Crime
18-year-old Ja’Niyah Hardy killed in Trotwood shooting
20-year-old Donte Lamar Cotton, Jr charged with murder after deadly Trotwood shooting
UPDATE: A 20-year-old man, Donte Lamar Cotton, Jr., has been charged with murder following a fatal shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, October 22nd, in Trotwood, Ohio.
Trotwood Police responded to a call reporting a shooting at the 5500 block of Autumn Woods Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of 18-year-old Ja’niyah Hardy, who had been fatally shot.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified Hardy as the victim of the shooting.
The investigation revealed that a domestic dispute between Cotton and Hardy took place within the apartment they shared at the Autumn Woods Drive address.
Cotton has also been charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence related to Hardy’s death.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Trotwood Police Department at 937-837-7771 or Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP.
Cotton’s next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, October 25th.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
The victim of a fatal shooting that occurred on Wednesday at an apartment complex in Trotwood, Ohio has been identified.
Trotwood Police responded to a call at the 5500 block of Autumn Woods Drive around 3 PM, where they discovered an unresponsive woman lying on her back near the front door.
The woman, identified as Ja’Niyah Hardy, 18, had sustained a gunshot wound.
Despite life-saving efforts by first responders, Hardy succumbed to her injuries.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is investigating the cause of death.
Authorities have confirmed that another person was present at the residence at the time of the shooting.
However, it remains unclear if a suspect is in custody.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Further details will be released as they become available.
Crime
4 Killed in Eden Crash at Carroll and Church Streets, Driver and Victims Identified
Michael Vernon, driver of dump truck involved charged.
A tragic crash in Eden, North Carolina, has left four people dead and several others injured following a multi-vehicle incident involving a dump truck and a utility work crew.
The Eden Police Department confirmed the incident occurred Thursday afternoon at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Church Street, Carroll Street, and Park Road.
According to a news release from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), 66-year-old Michael Ray Vernon of Eden was operating a 2016 Hino dump truck owned by the City of Eden.
While traveling northbound on Carroll Street, Vernon failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection with Church Street.
The dump truck proceeded through the intersection, striking six pedestrians—utility workers contracted through Carolina Power and Signalization—who were performing powerline work in the area.
The dump truck continued traveling north after striking the pedestrians, colliding with an occupied bucket truck before veering off the road and crashing into a ditch.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies arrived at the scene within minutes. Four of the six pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased have been identified as:
- Douglas Garland Sides, 72, of Summerfield
- Madison Carter, 42, of Sandy Ridge
- William Evans, 35, of Randleman
- Matthew Lockwood, 30, of Winston-Salem
The two surviving pedestrians sustained life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to medical facilities.
They have been identified as:
- Hunter Carter, 24, of Reidsville – transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in critical condition
- Kevin Alexander, 34, of Eden – airlifted in stable condition
Cody Rich, 31, of Reidsville, who was inside the bucket truck at the time of the crash, was transported by ground to UNC Health Rockingham with non-life-threatening injuries.
Michael Vernon sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
He has been charged with a stop sign violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
Investigators confirmed that impairment is not believed to have played a role in the crash.
Further charges may be considered as the investigation progresses.
The intersection remained closed for several hours as law enforcement officers and emergency crews conducted their investigation.
The area was reopened to traffic at approximately 10:30 p.m.
In a statement, Duke Energy, which works in coordination with Carolina Power and Signalization, expressed condolences:
“We are saddened about the tragic event that happened today, and our hearts go out to the families and teammates of those involved. The safety of our employees, contractors, and customers is the highest priority at Duke Energy. We are working closely with law enforcement officials.”
The NCSHP continues to lead the investigation, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact local authorities.