Posted on 06/24/2005 6:07:04 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
JUNE 23, 2005 --Police say Brian Dalton Rivenbark is dead after trying to hold up Jerry's Furniture Refinishing on Cinema Drive. Now his accomplice, Dewayne White, is arrested and charged with attempted armed robbery.
Police say Rivenbark and White walked into the store and pulled out a hand gun. The store clerk, Joseph Daggs, III had his own gun. Lt. Marshall Williamson says the men got in a struggle, but Daggs broke free.
"Daggs released himself from the individuals and reached for his personal gun and fired one shot."
That shot killed Rivenbark, but police say it was self-defense.
What's behind the dark windows at Jerry's Furniture Refinishing has nothing to do with refinishing. Their business is video poker. Other employees at the strip mall on Cinema Drive had no idea this was going on.
"I had no idea there was even a business back there," says Wendy Spaziani.
Williamson says Jerry's was playing by the rules. We tried to contact the owner of Jerry's Furniture, but no one answered. For now Jerry's remains open, as well as the case.
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Another story with a happy ending!
That shot killed Rivenbark, but police say it was self-defense.
Good.
Nice shot, Daggs.
Plenty. Read the story.
A lot of cash.
"Daggs released himself from the individuals and reached for his personal gun and fired one shot."
Obviously has had no experience doing this... You don't pull the trigger just once. You spray bullets all over the place.
Not necessarily; perhaps their business is designing and/or building the machines.
Yes, but he wasn't a cop.
Could be.
"one shot"
Thats gun control
BTTT
Thanks much.Sorry that this is a tad late I've been gone for a week.Thanks again.
Thanks for the ping.
This is what these tools are for: defending your home, family and the US Constitution!!!
Something tells me there's a LOT MORE to this story than is told here. I smell fish!
Police said Mr. Rivenbark and 31-year-old Dewayne Derone White planned to steal money from the business, which reportedly operates three video poker games in a back room and is open around the clock six days a week.
Our investigation led us to believe there was no type of furniture refinishing going on in the building, Wilmington police Lt. Marshall Williamson said.
Lt. Williamson said Mr. Rivenbark was carrying a handgun when he tried to force his way into the business. He was able to get inside and began struggling with clerk Joseph Daggs III. Mr. Daggs separated from Mr. Rivenbark long enough to pull out his own handgun and fire one shot.
The accused robbers fled on foot, police said. Mr. Rivenbarks body was found in a wooded area nearby. He suffered a fatal chest wound, Lt. Williamson said.
No charges were filed Thursday against Mr. Daggs. Police are tracing the serial numbers of the handguns used by Mr. Rivenbark and Mr. Daggs.
In our opinion, it is self-defense. Mr. Daggs attempted to retreat and distance himself from the suspect. He did come toward Mr. Daggs and point a weapon toward him, Lt. Williamson said. The clerk at the business was, in fact, the victim.
Meanwhile, Mr. White, of Carolina Beach Road, was charged Thursday with attempted armed robbery. He remained held Thursday night in New Hanover County jail on $76,500 bail.
Police said a Myrtle Beach, S.C., man owns the Jerrys Furniture Refinishing business and two others of the same name in Wilmington, one in the 3100 block of Market Street and another at 12 S. 17th St. Owner Jerry Huene could not be reached for comment.
The machines at the Cinema Drive location are lawfully registered with the New Hanover County Sheriffs Office. Three video poker machines can be legally operated at each location. About 550 video poker machines are legally registered in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties, including about 325 in New Hanover County.
Video poker is a controversial, multi-million dollar business in North Carolina. State law only provides for prizes of merchandise valued up to $10, but some machines are modified so cash payouts can be made. Machines that illegally pay out cash to patrons can bring in up to $100,000 in revenue in six months, Lt. Williamson said.
Police Chief Ralph Evangelous said city investigators were unaware the video poker portion of the business was in operation.
Were going to be taking a serious look at that whole setup, he said. Theres obviously an underground going on here that we didnt have a clue about.
Knowing about active video poker operations is one aspect of an ongoing effort to develop better intelligence about whats going behind the scenes in Wilmington, Chief Evangelous said.
This is a good example of that, and there were three of them, he said of the different locations. In every community, theres an underground. Theres a whole different economy, and a lot of times we really dont have a good feel of whats going on out there.
Mr. Rivenbark had a lengthy record of criminal convictions that included indecent liberty with a child, breaking and entering and simple assault, according to N.C. Department of Correction records.
Ken Little: 343-2389
ken.little@starnewson.line.com
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