Crime and Public Safety
Roanoke County Fire and Rescue responded to a fire in the 100 block of Poplar Street in Vinton around 1 this afternoon – where they found smoke and flames coming from a single-story home. A juvenile and three dogs got out safely and will stay elsewhere locally. Two adults were not home at the time. The fire was declared under control in about 30 minutes. The damage is estimated at $60,000 and smoking materials were determined to be the cause. Several county squads and Roanoke City crews responded.
Update: Virginia State Police Senior Trooper S.M. Krantz is investigating a fatal crash in Bedford County. The crash occurred at 4:20 p.m. Monday (July 16) on Goode Road at the intersection of Goode Station Road.
A 1997 Jeep Wrangler was traveling north on Goode Road when it swerved to the left to avoid striking a deer in the roadway. The Jeep crossed the center line and ran off the left side of the highway. The vehicle then struck a ditch and overturned. It came to rest on its wheels.
Previously: At 4:30 p.m., Monday (July 16), Virginia State Police responded to a traffic crash in Bedford County. The crash occurred on Goode Station Road when a vehicle ran off the road and overturned. There is one confirmed fatality. The crash remains under investigation.
From Roanoke City Police Department: On July 13, 2018 right before 8 p.m., officers were dispatched to a call of an armed subject in the 5000 block of Youngwood Drive NW.
Upon arrival, officers located the suspect – identified as 33-year-old Ronnie Stout Jr. of Roanoke – in the front yard of a home with a firearm. Stout was actively threatening others in the home and police. He then went back inside the home.
The Tactical Response Team and hostage negotiators responded. Stout released the individuals in the home with him and barricaded himself inside the home.
At 10 p.m., Stout came out of the home and surrendered. He was taken into custody for a mental evaluation. This case is still under investigation and more charges may be pending.
Roanoke County police responded to the Country Store on Starkey Road for reports of a robbery this morning. Callers say a white man with blonde hair entered the store wearing a dark gray sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. He demanded money from the clerk and fled the scene just before 3 am. No arrests have been made and anyone with information is asked to call the Roanoke County Police Department.
From news release: On Friday, July 13, 2018 at approximately 02:40 AM, Roanoke County Police Officers responded to the Country Store in the 4700 block of Starkey Road in reference to a robbery. Information was received that a white male entered the store wearing a dark gray sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. The suspect was described to have blonde hair. The suspect demanded money from the clerk and subsequently fled the scene with an unknown amount of assorted U.S. currency.
No arrests have been made and anyone with additional information about this crime is asked to call the Roanoke County Police Department at (540) 562-3265.
UPDATED THURSDAY: Roanoke Police say a shooting two nights ago is now a murder case. Officials say 19-year-old Jacob Aldridge of Salem died this morning. He was shot in the back of the head Tuesday night on the 1600 block of Eastern Avenue.
PREVIOUS: Police say a man was shot in the back of the head last night in northeast Roanoke. Police identify him as 19-year-old Jacob Aldridge of Salem, and they say he is in critical condition at Roanoke Carilion Memorial Hospital. There was another shooting along this same block last Thanksgiving day.
From Roanoke City Police: On July 10, 2018 at around 10 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Eastern Avenue NE in reference to a shots fire call. Upon arrival, officers found a victim with a gunshot wound to the back of the head. The victim – identified as 19-year-old Jacob Aldridge of Salem – was transported to Roanoke Carilion Memorial Hospital. His condition is still listed as critical at this time. Responding officers performed a search of the immediate area where the victim was located. Our Tactical Response Team evacuated the houses immediately around 1642 Eastern Avenue NE. Homeowners were allowed to return to their homes at around 8:30 a.m. No arrests have been made at this time, and the investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information about this case, they’re asked to call our tip line at (540) 344-8500 and share what they saw. Callers can remain anonymous. You can also send an anonymous text message to 274637. Please use the keyword “RoanokePD” at the beginning of the text to make sure it’s properly sent. Reference case number 18-076345.
Botetourt County law enforcement says there were reports of shots fired in Troutville. Callers said they heard yelling and gunshots last night on the 300 block of Tucker Road. When deputies responded to the scene, they found a male victim had been shot and stabbed and a female victim also suffered gunshot wounds. Two suspects were arrested. 20-year-old Matthew Green was charged for malicious wounding and reckless handling of a firearm, and 20-year-old Tyler Wheetley was charged with malicious wounding and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
From News Release: The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office reports that at approximately 10:09 pm on July 10, the 911 Communications Center started receiving reports of shots being fired in the 300 block of Tucker Rd., Troutville VA, callers further stated they heard yelling and also heard that someone had been shot. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene and once at the residence determined that a male victim had been shot and stabbed and that a female victim had also been shot. Deputies detained two suspects and then had Emergency Services workers come in and treat the victims. Both the male and female victims were transported to a Roanoke area hospital. Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Botetourt County Jail. Matthew T. Green, age 20 of Troutville VA was charged with 2 counts of Malicious Wounding, Reckless handling of a firearm and the use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. Tyler T. Wheetley, age 20 of Roanoke VA was charged with one count of Malicious Wounding and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The Investigation is continuing and no photos of the arrestees are available at this time.
UPDATE: On July 9, 2018 just after midnight Roanoke County Police responded out to a single vehicle crash in the 4500 Block of Challenger Ave. A Jeep was traveling East on Challenger Avenue when it lost control and went off the roadway. The Driver and sole occupant of the vehicle David King, 44, of Roanoke County was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation has shown that Mr. King was not wearing his seatbelt, and it is believed that alcohol was a factor. This crash is still under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call our non-emergency number (540) 562-3265.
WAYNESBORO, Va. (AP) — Authorities say a Virginia man choked to death after swallowing an apparent bag of cocaine during a police raid. News outlets report 52-year-old William Tucker of Waynesboro died Friday. Police say a drug task force and a Waynesboro police SWAT team arrived at a Waynesboro home Friday morning for a drug investigation. When they entered, police say they found Tucker forcing a bag filled with white powder into his mouth. Police say Tucker lost consciousness while resisting attempts to remove the bag. He was declared dead at a hospital. Police are continuing their investigation.
James Fields, Jr.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A state trial will likely be held for a man accused in a deadly car attack on protesters opposing a white nationalist rally in Virginia before he’s tried on federal hate crime charges that carry a possible death penalty. In a joint motion filed Thursday, federal prosecutors and 21-year-old James Alex Fields Jr.’s defense attorneys said they need time to prepare for the “complex” federal case. The two sides also said that the state trial — scheduled to begin Nov. 26 — and its outcome “may provide information that is material” to a determination by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether to seek the death penalty in the federal case.
Fields, of Maumee, Ohio, is accused of killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of people on Aug. 12 after a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville by driving his car into a crowd demonstrating against the rally. The event attracted hundreds of white nationalists to the college town where officials planned to remove a statute of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Fields faces murder and other charges under Virginia law. Last week, he was indicted on 30 federal charges. Twenty-nine of the counts were brought under a hate crimes law that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The 30th count was brought under a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. It accuses Fields of racially motivated violent interference with a federally protected activity — the use of the public streets and sidewalks of Charlottesville — resulting in death.
The charge can carry the death penalty. Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek it, and the process could take months.
The law requires prosecutors to prove not only that Fields acted because of the actual or perceived race or national origin of members of the crowd, but also that he was motivated by Heyer’s use of the streets and sidewalks of Charlottesville.
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said he believes federal prosecutors have agreed to let the state put Fields on trial first because it’s a stretch for them to try to use the hate crimes statute that makes him eligible for the death penalty.
“It makes sense for them to wait until after the state trial because as the facts stand right now, it’s an extremely tenuous death penalty claim,” Dunham said.
“The fact that something is labeled a hate crime doesn’t by itself make it a capital offense. There has to be more. The way the statute is written, on the facts of this case, it’s not clear that there is any basis to seek the death penalty.”
But Jonathan Turley, a professor at the George Washington University Law School, said he believes the decision to hold the state trial first is a good strategic move by prosecutors.
“The state is likely to produce a great deal of evidence that the federal prosecutors do not currently have. In particular, they will be able to see the evidence marshaled by the defense as to the state of mind of Fields,” Turley said.
Fields pleaded not guilty Thursday to the federal charges.
Bellamy Malaki Gamboa
From News Release: The Virginia State Police has issued a critically missing adult alert on behalf of the Virginia Beach Police Department on 07/05/2018 at 1801 hours.
The Virginia Beach Police Department is looking for Bellamy Malaki Gamboa, an Asian female, 39 year old, height 5’01”, weight 135 lbs, with brown eyes, and black hair. She has a tattoo of a band of roses on her right arm and “Bellamy” tattooed on her right ankle.
She is believed to have been abducted and in danger. She was last seen on 07/01/2018.
Please contact the Virginia Beach Police Police Department at 1-757-385-8175 if located.
You may find complete information at http://www.vasenioralert.com/