ALABAMA: (Houston, Henry, Dale Counties) The Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission, authorized by the Alabama Legislature in Code of Alabama 11-5-31, has sent out warning letters to Coroners across the state.
The members of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission were appointed and formed within 60 days of April 25, 2006. By Alabama Law, the Training Commission was mandated to “develop and periodically revise a list of approved training programs for meeting the minimum standard training for coroners and their designated assistants.”
“Effective March 1, 2007, any coroner, deputy coroner, or any person authorized to officially represent the county coroner shall complete 12 hours of training, approved by the commission, during each calendar year he or she serves as coroner.”
Letters were sent to Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, who has been Coroner since 1987; Henry County Coroner Derek Wright, who has been Coroner for 20 years; and Dale County Coroner John Cawley, who is in his first term as Coroner.
Dale County Coroner John Cawley has his 12 hours and sent the documentation, prior to now, to the Chairman of the Coroner’s Training Commission, which is Baldwin County Coroner Brian Pierce. That issue was a mistake on the part of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission. Reports are Pierce had missed the email and Cawley has been in compliance long before the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission letter.
Henry County Coroner Derek Wright has completed the required training of the 12 hours. The documentation was at the Henry County Probate/County Commission Office. It had not been forwarded to the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission, but has been handled now. Wright is in compliance.
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, elected in 1987, stated to WDHN that he was sent an email in February and saw it last week asking if he had his certificate, but he did not have one. Byrd told WDHN he did not know what is was or what to do, and that he had never had to have training. Robert Byrd told WDHN that he does continuing education as a funeral director and for insurance.
According to some involved in the Alabama Coroner’s Association there has been discussion of Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd not being involved in the Coroner Association and never having any continuing education courses. These discussions have taken place at Continuing Education Classes over the past.
The training for a funeral director is 8 hours every two years, while a Coroner is 12 hours every calender year. Being a funeral director is not a qualification to be Coroner and both are two distinctively different roles. According to sources ,the continuing education as a funeral director does not fulfill the requirements of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission.
Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson works with a funeral home. Dale County Coroner John Cawley works and co-owns a funeral home. Henry County Coroner Derek Wright owns a funeral home. All three attended the training course put on by the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission held in Enterprise.
Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham, not in the funeral home business, attended the training course in Enterprise that was put on by the Alabama Coroner Training Commission. Both Woodham and Cawley are in their first term as Coroner and were aware of the required training requirements.
Alabama Law, 11-5-31 (g) reads “A coroner or his designated assistant who fails to complete minimum annual in-service training required by this article may be suspended from office, without pay, by the Governor for not more than 90 days. At the end of the suspension period, the Governor may continue the suspension of the coroner and his or her designated assistants until he or she completes the annual minimum in-service training.
According to information, Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd has said, before this issue, that he intends to retire and not seek re-election. Election year is in 2026 and the new Coroner would take office in January 2027. There has been no mention of what Coroner Robert Byrd’s intentions will be with the required training this year and in 2026 with him planning on retiring. If he plans to finish his term, then Byrd has until May to obtain the required 12 hours of continuing education for 2025. Then again 12 hours in 2026.
Being Coroner is 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, on call duty. No one ever makes appointments to die, so all calls are sudden and without notice. Byrd’s day Saturday began with a traffic death, which occurred at 5:27 AM. Followed by, later in the morning on Saturday, with an apparent self inflicted gunshot death. At age 68, Byrd has served since 1987; one grows tired of always being on call, which is in addition to his funeral home. With the demands of both leave little family and grandchildren time.
NOTHING WRITTEN IS INTENDED TO BE CRITICAL OF HOUSTON COUNTY CORONER ROBERT BYRD. IT IS JUST FACTUAL INFORMATION S RSN KNOWS IT TO BE. ALSO THERE IS NO SPECULATION THAT BYRD WILL OR WILL NOT RETIRE BEFORE HIS TERM ENDS OR COMPLETE THE REQUIRED 24 HOURS TRAINING FOR HIS LAST TWO YEAR IN OFFICE. (12 HOURS EACH YEAR).
RSN has not reached out to Coroner Byrd to see his intentions. His comments were from WDHN who broke this story.
DOTHAN: On Sunday Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire Department, Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Police Department to a structure fire at Stone Creek Landing, South Park Avenue and Taylor Road.
The pool house and community room caught fire. Neighbors saw what was first thought as fog, As they looked closer it was quickly determined the building was on fire.
Neighbors said they heard a loud bang about 45 minutes before the fire was spotted. On the scene the preliminary information is they felt the cause of the fire was a lightning strike. That is NOT OFFICIAL from Dothan Fire Department.
WEBB: 5:27 AM Multiple emergency units are on the scene of a passenger vehicle versus a semi truck in the 6000 block of Highway 52 East in Webb. The 6000 block is just east of Furnie Folks Road intersection with Highway 52.
The accident involves a small passenger car.
Webb Volunteer Fire, Webb Police, Ashford Rescue, Houston County Sheriff Department responded. When emergency units arrived they found one occupant of the passenger car deceased on the scene.
Webb Volunteer Fire Department requested mutual aid assistance from Dothan Fire Department Technical Rescue to assist with extrication on the scene.
7:23 AM Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd is on the scene.
Highway 52 east of Furnie Folks Road is completely closed. Houston County Sheriff Deputies are assisting with traffic control. A certified Reserve Houston County Sheriff Deputy is assisting. Reserve Deputies work for FREE.
Ferguson Wrecker has their heavy duty wreckers on the scene assisting.
Webb Police were assisted in the investigation by ALEA – Troopers.
NOTE: RSN is holding the scene pictures for a period of time. The family has been notified but we feel the scene pictures need to be held until authorities meet with the family.
The victim was identified as 21-year-old Reagan Colleen Brewer.
UPDATED @ 9:15 PM
RSN will not be posting scene photographs. Initially in the preliminary investigation it was thought the passenger car pulled from Furnie Folkes Road onto Highway 52 into the pathway of the east bound semi truck.
After investigating law enforcement officers spoke to the driver of the semi at the hospital, and the family’s LIVE 360 track, the passnger vehicle was wastbound on Highway 52. And the investigation reveals the passenger car apparently crossed the center line into the path of the semi.
RSN left the scene at 7:30 AM. Emergency units from Webb Volunteer Fire Department, Dothan Fire Department and Ferguson Wrecker worked until around 9:00 AM on the extrication from the accident.
Because of the severity of the damage from the vehicle RSN has made the decision not to post the wreck scene pictures.
The victim of the accident was a beautiful young lady who recently was married or engaged to be married. She lived around the Webb – Columbia area. And was on her way to work when the accident occured.
Prayers are with the family.
Ward Wilson Funeral Home will be announcing funeral arrangement at a later time.
HOUSTON COUNTY: This morning in Houston County District Court before the Honorable Judge Benjamin Lewis first appearance was held. In addition to first appearance bond hearings were held.
In the case State of Alabama vs. Victor Newman, a bond hearing was held. Newman is charged with Making A Terrorist Threat and is in the Houston County Jail currently under a no bond. Newman was arrested on February 25, 2025 and booked into the Houston County Jail.
Testimony revealed the law enforcement criminal investigator in charge of the case had received threats on his family. There was testimony that law enforcement had obtained a search warrant for the electronic devices of Newman, specifically his cell phone.
A hidden folder was later found on Newman’s phone, containing pictures of the Criminal Investigator’s residence and family.
The Criminal Investigator has received voice mail messages and text messages left on his phone threatening the Criminal Investigator’s family. The threats made stated they would kidnap members of their family, rape them and kill them.
Newman was not successful in getting a bond and remains in the Houston County Jail. Newman’s son is in the Houston County Jail for shooting into an occupied vehicle last week, Robbery in the first degree, and Attempted Assault in the first degree. He remains in the Houston County Jail under a no bond.
The case is still under investigation by law enforcement.
DOTHAN: The City of Dothan School Board will be creating a job description for Dothan School Superintendent with a specially-called meeting next week to craft the job description.
The Dothan School Board is elected by the registered voters of the City of Dothan. There are 7 school board members, all of which are up for reelection or election on August 5, 2025.
The current school board members are: Scott Childers – Chairman; Brenda Guilford -District1; Franklin Jones – District 2; Melanie Hill – District 3; Brett Strickland – District 4; Amy Bonds – District 5; Aurie Jenkins – District 6.
RSN has been doing some checking, and some of the school board members want the School Superintendent for the City of Dothan to have a doctorate degree. If the school board is successful, it will make the City of Dothan the only school board in the State of Alabama to have this requirement — that’s out of 140 School Systems in the State of Alabama.
For the School Board to add this requirement, it will take only 4 of the 7 school board members to vote YES.
Since the School Board wants this requirement, and if it passes, the registered voters will know those Board Members adding this requirement have someone in mind for the next Dothan School Superintendent. RSN will be watching if the fix is in! Look around the State at the 140 school systems, none require a doctorate; see which systems are doing well.
If you want to seek election to become a member of the Dothan School Board contact the City of Dothan Clerk’s Office. It is time to begin to plan your campaign.
Education is important to the growth and success of the City of Dothan. Having a doctorate degree is not a bonus for the City of Dothan School System. The school system is a huge corporation with a lot of financial components. Just because someone can teach does not mean they can run a multi-million dollar business. Just because you have a doctorate in no way implies that you can manage a huge business like schools, or that you even have common sense to manage the school system. Why would a Dothan School Board Member add a requirement for a doctorate and lock yourself into that requirement? From the applicants you might / might not select someone who has a doctorate. But to write it into the job description and limit yourself to only those only with a doctorate degree is foolish.
In closing, would it be wonderful if the School Board did something highly unusual?
And that is select someone local to be the next Dothan School Superintendent. Someone that was not “paid” to come to Dothan, but someone that has lived and worked in Dothan. Who truly has a heart for Dothan and not someone moving here because at least 4 elected School Board Members paid them six figures to move to Dothan, Alabama (and when their tenure is over move away from Dothan). They are only here to collect the six figures of “other people’s money” at least 4 or the 7 School Board Members gave away.
RSN will be watching and is not afraid to call each of you out for your decisions. NO SECRET VOTES, open discussion — which RSN is committed to letting the public know.
UPDATE: The meeting on this matter is Tuesday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m.
PICTURED BELOW DOTHAN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
ROW 1: Chairman Scott Childers, D1 Brenda Guilford
GENEVA COUNTY – SLOCOMB: 7:44 PM Geneva County Central 911 dispatched Slocomb Fire – Rescue to a structure fire at 1490 White Oak Road at Slocomb.
At the time of dispatch it was a working structure fire, unknown if everyone had evacuated, and caller had disconnected.
Slocomb Fire Chief Kyle Hovey advised water would be a issue, that no fire hydrants were near. Chief Hovey requested mutual aid assistance from Malvern Volunteer Fire Department and Fadette Volunteer Fire Department.
7:49 PM Geneva County 911 paged all Slocomb Fire – Rescue members that any off duty members which were close and able to respond additional manpower was needed. There were no fire hydrants and water was going to have to be shuttled.
8:23 PM Slocomb Fire Chief Kyle Hovey reported fire under control and checking for extensions.
Slocomb Fire – Rescue has been hammered since March 2025 arrived. A structure fire on Saturday, multiple medical calls, patient transfers, outdoor fires. The east end of Geneva County is well cared for with Slocomb Fire – EMS, Malvern Volunteer Fire and Fadette Volunteer Fire. The men and women involved do a great job in serving the citizens and guests in Geneva County.
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