BRUNDIDGE: 06:58 AM This morning numerous Federal Agents surrounded the residence of Brundidge Police Chief Samuel Green.
RSN, via TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729, began receiving messages that numerous law enforcement officers had surrounded the police chief’s residence. We have learned that Federal auhorities have arrested the police chief, his wife and another relative, taking them into federal custody.
Apparently they have been transported to Montgomery Alabama, all in handcuffs. They will appear before a United States Magistrate Judge at the Federal Courthouse in Montgomery for an arraignment.
While RSN does not know all of the facts, this arrest is to do with COVID Money. Accusations are that several hundreds of thousands of federal dollars were alleged to have been taken during the COVID pandemic.
Green was unanimously appointed as Brundidge Police Department in 2021.
Green has a total of 24 years in law enforcement. He has been with the BPD for five years and has served with the Montgomery Police Department 10 years and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, six years. He also served at a parole officer for the state three years.
UPDATE:
Green, 50; Sharon Jones Green, 53; and Schemillia Levera Fenn, 40 were indicated by a Montgomery grandy jury for allegedly participating in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government.
The indictment accuses the trio of illegally obtaining funds though the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, designed to help people with rent and utility bills during the pandemic.
Green faces 13 charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Sharon Green faces nine charges, and Fenn faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
All three are in custody and are expected to appear in federal court later today.
DOTHAN: On Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in a special called board meeting of the Dothan City School Board, in a split 4 to 3 vote, qualifications for the new Dothan School Superintendent passed.
Not one single member of the Dothan City School Board, the governing body of your children’s education, admitted to having the qualifications drafted. According to School Board Chairman Scott Childers, he did not and did not know who did. Current Dothan City School Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe made it clear he did not draft the document. But that did not stop Dothan City School Board Members Brett Strickland, Melanie Hill, Franklin Jones, and Brenda Guilford from voting in favor of the qualifications for those wishing to apply for Dothan School Superintendent.
With these four votes, they urinated straight in the face of every teacher and principal in the Dothan City School System. Because two requirements, a PHD doctorate – which some have, but in addition they must have experience as a School Superintendent.
IT IS OBVIOUS these four board members never had any experience as a School Board Member until they were elected. Of the four, Brenda Guilford is the only one who has worked in a school system. She owns Brenda’s Preparatory School in Dothan. At the Preparatory School she manages a childcare facility that employs a “small staff” and serves about 100 children. Brett Strickland does not send his children to Dothan City Schools, Melanie Hill does not have any children in Dothan City Schools, and Franklin Jones does not appear that he knows where Dothan even is.
Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers, Amy Bonds and Aurie Jenkins all opposed the qualifications in the unknown document.
Get you some popcorn, and some nausea medicine, and you can watch AS THE STOMACH TURNS IN THE DOTHAN CITY SCHOOLS. And if employed by the system, you can now see firsthand who supports you and who does not support each of you teachers and principals.
DOTHAN: 10:52 AM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance, Dothan Police to a motor vehicle accident with injuries in front of the old Wilbro Shopping Center where Planet Fitness is located. Dothan Fire Engine Company 3 ( Whatley Drive ) responded to a major two-vehicle crash on Ross Clark Circle in front of Planet Fitness. On arrival Dothan Fire Engine 3 reported a two vehicle accident with heavy damage. Dothan Fire Battalion Chief also responded.
Major damage with entrapment was reported.
RSN is now able to confirm the crash led to a fatality.
UPDATED @ 11:13 AM
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd responded to the scene. PRELIMINARY REPORTS are the black vehicle was traveling on Ross Clark Circle and the white vehicle pulled into the path of the black vehicle from the median crossover. The fatality was pronounced dead on the scene.
There was possibly one transported to the hospital by Pilcher Ambulance with what is reported to be non-life threatening injuries.
Dothan Police is in charge of the accident investigation. Dothan Police CRASH TEAM, the specialized traffic investigation unit, was called to the scene for an extensive investigation. This is routine when two vehicles are involved and there is a death or serious physical injury.
UPDATED @ 1:37 P.M.
The victim is identified as Carole Hughes from Grand Ridge, Florida, confirmed by Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd.
UPDATED @ 1:37 P.M.
Current reports indicate an unmarked Dothan Police unit was involved in the crash. Reports from this morning showed the black vehicle was a police unit.
GRIMES: 07:14 AM Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatched a three vehicle accident, Dale County Road 112 ( Napier Field Road ) and Dale County Road 10 ( goes to Michelin ).
The accident is reported to be a three vehicle accident with injuries.
ECHO Rescue staged in Pinckard, Napier Field Volunteer Fire, Midland City Police responded. Midland City Police is contracted with the Town of Grimes for thier law enforcement and in charge of the accident invesigation.
Anyone with scene pictures TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729.
Houston County Sheriffs pursued a vehicle and ended up using the PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle, leading to a crash on Eddins Road.
Reports say a K-9 unit bit the suspect.
Emergency units are rolling.
The vehicle is in the front yard of a residence, and moderate damage is reported. The gray Chrysler has a Florida tag.
A female was dropped off before the vehicle was wrecked. Current reports say sheriffs detained her and are bringing her to the crash site.
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.
