As published in the Courier-Tribune on January 12, 2012
Hugh Martin
CANDOR — At a public forum during the regular January meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners Monday, 12 people spoke, most angered over the firing of the police chief and three officers at an earlier meeting.
Frank Harris repeated his call for the resignations of commissioners Wayne Holyfield, Rob Martin and Tim Privett who voted for the firings.
“Tonight I’m also asking for the resignation of Mayor Richard Britt,” Harris added. “I don’t feel, and most of the citizens don’t feel, that he is acting in the best interest of our town.”
Harris continued, “Now is the time to be counted. The only way to fight this kind of tyranny is to put your name on the petitions. I don’t know of anything else to do.”
Petitions calling for resignations of the four have been circulating throughout the community.
Former commissioner Tim Smith of Candor asked for a cost estimate to the town in the past month and where the money would come from to pay for unemployment, payout to the officers, expenses to Montgomery County deputies to cover the town and other items.
Town Clerk Tammy Kellis said the cost was “in the thousands,” but no one offered an answer on the source.
Robert Hearne said he was concerned about the lack of response by board members when questioned by citizens.
“I heard at least five different times, by different people, why this action (firing four police officers in a public meeting on Dec. 12) took place. No one responded to any one of those five questions. Somebody knows why. I’ll ask again one more time, why?”
John Thompson, the grandson of John Thompson, who has worked for the town for over 46 years, also asked about rumors that his grandfather was going to be fired by the board.
“I have someone who is very near and dear to me and who has been a loyal servant to this town for quite a long time, and I don’t want him drug through this,” the younger Thompson said. “You owe these people out here a moral and ethical obligation to justify your actions to them and that’s not what they’ve been given.”
Brittany Martin, daughter of Commissioner Rob Martin, appealed to the citizens to work together as a town and “right now we are not a town.”
The town is divided over the firings, Martin said, “But, guess what? It did happen and we need to work together to make the best of it.”
Lonnie Campbell said he was tired of the publicity on TV and in the newspapers.
Jim McLeod, former commissioner and member of the town’s Planning Board told the commissioners he was appalled at their actions.
“As commissioners you have a fiduciary obligation to the taxpayers, even if they’re not citizens — people who own property and pay taxes,” he said. “Where is all this going to come from? Candor’s not a rich town.”
Rebecca Shepherd asked commissioners Martin, Holyfield, Privett and Mayor Britt if they felt that they represented the people who elected them.
Britt spoke up, saying, “People put me in office to try to do better for the town. I have tried to do that.”
Commissioner Holyfield answered, “I do, and I will say this: How many people signed up here tonight?”
Kellis said 77.
Holyfield said more than 77 people voted and a lot of them weren’t present.
Shepherd said. “We still want answers. We still want our police officers re-instated with full benefits. The citizens of Candor will not stop. We will continue to take an interest in this town and continue to fight to see that justice has been done.”
Ella Smith, a former resident of Candor who now lives in West End, said, “Mr. Mayor, I think the best thing you ever did was to clean out your (police) department. I had bad experiences with them. I sat two hours on the side of the road with a 2-week-old baby in the rain. I think I called you and kept complaining about it.”
Gloria Marshall said her riding mower that she used for transportation was confiscated by an officer and she had to walk home in pain.
George Myers was the last speaker. “We want answers and we’re not going to quit until we get some. You can sit there like a knot on a log if you want to, but we’ll still be here — this month, next month and every month after until we get some answers.”
Myers said he hoped the executive session on the agenda did not include the dismissal or firing of any additional town employees. “The one exception I will make to that will be ex-state trooper Eric Jackson, who was supposedly cleared to be hired last month. He’s never worked a day in his life in the Town of Candor and I hope that he doesn’t. We don’t want him.”
Jackson was recommended at the Dec. 12 meeting by Holyfield and backed by Martin and Privett. He has not applied for the job.
The commissioners were also asked to approve the minutes of the Dec. 12 meeting, at which Police Chief Randy White and three Candor police officers, James Pierce, Grantland Jackson and Jeremy Blake, were fired. Commissioner Rob Martin requested that the minutes be amended to contain a “verbatim” account, which would be a transcript rather than a summary. The request was approved by the board.
Following an announced executive session, Mayor Richard Britt reported that he and commissioners Layton Booker and Tim Privett will serve as the committee to review applications for the police chief position. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday.
In other action at the meeting on Monday, commissioners:
* Approved a $12,000 budget amendment giving the go-ahead for the bidding on the construction of a one-fifth mile walking trail at Fitzgerald Park. The park, located on the edge of the downtown area, is the center of the N.C. Peach Festival every July.
Public Works Director Brice Hollis and Town Management Advisor Ron Niland have mapped out the location of the trail and are now prepared to seek the bids for construction. The eight-foot wide paved asphalt trail will be constructed through a $10,000 grant from FirstHealth’s Healthy Kids Program. The town’s share will be the remaining $2,000.
Niland said the bids will be brought to the board for action during the meeting on Feb. 6.
* Were reminded town hall will be closed Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Attorney for fired Candor officers asks for their jobs back ♥
As published in the Courier-Tribune on January 11, 2012
Hugh Martin
CANDOR — At the Candor Town Board meeting Monday, Southern Pines attorney Arthur Donadio offered commissioners the opportunity to avoid a lawsuit by the four officers who were fired in December.
Donadio, who is representing former Candor Police Chief Randy White and officers James Pierce, Grantland Jackson and Jeremy Blake, addressed the board for five minutes.
Pierce said on Dec. 19 that Donadio had offered his services to the four officers pro bono, which is without charge.
“What I’m here tonight to do is ask this board to reconsider,” Donadio said. “To go back into session, re-instate the officers. That’s all they want, with back pay and benefits.”
The firings took place at the Dec. 12 board meeting. Wayne Holyfield and Rob Martin who had defeated Leslie Thomas and Tim Smith in the November election were sworn in. Mayor Richard Britt then appointed Holyfield police commissioner and called for a closed session at which Holyfield, Martin and seated Commissioner Tim Privett agreed to fire the officers, effective immediately. The vote was taken in open session over adamant objections by commissioners Phillip Hearne and Layton Booker.
Hearne openly opposed Holyfield’s appointment as police commissioner as a conflict of interest since he is an N.C. Highway Patrol trooper stationed in Montgomery County. (The next day, the patrol transferred Holyfield to Richmond County on special assignment. Last week, he was placed on administrative duty.)
Donadio said that re-instatement would heal the divide that the firings had created in the town. He said that the investigation of the reasons for the action will continue “leaf by leaf.”
According to Donadio, “Government agencies will continue their investigations and it’s not going to stop.” He referred to the minutes of the Dec. 12 meeting during which the firings took place, reminding the board that it was clear that both Mayor Richard Britt and Town Management Adviser Ron Niland had tried to convince board members not to go through with the firings until the town attorney could be consulted.
“What was also clear was that Mr. (Wayne) Holyfield, who had just been seated that day, came into that meeting and knew some things that a layperson attending his first town commission meeting would not necessarily know.”
Donadio stated Holyfield knew that the town’s procedures and policies were not applicable under North Carolina law and, with North Carolina being an at-will state, he did not have to give a reason for firing the officers.
“The question becomes, who was counseling Mr. Holyfield before the meeting?” Donadio asked.
Donadio continued, saying that rumors were flying that Town Clerk Tammy Kellis and long-time town employee John Thompson were to be fired during a closed session scheduled for the Monday meeting. Thompson is retired, but works part time for the town.
“I hope that’s not true, but if it is true then I would like to point out that that would remove the last of the five witnesses to the incident between Ms. Lamonds and the officers at the town hall. Just think about how that’s going to look later if this doesn’t get resolved.”
Donadio was referring to Teresa Lamonds, a Candor business owner who was given a warning ticket for speeding in May 2009 by Officer Jackson. Her husband, John Lamonds, was also issued a warning ticket for following Jackson’s patrol car too closely in another vehicle.
Ms. Lamonds then went to the town hall where she made a verbal complaint against Jackson and allegedly threatened physical harm to him if he were ever to stop her again.
Following an incident that allegedly occurred at her business later that same day, Lamonds said that her civil rights were violated and that excessive force was used by Officer Pierce, who had stated that he came in on his day off to investigate her complaint. According to court documents, an altercation occurred and Ms. Lamonds was arrested and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, resisting a public officer, two counts of communicating a threat and assault on a government official.
The case was tried in Montgomery County District Court in 2009. Both charges of disorderly conduct were dismissed. Lamonds was found not guilty of assault on a government official. She was found guilty of resisting a public officer and guilty of both counts of communicating a threat.
She appealed the guilty verdicts to Superior Court where she would be tried by a jury. That case is scheduled to be heard later this month.
Donadio continued, telling the board that some of the commissioners were “being used.”
“What happens to people who are used? They don’t benefit in the end. It wrecks everything that they’ve done, everything that they’ve achieved or not achieved.”
The Lamonds couple were the only contributors to both Holyfield’s and Martin’s campaigns during the recent election.
Donadio asked the board to go back into closed session, re-instate the officers and follow the town’s policies.
“Then, if there are issues with their performance, go through the policies and procedures manual and address those,” he said. Donadio stated that he understood that there was nothing in the fired officers’ files that warranted the action that the board had made against them.
“If you don’t do this, then besides the actions that are coming from state agencies, there will be civil litigation, which is not what any of us want. Please, consider carefully what you do here tonight.”
Donadio did not elaborate on what state and government agencies may be conducting investigations of the situation.
No action was taken on the officers’ behalf during the scheduled closed session.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, Donadio said, “It’s going to be hard to get these jobs back. We may have to settle for a different sort of justice.”
The meeting Monday was held at the Candor Town Hall where the meeting room will comfortably hold around 50 spectators.
At a special called meeting and public forum was held on Dec. 19 in the gymnasium at Candor Elementary School to allow sufficient room for a crowd of around 300 citizens to ask for answers on why the four were fired. Commissioners Layton Booker and Phillip Hearne, have also demanded to know why those three commissioners — Holyfield, Martin and Privett — made that motion without explanation and outvoted Booker and Hearne to fire the four officers.
Those answers have yet to be given.
Hugh Martin
CANDOR — At the Candor Town Board meeting Monday, Southern Pines attorney Arthur Donadio offered commissioners the opportunity to avoid a lawsuit by the four officers who were fired in December.
Donadio, who is representing former Candor Police Chief Randy White and officers James Pierce, Grantland Jackson and Jeremy Blake, addressed the board for five minutes.
Pierce said on Dec. 19 that Donadio had offered his services to the four officers pro bono, which is without charge.
“What I’m here tonight to do is ask this board to reconsider,” Donadio said. “To go back into session, re-instate the officers. That’s all they want, with back pay and benefits.”
The firings took place at the Dec. 12 board meeting. Wayne Holyfield and Rob Martin who had defeated Leslie Thomas and Tim Smith in the November election were sworn in. Mayor Richard Britt then appointed Holyfield police commissioner and called for a closed session at which Holyfield, Martin and seated Commissioner Tim Privett agreed to fire the officers, effective immediately. The vote was taken in open session over adamant objections by commissioners Phillip Hearne and Layton Booker.
Hearne openly opposed Holyfield’s appointment as police commissioner as a conflict of interest since he is an N.C. Highway Patrol trooper stationed in Montgomery County. (The next day, the patrol transferred Holyfield to Richmond County on special assignment. Last week, he was placed on administrative duty.)
Donadio said that re-instatement would heal the divide that the firings had created in the town. He said that the investigation of the reasons for the action will continue “leaf by leaf.”
According to Donadio, “Government agencies will continue their investigations and it’s not going to stop.” He referred to the minutes of the Dec. 12 meeting during which the firings took place, reminding the board that it was clear that both Mayor Richard Britt and Town Management Adviser Ron Niland had tried to convince board members not to go through with the firings until the town attorney could be consulted.
“What was also clear was that Mr. (Wayne) Holyfield, who had just been seated that day, came into that meeting and knew some things that a layperson attending his first town commission meeting would not necessarily know.”
Donadio stated Holyfield knew that the town’s procedures and policies were not applicable under North Carolina law and, with North Carolina being an at-will state, he did not have to give a reason for firing the officers.
“The question becomes, who was counseling Mr. Holyfield before the meeting?” Donadio asked.
Donadio continued, saying that rumors were flying that Town Clerk Tammy Kellis and long-time town employee John Thompson were to be fired during a closed session scheduled for the Monday meeting. Thompson is retired, but works part time for the town.
“I hope that’s not true, but if it is true then I would like to point out that that would remove the last of the five witnesses to the incident between Ms. Lamonds and the officers at the town hall. Just think about how that’s going to look later if this doesn’t get resolved.”
Donadio was referring to Teresa Lamonds, a Candor business owner who was given a warning ticket for speeding in May 2009 by Officer Jackson. Her husband, John Lamonds, was also issued a warning ticket for following Jackson’s patrol car too closely in another vehicle.
Ms. Lamonds then went to the town hall where she made a verbal complaint against Jackson and allegedly threatened physical harm to him if he were ever to stop her again.
Following an incident that allegedly occurred at her business later that same day, Lamonds said that her civil rights were violated and that excessive force was used by Officer Pierce, who had stated that he came in on his day off to investigate her complaint. According to court documents, an altercation occurred and Ms. Lamonds was arrested and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, resisting a public officer, two counts of communicating a threat and assault on a government official.
The case was tried in Montgomery County District Court in 2009. Both charges of disorderly conduct were dismissed. Lamonds was found not guilty of assault on a government official. She was found guilty of resisting a public officer and guilty of both counts of communicating a threat.
She appealed the guilty verdicts to Superior Court where she would be tried by a jury. That case is scheduled to be heard later this month.
Donadio continued, telling the board that some of the commissioners were “being used.”
“What happens to people who are used? They don’t benefit in the end. It wrecks everything that they’ve done, everything that they’ve achieved or not achieved.”
The Lamonds couple were the only contributors to both Holyfield’s and Martin’s campaigns during the recent election.
Donadio asked the board to go back into closed session, re-instate the officers and follow the town’s policies.
“Then, if there are issues with their performance, go through the policies and procedures manual and address those,” he said. Donadio stated that he understood that there was nothing in the fired officers’ files that warranted the action that the board had made against them.
“If you don’t do this, then besides the actions that are coming from state agencies, there will be civil litigation, which is not what any of us want. Please, consider carefully what you do here tonight.”
Donadio did not elaborate on what state and government agencies may be conducting investigations of the situation.
No action was taken on the officers’ behalf during the scheduled closed session.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, Donadio said, “It’s going to be hard to get these jobs back. We may have to settle for a different sort of justice.”
The meeting Monday was held at the Candor Town Hall where the meeting room will comfortably hold around 50 spectators.
At a special called meeting and public forum was held on Dec. 19 in the gymnasium at Candor Elementary School to allow sufficient room for a crowd of around 300 citizens to ask for answers on why the four were fired. Commissioners Layton Booker and Phillip Hearne, have also demanded to know why those three commissioners — Holyfield, Martin and Privett — made that motion without explanation and outvoted Booker and Hearne to fire the four officers.
Those answers have yet to be given.
Still no answers in Candor ♥
As submitted to the Courier-Tribune on January 9, 2011
By Hugh Martin
CANDOR – Citizens of the Montgomery County town of Candor keep asking questions, but have still received no answers.
At last night’s regular monthly meeting of the town’s Board of Commissioners, twelve people signed up to speak during the public forum portion of the meeting.
Of the twelve to speak, nine expressed their feelings of disappointment for the lack of answers as to why four of the five full-time officers, including the Chief of the Candor Police Department were fired by the board without giving any reasons as to why.
Two speakers pled with the citizens of the town to work together to overcome the differences that have divided the town.
One speaker praised the board for the firing, saying that she had problems in the past with one of the fired officers.
Rumors were flying through the capacity crowd that two more town employees were going to be fired during a closed session scheduled during the meeting.
The closed session was listed on the agenda as a discussion on the position for Police Chief, which has been advertised as required by law.
The town’s management advisor, Ron Niland, assured those in attendance that nothing other than the Chief of Police position would be discussed.
Following the thirty-minute closed session, Mayor Richard Britt announced that he, and Commissioners Layton Booker and Tim Privett would make up the committee that will consider applications for the position.
The deadline for those applications is Friday, January 13 at 5:00 pm.
By Hugh Martin
CANDOR – Citizens of the Montgomery County town of Candor keep asking questions, but have still received no answers.
At last night’s regular monthly meeting of the town’s Board of Commissioners, twelve people signed up to speak during the public forum portion of the meeting.
Of the twelve to speak, nine expressed their feelings of disappointment for the lack of answers as to why four of the five full-time officers, including the Chief of the Candor Police Department were fired by the board without giving any reasons as to why.
Two speakers pled with the citizens of the town to work together to overcome the differences that have divided the town.
One speaker praised the board for the firing, saying that she had problems in the past with one of the fired officers.
Rumors were flying through the capacity crowd that two more town employees were going to be fired during a closed session scheduled during the meeting.
The closed session was listed on the agenda as a discussion on the position for Police Chief, which has been advertised as required by law.
The town’s management advisor, Ron Niland, assured those in attendance that nothing other than the Chief of Police position would be discussed.
Following the thirty-minute closed session, Mayor Richard Britt announced that he, and Commissioners Layton Booker and Tim Privett would make up the committee that will consider applications for the position.
The deadline for those applications is Friday, January 13 at 5:00 pm.
Large turnout expected for Monday’s Board meeting in Candor ♥
As submitted to the Courier-Tribune on January 6, 2012
By Hugh Martin
CANDOR – Nearly one month following a meeting, during which four of five police officers were fired, the Town of Candor Board of Commissioners will hold their first regularly scheduled meeting Monday evening at 7:00 pm.
The meeting Monday will be held at the Candor Town Hall at 214 South Main Street. The meeting room will comfortably hold around 50 spectators.
A special called meeting and public forum was held December 19 in the gymnasium at Candor Elementary School to allow sufficient room for a crowd of around 300 citizens to ask for answers on why the four were fired.
Those answers have yet to be given.
It is expected that citizens will again crowd the meeting room to ask for answers to their questions.
On December 12, following the swearing-in of two new commissioners, the board went into closed session to discuss personnel. Following that session the board returned to open session where newly-sworn commissioner Wayne Holyfield made the motion to fire the four officers. Newly-sworn commissioner Rob Martin seconded that motion and long-time commissioner Tim Privett supported their actions.
Commissioners Phillip Hearne and Layton Booker opposed the vote and demanded to know the reason for the mass firing, but were not given an answer.
Earlier in that meeting Holyfield, a NC Highway Patrolman, was named Police Commissioner by Mayor Richard Britt over the objections of Commissioner Phillip Hearne, who stated that such an appointment would be a conflict of interest.
At the meeting December 19, Britt announced that he had removed Holyfield as Police Commissioner and that he, Britt, would temporarily assume those duties. Several citizens called for the resignations of Martin, Holyfield and Privett.
The town has since hired some new officers, one of whom is former NC Highway Patrolman Eric Jackson. The Board of Elections lists Jackson’s address as Holyfield’s home address. At the meeting when the officers were fired Holyfield made a motion to hire Jackson immediately, but town policy would not allow a hire in that manner.
The Town of Candor has compensated the fired officers for what was due them. The $5944.63 that was paid to the officers included salary, accrued compensation time, Christmas bonus and vacation. The officers have all filed for unemployment, which could cost the town another $75,000.00 over the next twelve months. They have also retained an attorney and legal action against the town is expected.
Since the action of December 12, the citizens of the town have become bitterly divided and have taken their questions, accusations and comments to the internet. Numerous Facebook accounts have been very active with both sides of the issue taking off the gloves and fighting it out online.
The four sites have names such as Chronicles of Candor, Justice for Candor, Candor Voice and, most recently, Candor Sophisticates.
It is speculated by many citizens who oppose the firings that the reasons for the firings center on past problems between the fired officers and a Candor businessperson, Teresa Lamonds. Lamonds received a warning ticket for speeding in 2009 and later filed a complaint against one of the officers, James Pierce, who she said assaulted her at her business while out of uniform after she complained about the warning.
Board of Elections records show that the campaigns of both Martin and Holyfield were supported financially by the Lamonds family.
It has been confirmed by a spokesman for the NC Highway Patrol that Holyfield has been placed on administrative duty while an investigation is conducted into the Candor situation. He was earlier reassigned to Richmond County from road duty in Montgomery County.
A high level of law enforcement presence is expected at Monday’s meeting to keep order.
By Hugh Martin
CANDOR – Nearly one month following a meeting, during which four of five police officers were fired, the Town of Candor Board of Commissioners will hold their first regularly scheduled meeting Monday evening at 7:00 pm.
The meeting Monday will be held at the Candor Town Hall at 214 South Main Street. The meeting room will comfortably hold around 50 spectators.
A special called meeting and public forum was held December 19 in the gymnasium at Candor Elementary School to allow sufficient room for a crowd of around 300 citizens to ask for answers on why the four were fired.
Those answers have yet to be given.
It is expected that citizens will again crowd the meeting room to ask for answers to their questions.
On December 12, following the swearing-in of two new commissioners, the board went into closed session to discuss personnel. Following that session the board returned to open session where newly-sworn commissioner Wayne Holyfield made the motion to fire the four officers. Newly-sworn commissioner Rob Martin seconded that motion and long-time commissioner Tim Privett supported their actions.
Commissioners Phillip Hearne and Layton Booker opposed the vote and demanded to know the reason for the mass firing, but were not given an answer.
Earlier in that meeting Holyfield, a NC Highway Patrolman, was named Police Commissioner by Mayor Richard Britt over the objections of Commissioner Phillip Hearne, who stated that such an appointment would be a conflict of interest.
At the meeting December 19, Britt announced that he had removed Holyfield as Police Commissioner and that he, Britt, would temporarily assume those duties. Several citizens called for the resignations of Martin, Holyfield and Privett.
The town has since hired some new officers, one of whom is former NC Highway Patrolman Eric Jackson. The Board of Elections lists Jackson’s address as Holyfield’s home address. At the meeting when the officers were fired Holyfield made a motion to hire Jackson immediately, but town policy would not allow a hire in that manner.
The Town of Candor has compensated the fired officers for what was due them. The $5944.63 that was paid to the officers included salary, accrued compensation time, Christmas bonus and vacation. The officers have all filed for unemployment, which could cost the town another $75,000.00 over the next twelve months. They have also retained an attorney and legal action against the town is expected.
Since the action of December 12, the citizens of the town have become bitterly divided and have taken their questions, accusations and comments to the internet. Numerous Facebook accounts have been very active with both sides of the issue taking off the gloves and fighting it out online.
The four sites have names such as Chronicles of Candor, Justice for Candor, Candor Voice and, most recently, Candor Sophisticates.
It is speculated by many citizens who oppose the firings that the reasons for the firings center on past problems between the fired officers and a Candor businessperson, Teresa Lamonds. Lamonds received a warning ticket for speeding in 2009 and later filed a complaint against one of the officers, James Pierce, who she said assaulted her at her business while out of uniform after she complained about the warning.
Board of Elections records show that the campaigns of both Martin and Holyfield were supported financially by the Lamonds family.
It has been confirmed by a spokesman for the NC Highway Patrol that Holyfield has been placed on administrative duty while an investigation is conducted into the Candor situation. He was earlier reassigned to Richmond County from road duty in Montgomery County.
A high level of law enforcement presence is expected at Monday’s meeting to keep order.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Biscoe family devastated by Christmas death ♥
As published in the Courier-Tribune on January 3, 2012
By Hugh Martin
BISCOE — On Dec. 21, Stephanie Haywood Gomez and her three children were preparing for Christmas and anxiously looking forward to her husband’s arrival to spend four days with the family.
Julian Gomez Mazaba was on the way home to Biscoe from his job in North Dakota where he had been working more than a month on an out-of state-construction job with his North Carolina employer.
Hopes for a family holiday were dashed when she got the news that her husband of nearly 15 years had been killed in a traffic accident in North Dakota.
“Today my world ended,” she posted to her friends on Facebook.
According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol report, the SUV in which Julian and three other men, all from North Carolina, were riding collided head-on with a Mack truck when the SUV’s driver, Derek M. Sorrell, attempted to pass another vehicle on U.S. 52 near the town of Drake.
Killed in accident were Mazaba; Sorrell, 27, of Spencer; William M. Webb, 25, of China Grove; and Scotty R. Eagle, 24, of Salisbury.
The driver of the semi, who was from Texas, was treated at a local hospital for what was described as non-life-threatening injuries.
The four men were working in North Dakota for KRC Building Solutions in Rowan County. They had completed a crucial phase of that job and were on their way home to be with their families during the Christmas season.
“I was at a friend’s house, helping her look after her mother, when my son called me to let me know that a deputy was at the house wanting to speak to me,” Stephanie said. “I had been texting Julian over and over and he wasn’t responding, which didn’t seem right because he always texted right back.”
“I don’t want you to tell me what you’re going to tell me,” she told the officer.
Stephanie said that she already had a feeling that Julian was dead when the deputy confirmed her suspicion the day following the accident.
“I was on autopilot,” she said. “I had people returning calls that I don’t remember making.”
The Phillips Funeral Home Chapel in Star was packed for the funeral. Julian Mazaba was laid to rest the day after Christmas.
“He had a lot of friends,” Stephanie said. “He would talk to anyone. He was always the one at a party to go around and speak to everyone there. You couldn’t make him angry unless you did something to the children or me.”
Julian, the youngest of five children, graduated from high school in his native Vera Cruz, Mexico, and tried to join the Mexican Army.
“They told him he was too skinny,” Stephanie said, laughing. “He was really interested in the military. He said he wanted to be a soldier and go to Afghanistan.”
After being turned down by the Mexican Army, he decided to join his brothers in America. He landed a job his first week in North Carolina and worked extra shifts to send enough money back home to his mother to build a new house.
“It was just a small block house, but to her it was a mansion,” Stephanie said.
Julian had all his papers to allow him to work here, but he always wanted to become a United States citizen.
“He didn’t want us to receive any type of government assistance because he didn’t want to be thought of as a burden to the United States,” Stephanie said, “Julian wasn’t afraid to work. He liked being outdoors working and sweating.”
Julian was a skilled construction worker who helped build Green Ridge Elementary School in Biscoe. When that job was finished, he wanted to stay on with the contractor, but because he had no driver’s license he could not travel to their job sites.
He sold his tools to help support the family while he searched for another job.
Stephanie said Julian deserves to be remembered. “He was a really good father, a good husband, and he was there to provide for us.”
Julian and the other three men were the only employees of KRC Building Solutions and the company was good to them, Stephanie said. Julian was excited to have the job, but he missed them and was looking forward to coming home to spend time with the family.
Stephanie said the owner of the company, Curt Ribelin, had been working with the crew in North Dakota, but had flown ahead to the next job site in New York to make preparations. He left the SUV with the crew so they could drive home for Christmas.
“I spoke to his wife, Heather, the other night. She said that her husband is so distraught that he doesn’t even know if he wants to go back,” Stephanie said.
“We thought of them as family. They were family,” Heather Ribelin had said.
Stephanie said she wants to start nursing school. She has stayed at home with the children and made soaps and crafts to supplement Julian’s income, but doesn’t have the heart to continue for now.
“Julian wanted me to stay at home and encouraged me to do the things that I like to do,” she said.
Her crafting will continue one day in her spare time, she said, but her priority now is to go to school and get a good-paying job so her children will be able to go to college.
“Julian didn’t have to die such a violent death,” Stephanie said. “We lost everything. We lost someone that we all loved, a person that was fun to be with. Nothing feels the same, nothing tastes the same and nothing sounds the same without him here.”
***
The KRC Company has established a fund to assist the families of Mazaba, Sorrell, Webb and Eagle at CommunityOne bank on Jake Alexander Blvd. in Salisbury. Contributions may be made at any branch of CommunityOne Bank.
For more information, call (704)633-0091.
By Hugh Martin
BISCOE — On Dec. 21, Stephanie Haywood Gomez and her three children were preparing for Christmas and anxiously looking forward to her husband’s arrival to spend four days with the family.
Julian Gomez Mazaba was on the way home to Biscoe from his job in North Dakota where he had been working more than a month on an out-of state-construction job with his North Carolina employer.
Hopes for a family holiday were dashed when she got the news that her husband of nearly 15 years had been killed in a traffic accident in North Dakota.
“Today my world ended,” she posted to her friends on Facebook.
According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol report, the SUV in which Julian and three other men, all from North Carolina, were riding collided head-on with a Mack truck when the SUV’s driver, Derek M. Sorrell, attempted to pass another vehicle on U.S. 52 near the town of Drake.
Killed in accident were Mazaba; Sorrell, 27, of Spencer; William M. Webb, 25, of China Grove; and Scotty R. Eagle, 24, of Salisbury.
The driver of the semi, who was from Texas, was treated at a local hospital for what was described as non-life-threatening injuries.
The four men were working in North Dakota for KRC Building Solutions in Rowan County. They had completed a crucial phase of that job and were on their way home to be with their families during the Christmas season.
“I was at a friend’s house, helping her look after her mother, when my son called me to let me know that a deputy was at the house wanting to speak to me,” Stephanie said. “I had been texting Julian over and over and he wasn’t responding, which didn’t seem right because he always texted right back.”
“I don’t want you to tell me what you’re going to tell me,” she told the officer.
Stephanie said that she already had a feeling that Julian was dead when the deputy confirmed her suspicion the day following the accident.
“I was on autopilot,” she said. “I had people returning calls that I don’t remember making.”
The Phillips Funeral Home Chapel in Star was packed for the funeral. Julian Mazaba was laid to rest the day after Christmas.
“He had a lot of friends,” Stephanie said. “He would talk to anyone. He was always the one at a party to go around and speak to everyone there. You couldn’t make him angry unless you did something to the children or me.”
Julian, the youngest of five children, graduated from high school in his native Vera Cruz, Mexico, and tried to join the Mexican Army.
“They told him he was too skinny,” Stephanie said, laughing. “He was really interested in the military. He said he wanted to be a soldier and go to Afghanistan.”
After being turned down by the Mexican Army, he decided to join his brothers in America. He landed a job his first week in North Carolina and worked extra shifts to send enough money back home to his mother to build a new house.
“It was just a small block house, but to her it was a mansion,” Stephanie said.
Julian had all his papers to allow him to work here, but he always wanted to become a United States citizen.
“He didn’t want us to receive any type of government assistance because he didn’t want to be thought of as a burden to the United States,” Stephanie said, “Julian wasn’t afraid to work. He liked being outdoors working and sweating.”
Julian was a skilled construction worker who helped build Green Ridge Elementary School in Biscoe. When that job was finished, he wanted to stay on with the contractor, but because he had no driver’s license he could not travel to their job sites.
He sold his tools to help support the family while he searched for another job.
Stephanie said Julian deserves to be remembered. “He was a really good father, a good husband, and he was there to provide for us.”
Julian and the other three men were the only employees of KRC Building Solutions and the company was good to them, Stephanie said. Julian was excited to have the job, but he missed them and was looking forward to coming home to spend time with the family.
Stephanie said the owner of the company, Curt Ribelin, had been working with the crew in North Dakota, but had flown ahead to the next job site in New York to make preparations. He left the SUV with the crew so they could drive home for Christmas.
“I spoke to his wife, Heather, the other night. She said that her husband is so distraught that he doesn’t even know if he wants to go back,” Stephanie said.
“We thought of them as family. They were family,” Heather Ribelin had said.
Stephanie said she wants to start nursing school. She has stayed at home with the children and made soaps and crafts to supplement Julian’s income, but doesn’t have the heart to continue for now.
“Julian wanted me to stay at home and encouraged me to do the things that I like to do,” she said.
Her crafting will continue one day in her spare time, she said, but her priority now is to go to school and get a good-paying job so her children will be able to go to college.
“Julian didn’t have to die such a violent death,” Stephanie said. “We lost everything. We lost someone that we all loved, a person that was fun to be with. Nothing feels the same, nothing tastes the same and nothing sounds the same without him here.”
The KRC Company has established a fund to assist the families of Mazaba, Sorrell, Webb and Eagle at CommunityOne bank on Jake Alexander Blvd. in Salisbury. Contributions may be made at any branch of CommunityOne Bank.
For more information, call (704)633-0091.
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