Eastern Shore – Watchful Eye

Northampton Standing in Opposition to Offshore Mining Lease

16Jul

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

Business, News

Northampton Standing in Opposition to Offshore Mining Lease

The Northampton County Board of Supervisors has officially opposed a proposed commercial lease that could open the door to subsea mining offshore of Virginia. The vote comes as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) considers an unsolicited request from Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration. The company submitted the proposal in November 2025, asking the federal government to hold a commercial lease sale for hard minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore the Commonwealth. BOEM said it reviewed the request, including the proposed lease area, the targeted minerals—primarily heavy mineral sands and phosphorites—and the available environmental and resource data. The agency has now taken what it calls a "first step that could potentially lead to a lease sale" by publish...

1 Dead, 5 Injured in Eastern Shore Shooting

21Apr

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

Popular

1 Dead, 5 Injured in Eastern Shore Shooting

The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police have launched a coordinated investigation after one person was killed and five others were injured during a shooting early Sunday morning. According to Accomack Sheriff W. Todd Wessells, the Emergency Operations Center received a report of an active shooter at Par 4 Bar & Grill at approximately 1:41 a.m. Deputies and first responders arrived at the Lankford Rd. business and found multiple victims. Biometric Gun Safe for Vehicles | Fingerprint, Keypad, Key | Carrying Handle Five men had gunshot wounds, and another male suffered a laceration to the face. As Emergency Medical Services personnel exited their ambulance, an individual began firing in their direction, according to Wessells. No EMS personnel were injure...

76-year-old killed in residential crash in Accomack

23Oct

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Traffic

76-year-old killed in residential crash in Accomack

A 76-year-old Melfa man was killed after crashing into a house in Accomack on Monday sometime shortly before 6:30 p.m., Virginia State Police announced. Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears Napoleon Claude Coles was driving a 2010 Buick Lucerne that crashed into the corner of a two-story brick residence at 33372 Lankford Highway in the Painter area, VSP stated. Coles was found unresponsive and medics pronounced him dead at the scene. VSP said this was a single-vehicle incident. And it doesn’t appear that alcohol or speed were factors in the crash, but the incident is still under investigation. SEE: Footage of Hit & Run Crash in Powhatan (VIDEO) Follow the Watchful Eye on Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram to keep up with what’s...

Cape Charles woman killed in Northampton crash

28Aug

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Traffic

Cape Charles woman killed in Northampton crash

An 85-year-old Cape Charles woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the Eastern Shore this morning. According to Virginia State Police, Nadine Marie Good was driving a 2017 Ford Fiesta headed north on Rt. 13, aka Lankford Highway, in Northampton County. She was north of Cobb Station Road in Cheriton when she reportedly lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road around 9 a.m. Good hit a culvert and tree before the vehicle flipped. She was thrown from the vehicle’s passenger side and died at the scene. VSP said there is not indication that alcohol or speed were contributing factors. This is the third fatal Eastern Shore crash in less than two weeks. The other crashes occurred in Accomack. Follow the Watchful Eye on Twitter, Facebook, & Inst...

Accomack hit with 2nd fatal pedestrian crash in a week

20Aug

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Traffic

Accomack hit with 2nd fatal pedestrian crash in a week

Virginia State Police is investigating the second fatal pedestrian crash in less than a week. Last night, just before 10 p.m., VSP said troopers were called out to investigate a crash on Rt. 13, south of the Rt. 175 intersection in the Oak Hall Area of Accomack. From preliminary investigations, VSP said it appears a 2004 Toyota Prius was traveling northbound on Route 13 through a controlled intersection and hit 53 year-old Thomas Leandreas Wharton, of Mappsville, who was walking in the left travel lane. Wharton died upon impact, VSP reported. The driver, 36-year-old Judea Amenda Van Smith of Cambridge, MD suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and VSP said she was transported Salisbury Regional Hospital. There is no indication that speed was a contributing factor, said VSP....

Suspect in Brooklyn crimes killed in Virginia Beach police chase

3Mar

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Popular, Trending

Suspect in Brooklyn crimes killed in Virginia Beach police chase

The man killed last week in a Virginia Beach crash during a police chase was from New York. He was driving a stolen vehicle and was listed as a suspect in a violent crime that occurred the day he died, VSP announced. The police chase began last Friday, February 23, just shy of 8:30 p.m. State Police attempted to stop a 2024 black Chevrolet pickup truck for reckless driving because the vehicle was reportedly going 92 mph in a 55 mph zone. The truck was heading south on Rt. 13 in Exmore, a town on the Eastern Shore, and refused to stop, VSP stated. Instead, the truck initiated a police chase and Northampton County officer joined VSP to assist. VSP said in the midst of the pursuit, it was determined that the truck was stolen out of New York. When the chase got to the Chesapeake Ba...

Driver killed in 4-vehicle Accomack crash identified as Hampton man

23Feb

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Traffic

Driver killed in 4-vehicle Accomack crash identified as Hampton man

The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the identity of a driver killed in a four-vehicle crash in Accomack last Friday, VSP announced. The deceased, whose identity was previously unknown, is 39-year-old Romar Lamont Reid of Hampton. According to VSP, the crash occurred on Lankford Highway (Route 13), a 1/2 mile south of Coal Kin Road in the town of Painter. Reid was driving a 2012 Ford sedan heading north. He was “traveling at a high rate of speed” and rear-ended a 2016 Chevrolet Cruz, VSP noted. The impact from that crash sent Reid’s vehicle into oncoming traffic, and a 2021 Freightliner tractor trailer traveling southbound hit his Ford head-on. Reid was thrown from the car and landed in the ditch. VSP said he died upon impact. Meanwhile, after getting hit, the C...

Traffic detoured on Rt. 602 on Eastern Shore until 2025

31Jan

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Traffic

Traffic detoured on Rt. 602 on Eastern Shore until 2025

Eastern Shore drivers should be aware that, as of Monday, January 29, the portion of Rt. 602 between Belle Haven Road and east of Darby’s Wharf Lane is closed to through traffic. There is a detour in place that will direct motorists traveling from Accomack County to follow Route 178 (Belle Haven Road) to Route 13 (Lankford Highway) to Route 183 (Occohannock Neck Road) to Route 602 (Cemetery Road). The route is reversed for those traveling from Northampton County. Rt. 602 detour between Accomack and Northampton counties According to VDOT, the detour is expected to remain in place until late spring 2025. During the closure, access to all private property and the two cemeteries on Route 602 (Lee Street) will be maintained at all times, VDOT stated. Additionally, the road “ma...

Lankford Hwy. in Accomack completely shut down after 2 killed in crash

25Nov

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

Traffic

Lankford Hwy. in Accomack completely shut down after 2 killed in crash

Both sides of Route 13 (Lankford Highway) are currently shut down in Accomack County as Virginia State Police investigate a crash resulting in a double fatality with two people hospitalized. The accident occurred at approximately 4:16 p.m. at 16239 Lankford Highway in Nelsonia where a 2021 Mazda CX30 and a 2021 Freightliner box truck crashed, VSP reported. One passenger in the Mazda died onsite. Another passenger has been taken to Tidal Health Hospital in Salisbury, MD. That individual is in stable condition, VSP reported. The driver of the Mazda was transported to Riverside Shore Memorial but had also died, VSP announced. Meanwhile, the driver of the box truck was also injured and has been transported to Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital. That individual is in stable condition at...

Identities & details released for fatal Accomack crash

22Nov

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News

Identities & details released for fatal Accomack crash

Virginia State Police provided additional details and released the identities of the individuals involved in the fatal crash on Lankford Hwy. (Rt. 13) in Accomack Tuesday evening. The crash occurred in Nelsonia on Lankford Hwy. north of Annis Lane at about 4:16 p.m. Augusto Santos Aguilar, a 69-year-old Tampa, FL man, was heading north in a Mazda sedan but “for an undetermined reason” crossed over into the southbound lane and was hit head-on by a Freightliner box truck, VSP said the preliminary investigation revealed. Aguilar died at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, and his daughter, 17-year-old Allyssa Marie Aguilar, who was in the backseat and died on impact, said VSP. His wife, Maria Jennifer Aguilar, the front seat passenger, was taken to Tidal Health Hospital in S...