8:41 PM. Samson Police Disciplines Officer
2:43 PM 🌳 Tree Down on Highway 231 – Traffic Alert
DOTHAN | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
A large tree has fallen across the northbound lane of Highway 231 near the rest area, creating a traffic hazard for motorists in the area.
Drivers traveling northbound on 231 should use caution, expect possible delays, and be prepared to slow down or detour if necessary. Emergency crews are likely in route to assess and clear the roadway.
Motorists are urged to:
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Reduce speed approaching the area
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Watch for emergency personnel and equipment
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Consider alternate routes if possible
RSN will update as more information becomes available.
If you’re in the area, feel free to send updates.
10:40 AM Dothan Man Held Without Bond on Rape, Child Pornography Charges
DOTHAN | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
Amos Works is being held without bond following his arrest on rape and child pornography-related charges.
According to Dothan Police, Works was taken into custody on February 26 and charged with first-degree rape and permitting a child to engage in pornography.
Authorities say no additional details are being released at this time due to the sensitive nature of the case and to protect the identity of the victim.
Works remains in custody with no bond set.
As always, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
9:53 AM Woman Shoots Boyfriend in Alleged Self-Defense After Domestic Dispute in Tuscaloosa
TUSCALOOSA, AL | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
A man remains in critical condition after being shot multiple times Sunday night in Tuscaloosa.
Officers with the Tuscaloosa Police Department were dispatched around 7:30 p.m. to the 600 block of 38th Street in reference to a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy.
The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Monday.
Investigators say the woman involved in the shooting was still on the scene when officers arrived. She told police that she and the victim lived together and had been in a relationship for several years. Authorities confirmed there was a documented history of domestic violence between the two.
According to police, the incident began as an argument. The woman reportedly retreated to an inoperable vehicle to get away from the man. While locked inside the vehicle, she called 911 and told dispatchers the man was beating on the windows and attempting to break them to reach her.
By the time officers arrived, the man had been shot several times. The woman told investigators she fired the shots in self-defense.
The investigation remains ongoing. Because claims of self-defense have been raised, no arrest has been made at this time.
9:47 AM 5-Year-Old Dies After Accidental Shooting in Greenville
GREENVILLE, AL | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
A 5-year-old child died Wednesday afternoon following an accidental shooting in Greenville, according to the Greenville Police Department.
Officers were dispatched around 3 p.m. to the emergency room at Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama after hospital staff reported that a child had arrived with a gunshot wound.
When officers arrived, the child was being treated by emergency room personnel.
In a press release, Greenville Police Chief Justin Lovvorn said the child’s parents told investigators they had just arrived home and were still sitting in their driveway when the child located a handgun inside the vehicle. The firearm discharged, striking the child.
The parents immediately transported the child to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
The Greenville Police Department has opened a death investigation and is awaiting autopsy results before making a final determination in the case.
Chief Lovvorn emphasized the importance of firearm safety, urging gun owners to keep weapons secured and out of reach of children.
No charges have been announced at this time.
3:58 PM Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Traveling to Alabama to Exploit 14-Year-Old
According to court documents, 29-year-old Robert John Newman, Jr., of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, targeted the teen online between December 2024 and Jan. 4, 2025. Investigators say he befriended the girl through social media, lied about himself, and relentlessly coerced her into sending child sexual abuse material.
On Jan. 4, 2025, Newman traveled to the girl’s home in Winston County while her mother was away. Authorities say the mother checked her home security cameras and saw a man inside her daughter’s bedroom. When she arrived home, she found Newman lying on her daughter’s bed. Court records state the mother pulled him off the bed, pinned him against a wall, and demanded his driver’s license. Newman fled the home but left his license behind.
On Jan. 22, 2025, Newman was arrested in Pennsylvania on Alabama warrants. During the arrest, law enforcement seized his iPhone. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, agents found conversations between Newman and the victim, along with child sexual abuse material.
Investigators also discovered evidence that the Winston County teen was not his only alleged victim. After returning to Pennsylvania, Newman was reportedly communicating with an 11-year-old girl in Colorado.
Newman was indicted in April 2025 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
In February 2026, a federal judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison.