 6pm, Clay County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible homicide on Pinhoti Trail in the Cheaha Mountain area near the State Park in Clay County. Sheriff’s Investigators have charged 20 year old Loren Daniel Bunner of Vincent, Alabama with Murder. Sheriff Latham states that this investigation is currently on-going and a more informative press release will be provided once the investigation is completed. Bunner is currently in the Clay County Detention Center under a $150,000 bond.   

More to come later. Stay tuned…