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Eyewitness News at 11pm - October 14, 2026

October 15, 20260 comments♥ 0
00:02 Right now, live coverage from your local news leader preparing you for tomorrow starting tonight and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. Thanks for joining us here for the news at 11. I'm Lauren Johnson. Steve is off tonight. Today was a record breaking day as temperature soared into the 90s. In the middle of October, the unseasonable heat is not done just yet. Tomorrow we may be breaking more records with temperatures expected to top. top 90 again. Chief meteorologist John Schwinnaker is in the first alert forecast center. Don, when is October going to show up for work in the weather department? Probably November at this point. I mean, we are going to get some cooler air, but we did hit that record high today.
00:46 The old record was from 1985. We beat it by four degrees going to 90. Now looking ahead to tomorrow, the record that's possible. We touch 90 tomorrow. That means we break the old record of 88 set back in 1985. And Fayville, you got a shot on record too. 90 is the forecast. The record is 91. I don't think you'll break it, but it would be awfully close down in the sand hills. Right now we see a beautiful evening out there,
01:12 but it is so warm for this time of year. We should be in the 60s and 50s by this time. We're still in the 70s tonight under a clear sky and a southwest wind at three miles per hour. So let's first alert you to your fast forward forecast. Today we saw the record highs, temperatures near 90 degrees.
01:28 As we go through tonight into tomorrow, We'll see 90 again. More sunshine. A few high clouds starting to work through, but another hot day. We do finally see cooler attempts, though, by the weekend. We'll first alert you about the heat and then the chance for frost. It's all in our seven-day forecast coming up in just a bit. Lauren.
01:46 All right. A lot to talk about Don. Thank you. Take a moment. Download that free eyewitness news app. It'll help you track those changing weather conditions Don just mentioned to get started. Search for ABC 11 in your phone's app store. New tonight, a Wake County woman taking matters into her own hands with the Halloween message.
02:01 that she's hoping to scare the town of Kerry into action over speeding on a stretch of road, she says, is unsafe. Tom George is live from Harrison Avenue and Page Street where the message is getting a lot of attention. Tom, what are people telling you tonight? Yeah, can't say you weren't warned. Look at this. It says, I died waiting for the town of carry to install speed bumps.
02:23 So they're hoping it sends a message to the town and to drivers. And they say, even though it does have some morbid humor attached to it, they say it's a very real issue that they want to see solved. On this stretch of Harrison Avenue, Ginger Peters says they've been haunted by drivers going too fast. So, yeah, we've been going around with the town for about three years now, just about the activity, the cars that fly by here. And I just kind of wanted to start sending a message. A few years ago, hoping to scare drivers into slowing down. Then this year, tailoring the message directly to the powers that be with a grim message they can't ignore.
03:01 A little spookiness. The town of Kerry confirms in the past six years the two blocks surrounding this stretch of Harrison saw four accidents and one injury. Neighbors say that might not even be the full picture. And then there's a ton that haven't gone reported because people are hitting the curbs. There was a car that was totaled. Like it's an ongoing thing. Neighbors happy to co-sign making this skeleton their safety spokesperson. I love it.
03:25 Love it. Absolutely love it. Jill Weaver says the curves in the road combined with it being a school zone with families nearby, make it a tough spot. For the safety of neighbors, for the safety of the children that are in this neighborhood, walking home from school, they all walk this way. Someone could go over the curb and hit someone on the sidewalk, which is extremely dangerous. The town of Kerry says after people reached out over the years, traffic studies didn't support adding speed bumps, but neighbors say they hope they can find another way. They have mentioned that it would be hard to do speed bumps because of the, because of
03:57 the turn. We ask for like zebra stripes, anything to slow it. down, more signage. So any of those options. And they say if not, this might become a Halloween tradition. Oh yeah. I'm creative. I'll come up with some ideas. We'll keep it going. Yeah, so as it stands now, the warning going to be up through Halloween. Now, the town of Kerry does say again that right now there are no plans for any speed bumps in this immediate area, but they do also say that anybody can call Carrie 311 to try and put in a request for safety concerns. They also say, though, that as they've been doing a lot of that development downtown, they're also looking into pedestrian safety as well. And there could be some traffic changes in some of the surrounding
04:41 stretches of Harrison. But obviously, neighbors hoping for something a little bit closer to where we are right now. Reporting live, Tom, George, ABC 11, I witness news. Yeah, that's skeleton, the talk of the town tonight. Tom, thank you. Also, new tonight, a man with a lengthy criminal history of domestic violence. Dating back 10 years has been arrested once again. This time he's being charged with murder. Devon Waley was taken into custody. in Franklin County for the murder of Rishika Crudup. According to arrest warrants, Waley broke into Crudup's home before he killed her. Eyewitness News has been covering Whaling's criminal background since 2016, including an
05:14 incident in Youngsville, where police say he attacked the mother of his one-year-old. The video there on your screen is from that incident. He's now being held in the Franklin County Detention Center. Eyewitness News has obtained this picture of Rishika Crudup. She's a teacher at the Kitty Academy of Wake Forest. The school says she cared for infants. it embodied a rare gift of peace. The sheriff's office also says she was a mother of two and beloved by many in the community.
05:39 New at 11 officers managed to catch a man wanted for a hit and run with the use of flock cameras. Yesterday officers found a young pedestrian had been hit by a car and Hope Mills. Fortunately, they are expected to be okay. But the driver left that scene with the help of a witness and some information with flock cameras. Police were able to identify and locate the driver now known to be Albert Barat. He now faces several charges. New tonight, we're getting a more clear picture of the case against a Chatham County daycare worker, 18 child abuse charges involving at least three children, some as young as one.
06:12 25-year-old Violetta Wollovich made her first court appearance today. Court documents accuse her of aggressively grabbing three children at the daycare. Wollovich did not speak during the hearing, but her attorney told the court she has no criminal history. She faces 18 misdemeanor child abuse counts. ABC 11 reached out to the daycare for comment. but has not yet heard back. Tomorrow is the first day of in-person early voting in North Carolina. There are 370 early voting sites all across the state, including 18 in Wake County.
06:41 You can cast a ballot at any early voting site in your county. According to the state board of elections, more than half of voter turnout over the past two midterms has taken place during early voting. Early voting runs through 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 31st. At least 10 people have been federally indicted in North Carolina for allegedly voting illegally as non-U.S. citizens. According to the indictments, each defendant is accused falsely of claiming to be a U.S. citizen in order to register to vote. And then federal prosecutors say the majority of those indicted actually cast a ballot in the 2024 election. The 10 defendants span multiple backgrounds and include both men and women. Several are due in federal court tomorrow morning in Raleigh.
07:22 Still to come at 11 after the state temporarily paused its game. gas tax. Some drivers are saying they're still not seeing a drop in gas prices. We've got the latest on what we're learning from state records as North Carolina drivers look for a little help with their finances. And the latest from the ongoing faith hedge path murder trial. We've got the latest on the testimony from forensic scientists that may be crucial for the outcome of the case. And Don, check on those temperatures outside. Yeah, we're in the 70s tonight, but if you're ready for some fall, we go from sunny skies to sweaters by the weekend. We'll talk more about that and about some rain chances starting to show up in your seven-day forecast coming up.
08:02 We are local news. ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. New at 11, the state put its 41-cent gas tax on pause, but some drivers say they are not seeing the savings at the pump. Eyewitness news reviewed state records showing around 150 complaints from across North Carolina about gas prices not changing despite the tax break. Now the Attorney General's office is giving drivers a way to speak up. Attorney General Jeff Jackson launched NC Fuel Check yesterday, a tool for customers to report gas stations they suspect of unfair business practices during the gas tax suspension. For more on the gas tax suspension and what it means for your wallet, watch Jimmy's Price's story reports her report from last night on our website or on the app. In a case we've been following closely, today's testimony in the faith Hedgepeth murder trial was tedious and technical, but potentially critical to the outcome of this case. two forensic scientists with the North Carolina State Crime Lab walked the jury through fingerprint
08:55 and DNA evidence collected in the investigation. The first even gloved up in court showing jurors three fingerprints found on a blue reeling wine bottle taken into evidence. She testified a left palm print and left thumbprint match Miguel Sawero Olivares. Then the focus shifted to DNA. A second forensic scientist walked jurors through blood, semen, saliva and other DNA evidence from the crime scene. She testified a DNA profile. found on the wine bottle was also found on evidence collected from fate's body and on a white bag found at the crime scene. This forensic evidence could be important as jurors ultimately weigh the case. Testimony continues tomorrow with more from that forensic scientist.
09:36 Tonight, the Vee Foundation remembering Nick Valvano, the man who helped carry on his brother Jimmy V's legacy in the fight against cancer. The foundation announced Valvano's death today. He served as CEO of that organization from 1999 until 2012 and later as President Emeritus. Nick was the younger brother of the legendary NC State basketball coach Jim Volvano who helped found that foundation. Basketball Hall of Famer Dick Vitell is among those paying tribute in a message on X. Vital said Nick was so vital to the V Foundation and offered his prayers to the Volvano family. Tonight more questions about the planned WakeMed Atrium Health merger, including what it could mean for what patients are The NC Justice Center, along with patients and employees, now calling on the state attorney general to take a closer look at that deal.
10:23 In a letter, they're asking for more details about the five-year price cap negotiated before commissioners approved the merger. They also want to know how atrium's promised $2 billion investment would be funded and enforced. And they're also raising broader questions about competition, access to care, and what this deal could ultimately mean for health care costs. How was atrium selected and were other proposals seriously considered? And what will this transaction mean for prices, competition and access to care across North Carolina? These questions matter to patients and workers and they matter as well to federal regulators. We have asked the Attorney General's office whether it has received the letter and whether it plans to hold public hearings so far tonight. We have not yet heard back.
11:08 Neighbors and parents in a North Raleigh community are pushing back against a proposed 185 foot cell tower on the Brassville Elementary School Campus. James Price at the Wake County School Board headquarters where you're learning this could bring in thousands of dollars for the district. But parents are not loving the idea. James tell us about it. Lauren, the first year of revenue could bring the district about $30,000. It's also important to know that there are already cell towers on four school campuses here in the district. and district leaders say they have not received any complaints or concerns about those cell towers, but parents and neighbors, they have a lot of questions surrounding what could be in their backyard.
11:51 And we don't need it. Janine Geno Selly lives in the Forest Brook neighborhood, a few blocks from Brassfield Elementary. She opposes a proposed 185 feet cell tower on school property. Eyesore, I could care less. I mean, who drives around looking up like this, you know, it's not a matter of the eyesore. a matter of the safety. And those safety concerns run deep for Janine, who is a cancer survivor. I just said please do the research and please see what you're doing before you do it. According to plans presented to the school board, the tower would provide additional
12:24 revenues starting at $30,000 a year for at least 10 years. The company would pay for construction and maintenance costs and it's supposed to provide better wireless coverage. We've seen similar towers at other Wake County schools, but parents, they want more information about this deal. We're looking for information around like construction timelines, proposed maintenance that's going to be ongoing, how many carriers you think are going to be contracted. Heather Dorch is the advocacy committee chair for Brassfield Elementary PTA. She says families want a voice in the process. The family, the community, the parents, we just want to make sure that we're a partnership in the decisions that are being made for our school. APC Tower
13:11 share in a statement that their goal is a safe and connected community. The company said they also provided extensive research and references from reputable peer-reviewed studies such as the World Health Organization regarding tower infrastructure and communities. The school board hasn't decided on next steps. I wouldn't want to be the board members because if they make the decision to go ahead through with it and then the repercussions down the road, they're going to be wishing that they hadn't done it and it's going to be too late. So a lease agreement for a cell tower at Westlake Elementary and Middle School has already generated the district nearly $148,000 in the last four years. Lauren? All right. James, we'll see how this one plays out. Thank you.
13:56 We are now just hours away from opening day at the 2026 North Carolina State Fair. And tonight, before the gates open and the friars are all fired up. Inspectors making sure the fair food is safe to serve. They made the final safety check for the fairs 155 food stands, food trucks and tents. Inspectors checked how food is being stored and made sure food handling equipment is clean and working properly. The gates open tomorrow at noon. And if you are heading out, be sure to stop by our ABC 11 booth and say hello. And before you start spending a few tips from the Better Business Bureau, if you are buying from a vendor, get the refund and exchange policy, get it in writing. look for a certificate of registration on display
14:37 and consider using a credit card which offers a little more protection if there are any problems with your purchase. And tonight we're learning the winners of the NC State Fair's giant pumpkin and watermelon contest in first place with a 2,123 pound pumpkin is Albert Rodabal of West Virginia.
14:54 He also received the award for the best-looking pumpkin in the North Carolina only competition the winning pumpkin weighed 585.85. four pounds. It was grown by James Kane of Stokes County. As for the watermelon competition, Todd Dawson of Garner, placed first with a watermelon
15:11 weighing in at 281.6 pounds. The winning entries will be on display in the Agra Supply Expo Center during the state fair. All right, we're still growing watermelons in October. Is it because it's so hot outside? Well, the thing that got me was the guy from West Virginia. I know. Does he just go
15:29 from state fair to state fair going, I can win this one and I can win this one? And it's a pretty pumpkin too they say well there you go all right that's cool tonight warm out there tomorrow first day of the fair we got you covered if you're headed out it's gonna be a warm day temperatures in the 80s the only saving grace with that is we're not seeing the humidity that we would see in the middle of summer the 88 will feel like about 88 instead of those feels like temperatures in the triple digits we look ahead to what's on tap for the one big thing tonight and that one
16:01 big thing is another heat record is possible tomorrow. If we get to 90 again, that'll be another daytime record and also the latest date we've gone to 90 degrees. And it looks like we will as we head through the day. We're dry on the first alert Doppler not work tonight. We're looking live on the Pendoz sky cam, 73, clear sky, southwest winded three. This time of night to the bees we've been seeing on this camera have all gone to sleep. We don't have to worry about seeing those in the evening. All right. Let's show what's happening as far as temperatures. Manny Ota Murphy. 74 out at the coast. 72 for you in Greenville. 70 in the triad, 62 out in Boone. They were in the 50s last night, so some of that warm air pushing into the mountains.
16:40 We'll see a warm overnight. Our typical seasonal average is 52, 62, 63 in Raleigh, 62, Fayetteville, 59 in Sanford, 63 Henderson, and 62 in Roxborough. Your fitness forecast, as you head out the door in the morning earlier, we'll be better if you like a cooler because we warm quickly. By 10 o'clock, we're up to 70. Lunchtime, 78 degrees. Satellite radar composite. We're clear across our part of the Carolinas tonight. You can see a pretty significant cold front that extends all the way back into Texas.
17:11 That will bring that cooler air. Let's go back to that just for a second. We're in the 70s out here. Look at the 40s out west. We're going to see that shifting east with this cold front as it approaches. But Friday, we're still in the warm sector. Now, as it drops through, it is going to trigger some moisture off the coast. We could see a load develop out here.
17:29 If that's the case, rain chances increase for Saturday. We've already increased them once up to 40%. But they could go up even more. Your forecast for tomorrow, 90 degrees. 90 in Fayetteville, that would be just shy of the record. Your seven-day forecast, powered by Accuather, 88 on Friday. Saturday, 64, Sunday, 63, Monday, Sunday, Tuesday, 73, and Wednesday, 73. And real quick, I got to introduce you to a great group of folks.
17:57 I met tonight on my dinner break. I stopped at Jersey mics out near Duke Hospital. Everybody watches. They said to tell Lauren and Steve hello and they are big fans. So thank you to all the nice folks I met tonight at Jersey mics on my dinner break. It's always so nice to meet the viewers. We get out of the way so I don't cover her too. I know.
18:14 Well, thanks for all you do. Thanks for feeding big weather. We need it here. It takes a lot. Don, thank you. Still ahead. Talk about a blast from the past. The world's oldest shipwreck giving researchers a glimpse into an ancient world.
18:27 We're diving deep into this story in real news. And a reminder, you can always find eyewitness news live on ABC 11, Disney Plus, and everywhere you stream. We'll be right back. Now to tonight's top trending stories in real news. First, take a look at this. You are looking at some pretty important underwater evidence. As archaeologists say, they have found the evidence of the world's oldest known shipwreck. Researchers say this debris found off Turkey's coast dates back to between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago.
19:01 Can you believe that? Researchers believe the ship was built around the same time as the Great Pyramid and was likely carrying cargo across the Mediterranean Sea. Okay, take a look at this. You're watching a breaching whale try to jump into a fisherman's boat. This massive mammal was caught on camera, breaching and then bursting through the rear door of a boat. It happened after a pair of fishermen who were fishing off the coast of Long Island, spotted the whale, started recording. In a very surreal moment, the whale burst onto the boat's dead. deck bringing with it a frenzy of flipping and flopping fish right there. The fishermen say in more than a decade of fishing together, they have never seen an animal
19:42 that big or that close. What a tale they have to tell. All right, from one of the biggest animals in the sea to some of the smallest in the forest, take a look at the world's most rare and smallest frogs. The London Zoo celebrating after 15 were born there as part of a conservation effort. these tiny little guys are puddle frogs. They're often as small as a pencil tip. The London Zoo says they're the first of their species
20:09 born under human care anywhere in the world. The species was discovered just eight years ago. Trey. You learn something new every day with real news. Small as a pencil tip. Can you believe that little guy? In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this.
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