The Carolinas | Parents killed, children injured in wreck

South Carolina

PINEVILLE

Parents killed, children injured in wreck

S.C. troopers say a mother and father were killed, but their three children survived a wreck near Pineville.

Authorities told multiple media outlets that 28-year-old Iesha White and her 29-year-old husband, Michael, died when she drove their SUV off state Highway 45 and it overturned, hitting a utility pole around 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Troopers say downed power lines kept them from getting to the couple for several hours.

Authorities say the couple's three children, ages 10, 7 and 6, were injured in the crash and have been released from the hospital.

Troopers have not figured out what caused the 2002 Isuzu Rodeo to leave the highway.

CHARLESTON

Law firm duped in check scam

The Secret Service says an S.C. law firm lost $390,000 in a counterfeit check scam.

Authorities told The Post and Courier of Charleston the scammers called the law firm and requested an attorney to help collect on a debt, offering to pay a retainer.

Investigators say before any work was done, the scammer called back and said the threat of legal action settled the matter, then sent the law firm two checks, one for the retainer and the second the supposed "settlement."

Authorities say the scammer asked the law firm to send the settlement to an overseas bank account. After the money was wired, the check was found to be bogus.

The Secret Service did not identify the Charleston firm, or a second firm that figured out the scam before being taken.

GRAY COURT

Hunters find decomposing body in house

Three S.C. hunters found a decomposing body in an abandoned house in Laurens County.

Authorities told multiple media outlets that the remains were found Saturday night on the second floor of a home off state Highway 14 near Gray Court.

Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols says an autopsy showed no apparent wounds.

The man appears to be in his 50s and died four weeks ago.

His body is so decomposed dental records will be needed to confirm his identity. Nichols says investigators do not suspect foul play, but the case remains open.

Eastover

Police look for slain woman's SUV

Authorities are looking for an SUV taken from an 83-year-old S.C. woman found dead in her home.

Richland County deputies told multiple media outlets that family members found Evelyn Harvin dead in her home in Eastover on Friday night.

Authorities are not releasing many details about Harvin's death. They say she was likely killed the day before her body was found, but they aren't saying how she died or where in the house her body was found. No motive for the slaying has been offered.

Investigators say Harvin's 2000 burgundy Chevrolet Blazer is missing. Its license tag is DRY-391.

North Carolina

CHARLOTTE

Man killed trying to cross road

Police say a man trying to cross a busy Interstate highway in North Carolina was struck by a car and killed.

The Charlotte Observer reports that the man, whose name has not yet been released, was hit by a car early Monday morning as he tried to cross Interstate 85 just north of Sugar Creek Road.

Highway Patrol Sgt. E.B. Miller says it's not clear why the man was trying to get across the highway on foot, but it's something police have commonly seen on that stretch of I-85.

FORT BRAGG

Military child care program in limbo

Officials at Fort Bragg in North Carolina hope a recent spike in enrollments will help save $125,000 in funding for a child care program.

The Fayetteville Observer reports that the Widow, Wounded Soldier Child Care Assistance program was in jeopardy because so few people were using it.

The program pays the cost of child care for injured soldiers, their spouses and the survivors of deceased military personnel so they can attend college.

By July, 11 families had enrolled, and about $80,000 of the money, from the Walmart Foundation, was left.

Martha Brown, director of the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at the base, says $35,000 is still available.

Durham

1 dead, 11 hurt in night of gun violence

Authorities say one man was killed and another wounded in a shooting that was part of a night of gun violence in an N.C. city.

Durham police told multiple media outlets that the fatal shooting was part of an attempted robbery around 10:20 p.m. Saturday.

Investigators say witnesses gave officers a description of an SUV involved in the shooting, and a traffic stop a few minutes later led to the arrest of 18-year-old Deandre Rucker and a 15-year-old boy.

About five hours later, Durham police say 10 people were injured, two seriously, as a car fired shots into a home. No arrests have been made in that case.