By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A recent dry spell has allowed the St. Francis County Road Department a chance to bounce back and begin work to repair damage caused by heavy amounts of rainfall in the area during the past few weeks.
St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco said road crews were able to access several roads last week, and may be able to get heavy machinery onto other damaged county roads this week.
"Last week, once it stopped raining, we were able to get the graters out on a lot of the roads, but there were still some roads that were just too soaked to get anything heavy on them without causing more damage. This week we should be able to get out on those roads and get some sand and dirt in there. Plus, we've gotten some new pipes in so we can start getting those installed too," Cisco said.
Cisco also commented on the condition of the L'Anguille and St. Francis Rivers after some flooding late last week.
"The water from the L'Anguille got up onto Highway 261 last week, but we didn't see any major damage from that. It's started going back down so that's a positive. We did see some damage to a couple of county roads from the St. Francis when it crested, but we won't know how much damage we've got there until the river recedes and it's dry enough to get in there," he said.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
A van police believe was used as a getaway car following a triple murder in Crow Creek has been recovered.
St. Francis County Chief Investigator Glenn Ramsey said the 1986 Ford Windstar van was recovered Wednesday in New Lisbon, Wisc., by the Juneau County Sheriff's Department. The abandoned van was found in a parking lot at a Travel Lodge on Interstate 94.
The three suspects, who police say should be considered extremely dangerous, have not yet been located. The suspects are Kevin Mosby, 30, 214 W. Cook St., Forrest City, Steven Dewayne Neal, 35, of Marianna, and Jimmy Mills, 30, 720 N. Gorman, Forrest City.
The men are wanted for questioning in connection with the Dec. 7 shooting deaths of Dylan A. Boyd, 31, and Carl Boyd, 21, both of Madison, and Dewayne Stewart, 27, of Forrest City. The murders occurred the Boyds' residence.
The suspects also face felony auto theft charges in connection with the theft of the van which was rented by a person who is not a suspect in the murders, according to police. The van was reported stolen when it was not returned to the rental agency in Forrest City on Dec. 10.
Ramsey said the Juneau County Sheriff's office believes the van had been abandoned for about two days prior to it being discovered. Local investigators believe one of the suspects has relatives in Wisconsin.
The van is being processed for evidence that might link the three suspects to the van, according to Ramsey, who added that he expects to get more information today from the Juneau Sheriff's Department.
In addition, Ramsey said before the van was discovered, U.S. Attorney Michael Lee Johnson authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation to issue warrants for the three suspects.
"The U.S. Attorney in Little Rock has issued his authorization for the FBI to get involved in the search for the three suspects by issuing flight to avoid prosecution warrants on December 21. This means the FBI, in conjunction with the St. Francis County Sheriff's office and the other local authorities we have notified, will assist in finding these three suspects," Ramsey said.
Investigator Herbert Neighbors said gang units in several states where the suspects are believed to have friends or relatives have also been notified to assist in locating the three men. "We have sent information about the van and the three suspects to Memphis, Nashville, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin in an attempt to locate these suspects," said Neighbors.
There will be a special meeting of the St. Francis County Quorum Court, tonight at 6 in the Quorum Court meeting room at the courthouse.
The primary purpose of tonight's meeting is the 2002 budget for St. Francis County.