Tag: priority

APEX, N.C. (WTVD) — Chris and Chen Perkins Yan are devastated after they say the money they spent years saving to pay for a surrogate to carry their child is gone.

The couple met in New York City in 2017 after bumping into each other on the street, and they ended up spending the whole night talking. They connected early on over all kinds of things, but wanting a family was toward the top of the list.

“I know I want a kid and he’s really interested to have kids too, and I think this is why we are on the same page. So, at the very beginning we decide in the future — we will have kid,” Chen told ABC11.

Roughly a year later, they were married. Soon, they were ready to focus on the next step.

Between the wait times for adoptions and the desire for children who were biologically related, they decided surrogacy was the best option for their family. They decided they wanted to have two children, both from the same egg donor, and they’d use sperm from Chen for one child and sperm from Chris for the other.

They knew surrogacy would be expensive.

“We made sure we were ready to be able to take that financial burden of surrogacy,” Chris said. “Then, obviously children are expensive, so we want to make sure we were set so that they could have everything that we could possibly give them.”

Surrogacy is a long process.

The Perkins Yans had to find an agency, an egg donor, and a woman who could carry their child. They also had to find an escrow company that could hold the money to reimburse their surrogate for her pregnancy-related expenses as well, which cost them around $71,000.

SEE ALSO | From hope to heartbreak: Families allege surrogacy escrow company stole millions

Finally, many years later, everything fell into place. In May of this year, it was time to transfer the embryo.

“That day, I think it’s the best day in my life,” Chen said.

“Never been happier than the moment we found out that we did the embryo transfer,” Chris said. “Then, it’s just like somebody drops a brick.”

Something was wrong.

Their surrogate reached out to them saying she had yet to be reimbursed for her travel expenses to drive out to North Carolina for her embryo transfer, as she lives in another state. That money was supposed to come from the escrow account, but when they reached out to the escrow company, they realized it was likely gone.

“We sent the money and she walked away with it,” Chris told ABC11.

A woman named Dominque Side is the owner of their Houston-based escrow company, SEAM. She’s now alleged to have stolen millions of dollars from clients across the country – money that was meant to cover surrogacy expenses.

“She used our money, for our future, for our dreams. That’s not OK, and this is not the first time it happened,” Chen said.

Alleged victims of the fraud claim in court filings that side transferred millions of client funds to bankroll her lavish lifestyle and other ventures, including a music career and a clothing line.

I-TEAM | Gun sellers in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville flagged by ATF

In a statement, Side said she and her company are “subject to an active investigation by federal authorities” and “under advice of counsel,” she is “not permitted to respond to any inquiries regarding the investigation.”

The FBI posted a call for information, asking for those who say they lost money in this alleged scheme to come forward.

Others are in the process of filing lawsuits to try to get it back – Chris and Chen don’t think they can.

“Hiring a lawyer is not cheap,” Chen said, adding that they’re concerned about spending even more money on a lawsuit that might not even recover any of the missing funds.

In the meantime, they say their surrogate agreed they could pay her directly moving forward. They’re grateful she’s willing to work with them. They have to find a way to pay her around $7,000 per month. They’re both engineers, but Chen needed to pick up a second job to make it work. Chen said he works almost 20 hours a day at times to make ends meet.

Chris spends all his spare time working to find a way to recover the missing money. He has been working with their bank, insurance company, and even reaching out to the Attorney General. They’ve had no luck so far.

I-TEAM | Family of couple killed in high-speed chase calls for change

Even though they aren’t sure they’ll ever see that money again, they’re staying focused on the one thing that matters most.

“I’m still going to have a baby. Yes. I’m still going to have a baby. No matter what happened, I will have a baby. It’s a baby girl. Yes. I could not be more excited about that,” Chen said.

Their surrogate is due in February, and they just got their first ultrasound. Their plans for their second child are on hold right now.

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) — A single-car crash left a driver seriously injured Sunday morning.

It happened on Elliot Bridge Road near Linden and North Fayetteville just before 6:30 a.m.

Upon arrival, units found a Chevrolet SUV had crashed into a tree with the driver pinned inside the vehicle.

Authorities said they were able to free the driver.

The driver was then flown to a trauma center for their injuries. Their identity has not been released yet.

The driver is facing charges for driving while intoxicated, speeding, using a fictitious plate on a vehicle, and not wearing a seatbelt.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

ERWIN, N.C. (WTVD) — Two people were injured overnight after a pickup truck crashed into two mobile homes in Harnett County.

It happened around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Lillington Flatwoods Fire Department was called to the 2200 block of Titan Roberts Road in Erwin.

Upon arrival, units found a pickup truck had traveled off the road and hit two mobile homes.

According to investigators, the pickup was traveling west on Titan Roberts Rd and failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle crossed over Ross Road before traveling off the roadway. It hit the first mobile home and then hit the second one about 300 feet away.

Authorities said the driver of the pickup was speeding.

As a result of the crashes, one mobile home — which was vacant — had the end ripped off, exposing the inside.

The second mobile home was knocked off the foundation. The two residents were inside at the time of the crash.

Both were displaced and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. They were taken to Cape Fear Valley Hospital for treatment.

The driver was charged with failing to stop for a stop sign, speeding and careless and reckless driving.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A man was found shot inside a car Saturday morning in Raleigh, police said.

Just before 2 a.m., the police department responded to a shots fired call in Highgate Place. Another caller reported hearing shots being fired and a vehicle crashing into a tree in the 2400 block of Milburnie Road.

Upon arrival, units said they found a crashed car with a man inside. He was suffering from a gunshot wound.

SEE ALSO | Man faces charges in connection to fatal overdose at Raleigh nightclub

The victim was taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries. His identity will not be released at this time.

According to RPD, the incident is being investigated as a homicide. A suspect has not been taken into custody.

No further information was released.

Anyone who believes they may have information that might assist the investigation is asked to visit Crimestoppers at www.p3tips.com/89 for anonymous reporting options or call 919-996-1193.

WILSON, N.C. (WTVD) — Five people were killed in a crash involving multiple vehicles on Interstate 95 North in Wilson County, officials said Wednesday afternoon.

Chopper 11 was over the scene near Mile Marker 113 in the town of Lucama.

The crash happened shortly before 1:30 p.m. and involved three tractor-trailers and two SUVs.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol said a tractor-trailer hauling oranges crashed into the two SUVs and a tractor-trailer hauling eggs. A third tractor-trailer, which was hauling sand, was also hit.

The truck hauling oranges erupted into flames and was badly burned. The truck hauling eggs was pushed off the road into the ditch.

At least three people were taken to Wilson Medical Center near downtown for treatment. Their conditions were not released.

Identities of the victims were not immediately known, a Highway Patrol spokesman said. Troopers are still working to determine the cause of the crash.

“We’re headed to New York to have a little fun before school starts back. And we got caught up in here,” said driver Michael Broughton.

His family’s trip north was delayed after traffic was brought to a standstill for five hours

“It’s really sad man. It really just touched me, ” said Broughton.

Clellan Johnson, a truck driver for thirty years, was shaken by the news.

“I’m sorry for the family. I will pray for them tonight,” said Johnson.

Traffic in the area was snarled for several miles. One lane of traffic reopened around 5:30 p.m. to allow the cars stuck on the interstate past the detour to pass through. Once those cars passed, NCDOT crews closed the road again and resumed their work to clean the interstate.

For drivers and truckers, it’s a scary reminder of how the highways can be a dangerous place.

“Be aware of your surroundings and try to make sure everyone else is safe,” said Johnson.

Authorities said the driver of the semi-truck that triggered the crash is facing charges.

ABC11’s Josh Chapin contributed to this report.

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Across the political spectrum, from Vice President Kamala Harris, to presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, Indian Americans are reaching the top levels of the political world.

Now, there’s potential Second Lady, Usha Vance. The wife of Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Usha Vance is a successful lawyer raised by Indian immigrant Hindu parents in San Diego.

Morrisville RNC alternate delegate, Ravi Gaddampally was at the convention when Donald Trump’s pick was made, and says Usha’s story resonates with local immigrant families.

“Usha is a second generation Indian, she is young, so she knows the problems of her generation, what they are facing right now,” Gaddampally says.

He hopes it will also lead to more support for the GOP. But in recent elections, Indian Americans have trended blue.

In 2020, among the Wake County precincts the had highest south Asian voting population, Joe Biden won 70 percent of the vote, compared to 29 percent for Donald Trump.

Morrisville Councilman, Steve Rao says Democrats shouldn’t take that vote for granted. He says many in the community are more pro-business and centrist, and immigration and education are also important.

“You have so many Indians with Ph.D.’s, in science and engineering so the jobs of the future, training our kids for the jobs of the future, robotics, cybersecurity,” Rao says.

Rao was among the first Indian Americans elected to office in North Carolina, but with rapid growth in the Triangle, he’s far from the last.

“When you see growth, there’s a need for representation, and they’re more involved in politics, and they want their own candidates. They want leaders who look like them,” says Cary Councilmember Sarika Bansal.

Bansal made history, becoming the first Indian American to be elected to Cary Town Council last year, largely by boosting turnout in the Indian American community, many of whom she says hadn’t voted before.

But now she says that’s changing, and it could decide who wins North Carolina.

“Having that awareness was definitely missing, and so my election for a lot of people was like an A-ha moment, like this is important,” Bansal says.

YOUNGSVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — How’s this for a deal? You get a check for $35,000 every year for the next 20 years.

That’s the case for a Franklin County man after fortune smiled on him in a North Carolina lottery drawing.

Chris Franks, of Youngsville, won the $10 million Spectacular Second Chance drawing on July 3.

Franks had the option of taking a lump sum of $600,000 or receiving $50,000 for the next 20 years.

He chose the yearly payments, which after federal and state tax withholdings, left $35,753.

He took home his first payment earlier this month.

Franks beat more than 1.9 million entries.

Players get a second chance with their $10 Million Spectacular tickets by scanning the tickets into their lottery accounts where they are automatically entered into the drawing. Franks won the prize in the second of four $10 Million Spectacular Second Chance drawings. The next drawing is March 5.

Sunday is the start of a heat wave as high pressure builds over the East Coast, lasting through mid-week.

The feels-like temperature will reach over 105 degrees.

A pop-up thunderstorm is possible in the afternoon, but ABC11 Meteorologist Steve Stewart said nothing widespread is expected. Heavier downpours and damaging gusts are a possibility, but more places will be dry.

The National Weather Service will likely follow suit with more heat alerts on Monday and Tuesday.

Looking Ahead

Later this week, a much stormier and more active pattern is expected to begin as a cold front that will sweep through the Midwest and Northeast.

This shift to wetter conditions will finally break our heat wave, resulting in temperatures that are expected to be well below the mid-July average of 91 degrees.

A few stronger thunderstorms could bring flood downpours, hail and damaging wind gusts to the viewing area Wednesday. The greatest threat to the Triangle is flash flooding.

There looks to be a chance of heavy rainfall Thursday and Friday. The skies remain unsettled with temperature highs straying below normal in the 80s.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) — Some North Carolinians will take the stage at the Republican National Convention next week.

The UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity brothers — who went viral after holding up the American flag during a pro-Palestine campus demonstration — are among the scheduled speakers at the convention, an announcement from former President Donald Trump’s campaign said.

It did not state which fraternity members would be speaking.

Former North Carolina school teacher and corrections officer Annette Albright will also speak at the convention. She used to be a Democrat but decided to vote for Trump in 2024.

SEE ALSO | UNC-Chapel Hill removes American flag fences following pro-Palestinian encampment

Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment

In April, the pro-Palestinian protest on UNC’s campus went on for nearly four days before a clash between protesters and police. Pitching tents on campus violated university policy, so they were warned to vacate or face possible arrest and other consequences.

Protesters made their way to the UNC’s Polk Place and removed the American flag, replacing it with the Palestinian one.

WATCH | Pro-Palestinian protesters take down U.S. flag, replace it with Palestine flag on UNC quad

Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts responded by personally walking out to the quad and helping to put the flag back up. Chants of “USA, USA!” were heard as this was happening.

Once Roberts left the squad, protesters attempted to remove the flag again, but a group — with many fraternity members — held it up to keep it from touching the ground.

A decision was made to take it down; it was folded into a traditional triangle shape and taken away for safekeeping.

The university confirmed that 36 protesters were detained. Six were arrested.

SEE ALSO | New search warrants released in arrests of pro-Palestinian protesters on UNC campus

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Right now, 1 in 5 kids is without enough food to eat and is unsure about their next meal. With school out, many families face additional financial strain, compounded by the rising cost of living and potential childcare expenses.

Donate today to triple your impact to fight summer hunger.

Here’s how you can help.

Simple ways to help the Food Bank feed kids this summer

Donate Funds: On Thursday, July 11, all donations made by midnight to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will have 3x the impact for kids and families who need access to nutritious food across our communities! This means that every $10 you give can provide food for 150 meals! Donate Now.

Donate Food: Shelf-stable foods are always needed. Check out the list of most needed items and find other resources to host a drive here.

Donate Time: Volunteers are critical to the Food Bank’s mission. In an average volunteer shift, one person can sort or pack enough food for 160 meals! To register and learn more about what to expect, click here.

If you need assistance from the Food Bank this summer

With the help of local governments and community partnerships, the Food Bank offers support in several ways, including its Summer Food Service Program, NC SUN Bucks, Pop-up Markets, and more. Visit their resource page for more information on these services.

Together, we can help kids access nutritious food this summer.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A sports bar in Raleigh was filled to the brim Monday night – but not for a sporting event.

People flocked to Woody’s @ City Market to watch the new season of ‘The Bachelorette.’

“The vibe is always kind of like a sports bar, so it’s kind of fun to see, like the girls kind of take it over and kind of make it like our sports bar,” Amelia told ABC11.

There wasn’t an open seat in the house as Jenn Tran started her journey for love on the reality show’s new season.

It all started last year when one of their managers saw a post on social media. Justin Muscara’s girlfriend showed him that a group of girls were looking for somewhere to watch The Bachelor.

“There was definitely a need in the city. So, I got with my upper management and owners and we figured out how to get it done last year,” Justin told ABC11. “We started about mid-week or mid-season last year at like week five or six, and it just continued to grow.”

Muscara said it’s sometimes hard to tell that it’s reality TV playing instead of a sporting event.

“There were times where it sounded like NFL game, college game, the state just scored the go-ahead touchdown type game, it was awesome,” Muscara said.

This year, the crowd is extra excited about the season because a man from Raleigh is competing.

31-year-old Marcus Shoberg is a retired Army Ranger who graduated from Harvard and moved back to Raleigh to start his own tech company.

Jenn gave Marcus a rose Monday night and said the two have chemistry.

RELATED | Meet the men vying for ‘The Bachelorette’ Jenn Tran’s heart

Woody’s @ City Market will continue to host watch parties when each episode of ‘The Bachelorette’ airs this season.

WATCH | ‘The Bachelorette’ Jenn Tran talks love, culture and making franchise history

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina is finally getting some relief after two days of dangerous heat.

Temperature highs will be in the high 80s to low 90s Sunday. For some areas, there is potential for heavy downpours and lightning, along with gusty winds.

This comes after an excessive heat warning across multiple counties, including Wake and Cumberland counties, for most of Saturday. Some areas saw rain.

Friday, Raleigh experienced the hottest day ever recorded.

According to the National Weather Service, the high at Raleigh-Durham International Airport reached 106 degrees. The previous highest temperature recorded in Raleigh was 105 degrees. That happened in 1952, 1988, 2007 and 2012.

RELATED | Extreme heat inspires wading and other ways to cool off at Enofest

When you include humidity, Friday’s feels like temperatures were even higher. ABC11 Chief Meteorologist Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker said the heat index also set a record.

It rose to 117.8 degrees, blasting past the previous record of 115.5 degrees set in 2010 and 2023.

Looking Ahead

There is a possibility of some pop-up storms Monday through Wednesday.

ABC11 meteorologist Steve Stewart said late this week, we could see some remnant moisture from Hurricane Beryl, increasing the potential of rain.

SOUTH HILL, Va. (WTVD) — Multiple fire units battled a huge industrial fire in South Hill, Virginia, on Saturday.

The fire began just before 2 p.m. on West Danville Street. It was about 75% contained and crews were expected to remain at the scene for another eight to 10 hours, according to Mecklenburg County Emergency Services:

The South Hill Volunteer Fire Department recommended a voluntary evacuation within half a mile of the fire.

The Farrar Funeral Home building is open for those needing a place to cool down, officials said.

People are asked to avoid unnecessary travel through this area.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A new law just signed by Governor Roy Cooper is aimed at protecting those who protect us. It all comes after families of firefighters diagnosed with cancer fought for years for more support and funding.

It would impact families like Christy Burgess. Her husband Nathan was a Raleigh firefighter and burn instruction who served for decades.

“He truly enjoyed what he did and being able to serve his community, there was a lot of pride in that,” she says.

Things changed during the pandemic. A sore throat after getting COVID turned out to be cancer. Multiple rounds of chemo and radiation didn’t help, and Nathan passed away.

Christy says even with insurance, out of pocket medical expenses added up.

“Nathan’s teeth got destroyed that his dental care afterwards was over 20,000 dollars, just the cost of going through cancer we probably hit close to 2 million dollars total,” she says.

Sadly, Nathan isn’t alone. Battalion Chief Keith Wilder sees cancer cases becoming more common. Experts say it’s from the gear they wear and the toxins they are exposed to.

“That’s one of the things we stress to firefighters while they’re on the job to protect themselves is that firefighters are being chased by cancer into retirement,” Wilder says.

The new law extends protections 10 years after retirement, and funds a $37,000 payout benefit for a first instance of cancer and another payout if there’s a second diagnosis.

Senate Bill 319 puts North Carolina among the top states for these kinds of benefits for firefighters.

For Wilder, it’s important as younger firefighter like his son who want to follow in their footsteps.

“We’re not going stop having fires, we’re not going to take the toxic chemicals out of the fires that we have to learn to work smarter with the gear that we have and protect our skin to make sure we aren’t going to have small issues that will cause us medical issues down the road,” he says.

SEE ALSO | New North Carolina laws in effect include increased DMV and Wildlife services fees and more

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Six Raleigh men were indicted for kidnapping and robbery, among other charges.

According to the indictment, Mario Scott, 21; Tyferia Shakur Sherrod, 23; Donta Lamont Bush Jr., 24; Hasheem Langston, 23; Quest Jaquan Davis, 29; and Deivon Jalil Spidle, 22 attached a GPS device to the victim’s car to track and target him.

On January 15, they confronted the victim and held him a gunpoint, stealing jewelry and cash. The victim was then forced into another vehicle; the men proceeded to drive him to other locations in Wendell and Knightdale, trying to force the victim to get family members to give them money.

During the kidnapping, the six tied the victim’s hands and feet with duct tape, as well as putting a trash bag over his head. The indictment said when family members did not give additional money, the man was told he would be killed.

The victim fought one of the six men and escaped from a moving vehicle. One of the six then shot the victim as he escaped.

According to the indictment, Scott, Sherrod, Bush Jr., Langston, Davis, and Spidle are charged with kidnapping, robbery, use of a firearm during a violent crime and conspiracy.

Davis and Spidle were also charged with separate gun and drug offenses.

If convicted, all six individuals could face a potential life sentence in prison.

This indictment results from the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative, which helps identify and address significant drivers of violent crime. Since its inception in 2022, 63 cases have been indicted on federal charges.

SEE ALSO | Rural Wendell community seeks more precautions following shooting that killed woman

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Durham Public Schools announced its new superintendent would be Dr. Anthony S. Lewis.

Lewis signed on for a four-year term that will begin August 12 and run through June 30, 2028.

DPS needed a new superintendent after Dr. Pascal Mubenga suddenly announced he would resign from the district amid a pay dispute earlier this year.

Catty Moore took over as interim superintendent to bridge the gap and steady the ship.

Durham Public Schools Board of Education said it looked at more than 100 applicants for the superintendent position.

“The Board of Education is proud of the outcome of this work. We took extra measures to ensure that the characteristics of our next Superintendent were chosen by the people they would serve,” said BOE Chairwoman Bettina Umstead. “As a Board, we were certain that our newly appointed leader would need to bring empirical evidence of having facilitated student achievement, a commitment to equity and diversity, and a management sense that would take this district from good to great. Dr. Lewis’s proven track record and experience met the high standards we and the community hold for this district’s performance.”

Lewis previously served as superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas. He was at that position since 2018. He has been an educator for 22 years.

He credits his grandmother for inspiring him to enter the education field. She worked as a cafeteria manager in schools for 40 years.

She greeted every student for breakfast every day, and Dr. Lewis said her deliberate actions demonstrated “the power of that first adult” and how “what we say or what we don’t say can impact their day… All adults can instill value in our scholars and make them feel seen and heard. Now they’re ready to learn.”

“I’m in this work to improve outcomes for all students,” he said.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — State troopers chased a driver Sunday morning after they refused to stop in Raleigh.

Authorities said the person then barricaded themselves inside a Pittsboro home.

There is no word on the driver’s identity. According to a family member of the barricaded person on the scene, they are about 46 years old.

ABC11 is working to learn the latest and more about the incident’s circumstances, including the exact time and location where it took place.