June 07--MOULTRIE -- A migrant farm worker has been charged in the destruction of several bee hives valued at about $13,000.
Colquitt County sheriff's deputies were called to the 400 block of Taylor Road Monday where someone had apparently driven over the bee hves with a tractor.
Some of the hives -- $2,750 worth -- belonged to Horton Family Apiaries of Nichols, the responding deputy said, but most belonged to Rossman Apiaries of Moultrie. Rossman lost 60 hives, worth $10,500 including the honey.
On Thursday, sheriff's investigators arrested Carlos Valencia, 26, an employee of L&M Produce, on whose land the hives were located.
Investigator Shawn Bostick said Valencia had not been at work since the incident but showed up on Thursday.
"He came to work with an extremely large amount of insect stings," Bostick said.
Bostick said Valencia denied damaging the hives and claimed the bumps on his skin weren't bee stings; he said he had an allergic reaction to eggplant.
Valencia is charged with one count of criminal damage to property.
Thefts
Moultrie Police
--Misty Bridges, of Moultrie, told police Saturday that her 2000 Nissan Maxima was broken into while parked at a friend's residence in Northgate Apartments. Taken were a personal check and an undetermined amount of cash.
--Colquitt County deputies heard a burglar alarm at the BP gas station, 103 Veterans Parkway South, at 12:26 a.m. Thursday. Responding to it, they found the front door smashed. They checked the building as Moultrie police arrived. A store official determined several items were taken, Moultrie police said. The value was estimated at $186.
Arrests
Moultrie Police
--Kevin Scott Cross, 26, of Sumner, was charged Tuesday with no insurance and improper tag.
--Marcus Antain Poole, 25, 502 Northside Drive, was cahrged Wednesday with driving on a suspended license and speeding.
Assault
Moultrie Police
--About 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Moultrie police responded to a report of a woman being stabbed and hit with a bottle in the area of A.F. Shaw Gym, but when officers arrived they found Mary Warren, who said she had been slapped and hit with a bottle. She suffered a cut to her wrist from the bottle.
Copyright 2012 - The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
