Crime and Public Safety

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Bodycam videos, police reports and other materials connected to the city of Richmond’s aggressive response to protesters in June 2020 have been made public through the Library of  Virginia. The database that went live recently is part of a legal settlement between the city and plaintiffs who say police used excessive force against protesters who gathered at the Robert E. Lee statue two years ago in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd ahead of an 8 p.m. curfew. The department later apologized and said the use of tear gas was unwarranted. A few days later, the city’s police chief resigned. Thomas H. Roberts, a lawyer for some of the plaintiffs, said the archive will allow the public to judge for themselves how police responded. Members of the public will be able to contribute their own footage of what occurred to the archive.

Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 25, 2022, lane closures will be in place in Downtown Vinton to allow crews to work on the D.R. Music building site. The northbound lane of S. Pollard St. will be closed between Jackson Ave. and Lee Ave. The eastbound lane of E. Lee Ave. will be closed from S. Pollard St. to S. Maple St. It is anticipated that these lanes will be closed through the end of the day on Wednesday, July 27th. Please plan to use alternate routes during this time…

On Tuesday, July 19 at approximately 6:04PM, the Rocky Mount Police and Fire Departments, the Virginia State Police and Franklin County Public Safety units responded to the intersection of Old Franklin Turnpike (State Route 40) and Booker T. Washington Highway (State Route 122) for a report of a three vehicle collision, with injury, which had occurred within the intersection of these two roadways. Upon arrival, our officers, along with the fire and EMT workers, identified five residents of Franklin County that were involved in this collision.

One of the three drivers, 21 year old Ms. Melissa A Holland, was pronounced deceased at the scene while her male passenger, 18 year old Christian Hernandez, was immediately transported to Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, in Rocky Mount, Va., where he too was later pronounced deceased. Both Franklin County residents passed away as a result of their injuries sustained in this collision. The other two drivers involved in this collision, 31 year old Nicholas A. Davis and 41 year old Matthew Carter and his passenger, did not require medical transportation from the scene. Driver, Nicholas A. Davis, was arrested and later charged with driving while under the influence

(from Virginia State Police) The crash occurred at 5:54 p.m. yesterday when a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy was stopped assisting a disabled vehicle in the 400 block of Virgil H. Goode Highway.  The deputy was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash.  The patrol vehicle was struck by a Scion, and that driver was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for injuries received in the crash.

Rocky Mount, Virginia (July 19th, 2022) – At approximately 4:00am on Monday, July 18th the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a call for a possible Breaking and Entering in progress at a nearby residential construction site. The caller was able to provide subject identifiers, a description of the vehicle and the direction of travel as it was leaving the site. A deputy working in the area responded immediately, located a vehicle matching the description, and performed a traffic stop.

During the traffic stop, deputies identified two female subjects: Magen Shea Rader, 34 years old of Roanoke (pictured at right) and Amelia Louise Campbell, 25 years old of Roanoke (at left). The vehicle returned as stolen out of Vinton, Virginia and included items related to the residential construction site larceny. Both Rader and Campbell were arrested on scene. Rader has been charged with Petit Larceny < $500 and Receiving Stolen Goods – $200 or more. Additionally, she was served on an outstanding warrant for Possession of Sch I/II Drugs out of Alleghany County. She is being held on a $5,000 secured bond. Campbell has been charged with Petit Larceny < $1,000 and Stolen Goods: Buy/Receive, Larceny > $1,000. She is being held on a $2,500 secured bond.

Virginia State Police is investigating a single vehicle crash, which resulted in a fatality.  The crash occurred Sunday (July 17) at 4:46 a.m. on Brick Church Road, 1.5 miles west of Route 220 in Franklin County. A 2004 Mazda RX-8 was traveling west on Brick Church Road, when the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The driver of the Mazda was identified as Omar Santiago Lozano-Torres, 20, of Callaway, Va.  Mr. Torres was not wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

On July 15, 2022, at 7:52 pm, the Martinsville-Henry County 911 Center received a call that an individual had been shot at 49 Joyce Park Dr., Bassett, VA.  At 7:55 pm, deputies arrived on scene and located the victim, who had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was identified as Marshall Blake Tutor, 32, of 49 Joyce Park Drive.  He had suffered gunshot wounds to the torso and hand.  Tutor was subsequently air-lifted to a Roanoke, VA medical facility, where he is being treated for life-threatening injuries.

Tutor and multiple witnesses identified Chase Conley Crum, 20, of Bassett, VA as the suspect in the shooting.  Tutor and Crum were arguing with each other when the shooting took place.   Investigators issued five (5) felony warrants on Crum in relation to the shooting.  Deputies began searching for Crum.

On July 16, 2022, at 3:25 am, the Martinsville-Henry County 911 Center received a call that an individual had been shot at 9 Holly Hill Rd., Bassett, VA.  The caller stated that someone had broken into his home and assaulted a female, and he had shot the man.  The caller was identified as Michael Shawn Flippen, 46, of 9 Holly Hill Rd., Bassett, VA.

Deputies arrived on the scene and discovered Chase Conley Crum deceased from a gunshot wound.  Through the course of the investigation, it was found that Flippen had not been truthful during his 9-1-1 call.  Flippen had allowed Crum into the home, knowing he was wanted in connection with the earlier shooting.  An altercation ensued between Crum and a female inside the house.  Flippen became involved in the altercation and subsequently retrieved a gun and shot Crum.

Michael Shawn Flippen has been charged with second-degree murder, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, maliciously discharging a firearm inside a dwelling, and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a violent felony.  Flippen is currently held in the Henry County Adult Detention Center without bond.

(from Roanoke City PD) On July 13, 2022, the juvenile offender, who can now be publicly identified as Ta’Juan M. Johnson, 16 of Roanoke, involved in the April 2021 murder of sixteen-year-old Jaquice Kearney plead guilty to 2nd Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in Commission of Murder regarding Kearney’s death. Johnson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for a later date.
We commend the actions of the Roanoke Police Department personnel who were involved in this case from the beginning. The loss of such a young life is difficult enough, but it is particularly more tragic when the life is taken by another young person. Thank you to everyone who worked with both diligence and compassion on such a difficult case.
We also want to thank personnel from our Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and our public safety partners who worked with us and our community on this case, leading to this successful outcome.
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James Lewis

From Bedford County Sheriff’s Office: On 7/12/22 at approximately 2216 hours, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a domestic related disturbance in the 2000 block of Woodshire Drive located in the Blue Ridge area of Bedford County. Upon arrival the Deputy was investigating the complaint when contact was made with the suspect, James Edward Lewis, age 42 of Blue Ridge, Virginia. The Deputy then attempted to take Lewis into custody for domestic assault at which time Lewis retrieved a handgun from his waistband, pointed it at the Deputy. The Deputy then went hands on with Lewis getting him to the ground and after a struggle was able to disarm Lewis and place him into custody without further incident. James Lewis was then transported to the magistrate and charges were obtained and served on Lewis for Assault on Family Member and Attempted Capital Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer. Lewis is currently being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Adult Detention Center without bond.