Jeff Davis photo

If you have a problem area in Siler City that you think the SPEEDsentry needs to be used to alert drivers of their speed, contact the police department at 742-5626 and ask the dispatcher to fill out a Direct Patrol Request Form for you.

By Randall Rigsbee

A portion of US 421 near Goldston remained closed to traffic hours after an early Tuesday morning wreck claimed the lives of a husband and wife from Georgia.

The wreck occurred on US 421 south of Ralph Sipes Road around 1:43 a.m. when a car driven by 45-year-old Felix Dominguez of Siler City, who authorities said was intoxicated, collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, according to Trooper B.K. Palmiter of the NC Highway Patrol.

 Dominguez’ car, traveling north on US 421, veered left of the center of US 421, striking the tractor-trailer head-on, the trooper said.

After impact with the Buick, the tractor-trailer skidded left of the center of the two-lane highway and down an embankment, striking several trees.

Both the driver of the truck and his wife, who was in the sleeper section of the cab, were killed.

The truck driver was David Howard McBride, 52, of Jasper, Ga., Palmiter said.

His wife was 52-year-old Wanda McBride.

more- See Thursday, August 26 paper: Vol 84, No.39

By Cara Rotondaro

Improper pipe installation was blamed as the culprit in the third water main break in Pittsboro this year, which occurred Sunday, leaving many residents without water or with low water pressure, and forcing two schools to close early.

The break, which occurred Sunday night at the north end of Rectory Street, required the public works staff to excavate nearly nine feet underground and eventually replace a 20-foot long piece of plastic pipe.

The problem was discovered around 11 p.m. Sunday night when residents living on and near Rectory Street complained about having no water, said town manager David Hughes.

Town staff rode around the area until water was discovered coming through the pavement.

They worked to repair the problem all night, Hughes said.

The Pittsboro team ran out of reach on their backhoe, said Hughes, and Thomas Construction was called in to help excavate and replace the line.

more- See Thursday, August 26 paper: Vol 84, No.39

Couple dead after weekend murder-suicide

Two Siler City residents died Sunday after what police believe to be a murder suicide.

At 4:40 p.m., the Siler City Police Department received a call from someone requesting a well-being check at a residence in the Northside Apartments at 507 North Third Avenue, police major Bill Harman said.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office was the first to respond to the scene followed by the Siler City Police Department.

However, neither the deputies nor the officers could get anyone to answer the door, the major continued.

The mother of one of the victims also tried to get someone to answer the door, following attempts made by Detective Clarence Johnson and Sergeant Mark Gonzalez.

Upon entry into Apartment J, police found the bodies of Sabry Ann Stevenson, 52, and Carl Fredrick Wilkerson, 46, both of the residence.

In order to gain entry, police had to kick the door in, Harman stated.

The couple, who authorities say were living together as boyfriend/girlfriend, died from injuries resulting from knife wounds, the major reported.

Chatham County Medical Examiner Dr. John Dykers estimated Stevenson had been dead for approximately six hours and Wilkerson had been dead for approximately one to two hours.

Investigators believe Wilkerson killed Stevenson before taking his own life.

more- See Thursday, August 26 paper: Vol 84, No.39