News – Page 44 – Watchful Eye

11Jan

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News, Popular

2 trapped drivers in Amelia rescued

Two people had to be rescued from partially submerged vehicles in Amelia on Wednesday following a storm that came through the day before leaving many areas dealing with high water. One of those areas was the 13500 block of North Lodore Rd., which was completely underwater. Virginia State Police said at shortly after 7 a.m. they arrived at the scene where it was reported two vehicles were submerged in the water and the occupants of those vehicles were in need of being rescued. Amelia Fire called in Chesterfield, which sent members of the scuba rescue team and a member of the drone team along with Powhatan, which sent water rescue crew. According to Powhatan Fire & Rescue, the cars were caught in swiftwater currents. (Photo: Chesterfield Fire & Rescue) Two people ha...

Man arrested for making threats against Richmond County Sheriff’s Office

10Jan

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News, Trending

Man arrested for making threats against Richmond County Sheriff’s Office

Richmond County Sheriff Stephan Smith revealed that him and members of his staff were recently the targets of death threats. According to the Sheriff, on Christmas day, some not very merry emails began coming in to him and members of the administrative staff “by an individual claiming he was going to hunt us down and give us death by a bullet. That same individual called in a bomb threat at Food Lion in Warsaw on December 29, he added. An investigation conducted by Richmond County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Westmoreland Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of Brian Joseph Booth, a 41-year-old man from Kinsale, an area in Westmoreland. He is charged with three counts of death or bodily injury to a person and a misdemeanor of giving false report to a law enforcement o...

Drugs and gun found at River North Correctional lands 2 women in jail

10Jan

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Crime, News

Drugs and gun found at River North Correctional lands 2 women in jail

A visit to River North Correctional Center, a male prison in Independence, landed two women in jail with gun and drug charges. According to VADOC, certain staff members “acted on intelligence” that someone would try to supply contraband to an inmate at the facility. On Sunday, January 7, a VADOC K-9 drew attention to an unnamed female visitor, and that led to a search of that individual’s vehicle. In the vehicle, VADOC said personnel found a 9 mm handgun with a loaded magazine along with a variety of drugs and contraband, including: A baggie containing an unknown white substance A crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine A spoon containing white residue A glove containing white powder A bottle of kratom Buprenorphine THC edibles A scale Two sy...

Delays coming on Downing Bridge to and from Tappahannock

8Jan

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News, Traffic

Delays coming on Downing Bridge to and from Tappahannock

Drivers on Rt. 360 crossing the Downing Bridge between Tappahannock and Richmond County should brace for about 6 weeks of delays. VDOT announced a maintenance project will begin tomorrow, January 9, that will include repairing the bridge’s aluminum railing and concrete deck. That work will reduce the two-lane bridge to a single lane with traffic alternating between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Automated flagging devices will direct the traffic through the work zone. VDOT said there will not be lane closures on weekends. Weather permitting, the work is expected to be complete by March 2024. Follow the Watchful Eye on Twitter and Facebook Help keep news you can use coming by clicking to directly support the Watchful Eye, an independent...

2 plead guilty to attacking Richmond mailman in Mosby Court

4Jan

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News, Popular

2 plead guilty to attacking Richmond mailman in Mosby Court

The Richmond man and woman who pled guilty this week to assaulting a mailman in Mosby Court are each facing up to 8 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of VA (EDVA) said. The incident occurred on May 22, 2023. It was about 8:40 p.m. and 21-year-old Jumeka Jones was outside on the 1900 block of Accommodation Street in Richmond with her dog unleashed while a mail carrier, identified only as J.P., was delivering mail, the court documents show. J.P., fearing for his safety, asked Jones to contain the dog, which she admitted that she declined to do. J.P sprayed dog repellant at the dog, which led to an argument between him and Jones, she acknowledged in the court documents. Quintin Morris, a 31-year-old, got involved. Court documents show he a...

Investigation underway for Alexandria’s massive warehouse fire

4Jan

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News, Popular

Investigation underway for Alexandria’s massive warehouse fire

Over 100 firefighters battled a major blaze that started Tuesday at a strip warehouse located at 4407 Wheeler Ave. in Alexandria. At 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, a fire alarm was reported, but according to a statement from the City, the blaze quickly escalated into a major fire with intense flames ripping through the roof of the building. Wheeler Ave. was shut down in both directions between the 4000-4400 blocks. Alexandria Fire Dept. was assisted by surrounding jurisdictions in intensive firefighting operations that continued through the night into Wednesday. NBC Washington DC reported that the fire department said the fire was so large that they only battled it from outside of the warehouse. According to the City, the extended firefight was due, in large part, to hotspots ...

Man who fled Caroline police found & arrested

2Jan

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Crime, News, Popular

Man who fled Caroline police found & arrested

A man wanted in Caroline County after reportedly running away during a traffic stop has been arrested. According to Caroline Sheriff’s Office, on December 27, just before 7 p.m. Deputy S. Mullane tried to stop a box truck on Ladysmith Rd. in front of Sheetz because the officer had reason to believe the vehicle was stolen. The driver, now believed to be 32-year-old Kevin Anthony Gibbons, pulled over. But according to CCSO, he jumped out, abandoning the box truck, and ran across a construction area toward Green Rd. Deputy Mullan went a chase but lost sight of the man due to “the dark and heavy rains,” the Sheriff’s Office reported. Other CCSO deputies and Virginia State Police searched throughout the night by foot and with K-9s, but by early morning they still hadn’t located him. ...

Stafford prostitution investigation leads to 3 investigations, 5 arrests

22Dec

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Crime, News, Popular

Stafford prostitution investigation leads to 3 investigations, 5 arrests

An undercover prostitution investigation in Stafford unfolded into the three investigations that led to the arrest of five people, most of them wanted. And, it all occurred in one night. According to Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the series of events began with First Sergeant Detective R.J. Grella, head of the Special Investigations Unit, on the prowl for prostitution. He connected with a suspect online. They agreed to meet at the Staybridge Suites located at 2996 Richmond Highway. It was about 7:11 p.m. when Grella arrived at the hotel along with some Stafford patrol deputies. The female suspect Grella met was found to have controlled substances in the room, SCSO reported. Amid that investigation, the officers learned that there was another potential prostitution incident in ...

Pastor extradited from SC to Warsaw, VA to face 30 felonies against minors

20Dec

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News, Trending

Pastor extradited from SC to Warsaw, VA to face 30 felonies against minors

After a 15-month investigation, Albert Benjamin Wharton was extradited from Pickens County, SC to Richmond County, VA to face 30 felonies for crimes against children. According to Richmond County Sheriff Steve Smith, the investigation involved Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, and it resulted in charges for 22 counts of indecent liberties with a child under age 13 while in a custodial position and 8 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The alleged crimes occurred between 1981 and 1997 at the Berachah Christian Academy in Warsaw, said the Sheriff. According to Victory Baptist Church, that academy was one of its ministries and “provided the community with the choice of a Christian education in grades K-12.” “Dr. Ben Wharton” was the...

Missing NYC 3-Year-Old found, Vehicle Involved in Her Snatching found in Virginia Beach

19Dec

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News, Sidebar Story, Trending

Missing NYC 3-Year-Old found, Vehicle Involved in Her Snatching found in Virginia Beach

The 3-year-old who was taken from Staten Island and believed to possibly be in the Virginia has been found, but the person accused of kidnapping her has not. On Monday, Virginia State Police issued an alert on behalf of the New York City Police Department advising that Kadence France was missing, was possibly in Virginia, and there was a credible threat of health and safety. The child was last seen on Saturday, December 16, with 26-year-old Randalae Rhodes, the alert added. After two days missing, NYPD confirmed that France was returned to a police precinct in the city by a family member Monday. France’s father, who reportedly didn’t want to provide his name, explained to PIX11 News that Rhodes is France’s mother, but he has custody. On the day the girl was taken, he was sc...