Latest news with #Dodd
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Four sentenced in Laurel Circuit Court
Four individuals received their sentences Wednesday, May 14, in Laurel Circuit Court before Judge Michael Caperton. The cases are as follows: — Scott Edward Pressley, 51, of London, was sentenced to 23 years and 7 months. The sentencing comes after Pressley accepted a plea deal amending his murder charge to wanton murder last month. Pressley was charged with the Aug. 30, 2021, death of Reanna Dodd, a 53-year-old U.S. Army veteran. Dodd had been reported missing by family members after they did not hear from her. The last information family members relayed was that Dodd was going to Pressley's home. Pressley was arrested and charged with murder after Dodd's body was found inside his home. Dodd had been bound to a mattress in a back bedroom of Pressley's home. Information in the case indicated that Pressley said he bound Dodd and found her dead the next day. He then covered her body with items from the home in an attempt to hide her body. However, an autopsy revealed that Dodd had been suffocated, resulting in Pressley's arrest. Dodd's mother — Joyce Larkey Barboa — and sister addressed Pressley directly in court. Dodd's sister began by telling Pressley the amount of hurt he caused her family. 'What my family has been through the past few years has been excruciatingly painful — the kind of hurt that words can never express, the kind of hurt that no one should ever feel in a lifetime,' Dodd's sister stated. Dodd's sister went on to say her family lives in fear daily, asking if he cares. She said the family learned that Dodd was missing through a Facebook post by the 'local sheriff's department.' A few hours later, Dodd was found deceased in Pressley's home 'under hundreds of pounds of debris.' Dodd's sister said Pressley had been out driving Dodd's truck after, and was found 'playing slot machines.' Barboa spoke following her daughter, sharing that she has been under stress to the extent of having heart surgery because she 'can't get rest.' 'I don't know how you can rest,' Barboa told Pressley. 'There isn't a day that goes by, or a moment, that I don't think of her. No child should ever leave before their parent — mother or father.' Throughout her statement, Barboa said her faith has helped her with the loss. Pressley's prison assignment was not available at press time. He is expected to become eligible for parole in August 2041. — In 2022, a London couple — Brandon Robert Johnson, of Willow Branch Road, and Sada Elizabeth Caldwell, of 225 Taylor Circle Road — were indicted on seven counts. Caldwell was sentenced to 15 years for her amended charges. Caldwell pleaded guilty to complicity to second-degree rape by 'aiding, abetting and failing to prevent' Johnson from committing second-degree rape against a child being 11 to 15 years old at the time. She was sentenced to 10 years to run concurrently with 15 years for use of a minor in a sexual performance. The last charge involved the youngest child — who would have been a week old to 21 months old at the time the acts took place. — Shade Tyler Witt, of Little Arthur Ridge Road in East Bernstadt, received five years for third-degree rape, while a count of second-degree sodomy involving a minor child, was dismissed. The incidents, according to a 2023 indictment, occurred around Dec. 20, 2023 — just a week before the victim turned 13 years old. Further, Witt must register as a sex offender for 20 years. — Timothy V. Rader of London was sentenced to one year probated for one year for first-degree wanton endangerment. Additional charges — another count of first-degree wanton endangerment, resisting arrest, reckless driving and third-degree criminal mischief — were each dismissed. The charges stemmed from confrontations with two London Police officers on Feb. 21, 2023. The mischief charge accuses Rader of fighting with police and damaging the boots of five city police officers. According to a joint release from Laurel County Sheriff John Root and former London City Police Chief Chuck Johnson at the time of the arrest, the incident occurred just after 1 a.m. on Feb. 21 as members of the Laurel County Drug Interdiction Task Force conducted a traffic safety checkpoint at the intersection of KY 30 and Slate Lick Road. Officers say that Rader approached the checkpoint in a red GMC Sonoma and refused to roll his window down before taking off, nearly hitting several. He crashed on Slate Lick Road a short time later, hitting a tree head on. When police searched his truck, they found a pistol and determined that Rader was a convicted felon who was also wanted on outstanding warrants.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
20-foot shark appearance during Memorial Day event ignites viral memories of 'Jaws' moment in Rhode Island
Scene reminiscent of 'Jaws' stirs online frenzy Live Events Basking shark confirmed, not a predator A navigational error by a vulnerable giant Conservation and climate trends (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A large shark spotted in the Great Salt Pond on Block Island sparked excitement and confusion during Memorial Day weekend, as locals and tourists watched the creature swim near boats in the popular Rhode Island Atlantic Shark Institute received multiple calls on 26 May after a shark was seen gliding through the saltwater inlet. In a social media post, the institute said, 'We were treated to quite the scene, kicking off the 2025 summer season!'Jen Seebeck, a diner at Dead Eye Dick's restaurant on the waterfront, captured the moment on video as she noticed the animal's dorsal fin cutting through the water. In the background, a voice can be heard shouting, 'There's a shark in the pond!' — echoing a line from Jaws, which marks its 50th anniversary this footage shows two boaters quickly steering away as the large shark glides nearby. The Atlantic Shark Institute called it 'clearly a very large shark and reminiscent of a scene from Jaws,' in its online post. The video has since gone viral, garnering over 12 million many initially feared it could be a great white, Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, confirmed it was a basking shark. These sharks, though massive — often measuring between 15 and 20 feet — are filter feeders and pose no danger to humans.'They are harmless filter-feeders, but that wouldn't matter much if you were in the water when one came cruising by!' Dodd told CBS. 'It is the first shark that has entered the pond this season, but likely not the last!'Speaking to FOX Weather, Dodd added, 'They look very intimidating. But knowing what to look for, you can quickly tell it's not a white shark.' He explained that basking sharks often resemble great whites to the untrained eye, especially when only the dorsal fin is visible. One key difference is that basking sharks have rounded fins, while great whites have pointed to Dodd, the animal probably entered the pond by mistake. 'This guy just made a mistake,' he said. 'He must've been cruising up the west side of Block Island … and said, 'Hey, let me explore what's going on in this pond.' And found himself in the wrong place.'The shark is believed to have remained in the pond for about a day before leaving overnight when the waters were sightings aren't unusual. Basking sharks often appear off southern New England during late spring. The Atlantic Shark Institute noted that 'sharks are arriving in Rhode Island daily as water temperatures continue to rise and more and more species of shark find them suitable to their liking.'Other species like thresher sharks and smaller makos have also been known to enter the Great Salt Pond in similar sharks are the second-largest fish species in the world, growing up to 50 feet and weighing as much as 10,000 pounds. They are listed as 'vulnerable' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and in some regions, considered sees the sighting as a positive indicator of marine health. 'It's a good sign,' he said, pointing to the visibility and activity of these filter-feeding giants near the Island, recently named one of the top 10 summer destinations in the U.S. by USA Today, continues to attract attention for its coastal beauty — and now, for its surprise Memorial Day visitor.'Hopefully, this shark will find its way out of Great Salt Pond soon and continue on its way!' the Atlantic Shark Institute concluded.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Watch: 20-foot shark spotted in Rhode Island pond, leaving onlookers stunned
BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. – A 20-foot shark sighting in a New England pond sent ripples of panic and excitement across the popular summer tourist destination on Memorial Day. Many initially believed a massive great white shark had ventured into the calm waters of the Great Salt Pond on Block Island, Rhode Island. However, marine experts have since identified the behemoth as a much less menacing, albeit still enormous, basking shark weighing thousands of pounds. The incident, which occurred on Monday, quickly went viral online after local diner Jen Seebeck captured a video showing the shark's enormous fin surfacing outside Dead Eye Dicks. Nantucket Beachgoers Risk Lives To Give Stranded Shark Second Chance At Life: 'I Felt Helpless' "The phone lit up, and then our website lit up," Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, said in an interview with FOX Weather. The video quickly garnered over 12 million views, fueling immediate comparisons to the iconic film Jaws, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Great White Shark Encounters Are Increasing Due To Climate Change While a basking shark's dorsal fin and coloration can resemble a great white, particularly to an untrained eye, Dodd said these particular species are filter feeders and pose no threat to humans. "They look very intimidating," Dodd explained, but knowing what to look for, you can quickly tell it's not a white shark. Basking sharks, which prefer cooler temperatures, regularly appear in Rhode Island waters at this time of year. "This is a shark that we will see fairly consistently," Dodd said. "They're considered vulnerable according to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), and in many parts of the world, they're considered endangered." The Block Island pond incident appears to have been a simple navigational error by the colossal creature. "This guy just made a mistake," Dodd speculated. "He must've been cruising up the west side of Block Island … and said, 'Hey, let me explore what's going on in this pond.' And found himself in the wrong place." See It: Massive Megalodon Tooth Found By Diver Off Florida Coast The shark is believed to have been in the pond for about a day before likely slipping out at night when boat traffic subsided. The sighting is, in fact, a positive sign for marine conservationists, Dodd said. "It's a good sign," he emphasized, highlighting the health and activity of these sharks near the article source: Watch: 20-foot shark spotted in Rhode Island pond, leaving onlookers stunned
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Massive' Shark Was Spotted Near Rhode Island Town
Residents and tourists on Rhode Island's Block Island were treated to quite a sight on Memorial Day: a "very large" shark making its way around the Great Salt Pond. In a now viral video, taken by a woman named Jen Seebeck from the deck of a nearby seafood restaurant, you can see the shark's dorsal and tail fins moving through the water behind a small boat. You can also hear someone in the background say "There's a shark in the pond" in a quintessential New England accent. The Atlantic Shark Institute shared footage of the incident on its official social media accounts, along with some more information. "We got a number of calls yesterday as people on Block Island, RI were treated to quite the scene, kicking off the 2025 summer season!" the Institute wrote. "We got some wonderful video but loved this one from Jen Seebeck who was enjoying dinner at Dead Eye Dicks when she noticed the fin slicing through the water inside Great Salt Pond. Clearly a very large shark and reminiscent of a scene from Jaws on this 50th anniversary of the film." The Atlantic Shark Institute also solicited guesses as to the species of the shark. While the image of the creature creeping through the water may have given off Jaws vibes, this was not a deadly great white. Instead, it was a basking shark, according to the Institute's executive director Jon Dodd. "They are harmless filter-feeders but that wouldn't matter much if you were in the water when one came cruising by," Dodd said, adding that this particular species eat plankton and are usually found in the ocean. "This guy made a mistake," Dodd said of the shark being in the pond. "It's the first one this year, but it won't be the last." Whenever the next mistake happens, we can bet there will be someone there to capture it on camera again. 'Massive' Shark Was Spotted Near Rhode Island Town first appeared on Men's Journal on May 29, 2025
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Vulnerable shark species spotted in Great Salt Pond
NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WPRI) — People eating at a Block Island restaurant over Memorial Day weekend got dinner and a show when a shark appeared in New Shoreham's Great Salt Pond. 'In this case, it was about a 20-foot basking shark,' said Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute in Rhode Island. Dodd told 12 News on Wednesday that while the shark caused a stir on social media, the sighting was no cause for concern as the species is a filter feeder that eats plankton. 'It can look a lot like a great white, though. The dorsal fin is shaped very similarly,' Dodd noted. 'If you know what you're looking for … you can figure it out relatively quickly, but it was fun for people to try and figure it out.' WATCH: Sharks, a 12 on 12 Digital Original While Dodd said it's not unusual to see basking sharks in Rhode Island waters around this time of year, it is uncommon to see them in Great Salt Pond. The scientist thinks the shark was able to find its way out of the pond once things quieted down. 'These sharks are considered vulnerable. They were in really bad shape a few decades ago. They were hunted pretty extensively,' Dodd explained. 'At this point, it's not uncommon, but you usually see them off shore.' Ocean, Bay & Beach // Dodd said the basking shark's presence is a sign that Narragansett Bay is a healthy ocean environment. As the waters continue to warm this summer, the shark will likely head further north, ushering in more species like thresher and blue sharks, and eventually tiger and spinner sharks. While a basking shark is harmless to people, Dodd stressed that it is still a good idea to try to guess the species from a safe distance. 'Get out of the water,' he said. 'You don't want to find out too late that it's a white shark, and you may have some interaction that you're not interested in having.' If you spot a shark, you can help the Atlantic Shark Institute by safely snapping a picture or video and sending it to info@ Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
