Teens indicted for spring home invasion

A Franklin County grand jury has indicted two teenagers in connection with an April home invasion after a judge agreed the boys could be prosecuted as adults.

The grand jury returned true bills of indictment against David Lee Hinton Jr., 15, Knightdale, and Glen Allen Snow, 16, of Camp Kanata Road, Wake Forest, for the April 4 home invasion of a Youngsville woman and the theft of her car. Each of the boys faces 11 charges, which range from breaking and entering and robbery with a dangerous weapon to first-degree burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle.

The boys were also believed to be responsible for a second home invasion and car theft in Wake Forest later that day. Juvenile petitions for those crimes were filed in Wake County. The cases have been disposed of, but the outcome cannot be revealed by law due to the defendant's ages. At the time of the alleged incidents, Snow was 15.

Due to the seriousness of the offenses, Superior Court Judge Larry Senter authorized the move of Franklin County's case against the teens to adult court on Aug. 8, Assistant District Attorney Mitch Styers said.

The crime spree, police said, began in Knightdale April 3. Hinton stole a car there, they said, then came to Wake Forest to pick up three friends. The boys stole a second car and split into pairs, with Snow and Hinton in one vehicle.

The two were later spotted by a Granville County Sheriff's deputy but fled into some nearby woods. While searching unlocked cars, the youths discovered a loaded gun. Early the next morning, the boys are believed to have broken into a home off N.C. 96 near the Granville County line, awakening the female resident.

Lt. Nelson Ross with the Franklin County Sheriff's Department said the victim found Hinton inside her home, pointing the gun at her. He and Snow demanded her car keys and money, Ross said, cut her phone line and fled in her white 1999 Toyota Corolla.

Hinton was captured about 12 hours later just west of Wake Forest after he and Snow forced their way into the second home and stole that resident's car. Wake Forest police chased both boys, each in separate cars, but were only able to apprehend Hinton.

Shortly thereafter, Snow was taken into custody northwest of Youngsville on Mays Store Road.

The cases will now be set on an administrative calendar. At their first hearing, according to Styers' legal assistant Kim Piper, a judge will ask whether the boys have attorneys or if they want the court to appoint them one. "After that, they'll offer some type of plea," she said.

Any sentence they receive in Franklin County, Styers said, will likely be served after they finish their time in juvenile detention.