Video: Lafayette County damage

Video by Nathan Alber

Clean up continues in the aftermath of Tuesdays tornado

HAZMAT crews have all but finished their clean up job at the Caterpillar plant after a tornado ripped through the plant, destroying half the plant and causing chemical leaks. Currently, they are monitoring Caterpillar to make sure they have gotten everything and to ensure no new problems arise.

Tuesday's storms have resulted in nearly 52 deaths across the South, though there have been none reported in Lafayette County so far this afternoon. Thirteen people were admitted to Baptist Memorial due to the storms — two were listed as critical, however one has been moved up to stable, and the other patients have been released, Lloyd Oliphant, president of the Lafayette Board of Supervisors, said Wednesday.

The tornado tore through northeast Lafayette County, severly damaging dozens of homes in its path. Eighteen houses were deemed completly uninhabitable, Oliphant said.

Oliphant said last nights storms caused some people to be trapped inside there homes, but that search and rescue teams were able to get through the impediments and to the people out with only a few scratches. Search and rescue teams made sure to retrieve elderly and sick patients who required breathing or heart machines to stay alive, and all people in need made it to appropriate facilities, Oliphant said.

More updates will be posted on The DM Newsblog as they are available.

Funnel clouds touch down in Oxford; Caterpillar plant among the structures most affected

Photos by Joseph Warner for The Daily Mississippian

Damage reports are continuing to come in from around the Oxford area after severe weather ripped through the community Tuesday evening.

The Caterpillar plant located on County Road 1032, near the intersection of Highways 101 and 7 in Oxford, was partially destroyed when a funnel cloud touched down nearby. According to DM photographers on the scene, a number of police, fire and rescue vehicles were there to help evacuate at least 100 people from the site, which was declared a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) zone after a gas leak was discovered shortly after 6 p.m.

Calls came across the police scanner at the Student Media Center that indicated homes in the area – including a spot on County Road 291 – also had heavy damage, and crews were working on clearing debris in the surrounding roads just before 9 p.m.

Funnel cloud sightings were also reported in the College Hill Road area around 6 p.m., though reports of any damage there have yet to come in.

Power remains out in several locations around town, including Anderson and Anchorage Roads.

We'll keep you updated of the current weather conditions and damage throughout the night via this blog. In the meantime, check out TheDMonline.com for photos and listen to 92.1 Rebel Radio in the Oxford area for up-to-the-minute reports.

Classes cancelled tonight due to severe weather

According to an e-mail sent out by the University of Mississippi, classes are cancelled for the evening of Feb. 5. The e-mail reads:

"Due to severe weather conditions, classes are cancelled for Tuesday evening, Feb. 5. UM students and employees are urged to use extreme caution and to seek shelter immediately."

OPD arrest one in Subway robbery

The suspect in the December 20th armed robbery of Subway on University was arrested Monday. Forty year old Robert Sanders was picked up on a warrant issued by the Oxford Police Department, an OPD press release said Tuesday.

Sanders bond was set at $50,000.

Subway on University robbed

On December 16 a subway clerk reported a black male wearing a dark blue hoody and dark sweat pants entered the store around one am and indicated he had a weapon, an OPD press release said.

The subway attendant said the suspect was around 40 years old. The suspect ordered the clerk to hand over money from the register. The suspect fled on foot.

Oxford Police have made no arrests and have no clear suspect, Police chief Martin said.

Bonner indicted in track stars murder

A Mississippi grand jury handed down an indictment against former Northwest Community College student Christian Bonner for the September 29th shooting death of Ole Miss track star Rodney Lockhart.

Bonner faces capital murder charges because Lockhart died during the course of a robbery, the indictment alleges.

An indictment from a grand jury basically means there is enough evidence for the prosecutors to got to trial. The grand jury convened last week but did not file the indictment with the Lafayette County circuit court office until Wednesday.

Lockhart was found in his Taylor Pointe apartment off Anderson by a friend. He was dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

Bonner was picked up on October 5th for possession of cocaine and charged on October 8th with capital murder. Bonner has been in Lafayette County Detention Center since his arrest.

OPD busts two during traffic stop

OPD police captain Libby Lytle pulled over Kao Wokoma and Cahafer William Benjamin because she suspected they were involved in a recent burglary, the OPD reported Thursday.

During the stop Lytle discovered approximately ten pounds of "alleged" marijuana and four ounces of "alleged" cocaine the report said.

Wokoma ran track for Ole Miss in 2004.

"Both subjects were arrested by metro narcotics and are awaiting a bond hearing." the report said.

Ole Miss student dies before finals

Ole Miss freshman Sean O'Hara died Sunday night at his Sterling apartment. He was found by his girlfirend of two years, Kathryn Powell.

Powell said she found him dead on the floor of his apartment. They were planning to go out to dinner for her 21st birthday.

The cause of O'Hara's death is unknown at this time. He had no known pre-existing condition, Powell said. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death, Powell said.

"I will always love him, and he will be greatly missed. I feel as if I lost my other half. I still have old notes, pictures, gifts, and the promise ring he gave me," Powell said.

There were no signs of a struggle or any other foul play, said Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin. Calls to Lafayette County coroner Lonnie Weaver have not been returned.

Provost to step down in January

The University of Mississippi will soon be looking for a new provost.

Carolyn Staton, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Mississippi, has announced that she will step down from her position in January, according to a university press release.

Chancellor Robert Khayat has chosen Morris Stocks, senior vice chancellor for planning and operations, to serve as interim provost beginning January 1. Stocks has formerly served as dean of the School of Accountancy and associate provost.

“The entire university community is indebted to Carolyn for her many years of faithful service to the University both as a member of the law school faculty and an administrator,” Khayat said.

Staton’s resignation is the first step in her retirement plans, which will culminate in her full retirement from the university June 30, 2008. The provost announced her plans to retire earlier this year.

Staton has served as provost since 1999.