From the Sheriff's Department

17-year-old Cashiers man dies Monday in county jail

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Timothy Potts, who had been in jail on drug charges since Aug. 28, was found by jailers in his cell about noon, according to Sheriff Jim Cruzan. After jailers removed Potts from the tether, they performed CPR and called for emergency services, he said.

"(Jailers) got a heart beat before EMS arrived," Cruzan said. "(Potts) was then transported to Harris Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead."

Potts, who was last checked about 15 minutes before he was discovered, "gave no indication he was going to harm himself at all," said Cruzan.

The two jailers on duty during the incident have been placed on administrative leave, the sheriff said. Officers with the State Bureau of Investigation have been called in to investigate the incident.

"Hopefully, we'll have the results of the SBI investigation by the end of the week," Cruzan said.

Sylva man to face first-degree murder, kidnapping charges

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Ronald Moore, 46, was also charged with first-degree kidnapping and armed robbery in an incident at the home of James Brian Hodgins, 31.

According to officers with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Moore had accused Hodgins of being in possession of items stolen from Moore's residence. During the ensuing argument, Hodgins was shot in the hip with a rifle and cut with a knife along the elbow, bicep and chest with a knife, officers said.

Moore was apprehended by Sheriff's Department officers shortly after they received the call at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Hodgins was transported to Harris Regional Hospital, where physicians evaluated his condition and ordered him airlifted to Mission-St. Joseph Health System in Asheville.

No information on Hodgins' condition was available Wednesday morning.

Two unattended deaths under investigation

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Roy Mills, 63, of Cullowhee, was found by tubers on the Tuckaseigee River near JV Apartments on Old Cullowhee Road at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

"The four kids tubing got out of the river and reported to their parents that they'd seen a man lying beside the river and he wasn't moving," Sheriff Jim Cruzan said.

The children's parents called officers with the Sheriff's Department, who responded and found Mills. Cruzan would not comment on the body's condition.

The deceased was transported to Harris Regional Hospital for an autopsy, he said, and the investigation is continuing.

Officers were called to Canada community Monday to investigate what appeared to be an unattended death, the sheriff said. Valery Joseph Cormier, who is believed to have been in his mid-60s, was discovered at his home off N.C. 281 by his son, Brian.

"It was apparent from the condition of the body that he'd been dead for some time," Cruzan said.

Officers said Cormier, who had no known medical conditions, had not been seen for about a week to 10 days prior to Monday. He was a retired landscaper, officers said.

His body was transported to the state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill for an autopsy, according to Cruzan.

Back to Archive: 09/05/02.