Crime and Public Safety
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a series of events occurring early Saturday morning at Lago Pizza in Moneta. The first incident happened at approximately midnight resulted in Clinton Minter, age 28 of Bedford, being charged with the robbery of Shamanique Peter Mickle, age 44 of Roanoke.Approximately two and a half hours later it is alleged that Mickle returned to Lago Pizza. Subsequently a confrontation occurred between Mickle and James Sipos, age 49 of Huddleston. Sipos was killed during this incident.
Clinton Minter has been charged with the following:
18.2-58: Robbery of Shamanique Mickle of monies by using physical force resulting in serious injury
Shamanique Peter Mickle has been charged with the following:
18.2-32: 2nd degree murder of James Sipos
18.2-53.1: Use of a firearm to commit murder
18.2-308.2: Knowingly and intentionally possess a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
Shamanique Peter Mickle
Clinton Minter
A child was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle while riding his bike Wednesday on Arbutus Avenue in Southeast Roanoke. Police say the driver of the car that hit the child and other witnesses remained on scene and were cooperative with the investigation. The child’s age has not been released, but the child is not yet a teenager.
The effort to prevent Virginians from driving impaired changed its messaging in the past few years based on research. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
Vinton, VA -On December 28, 2021, at 1:54 p.m., officers of the Vinton Police Department responded to a malicious wounding call for service in the 200 block of 8th Street, Vinton. Responding officers located one adult male with what appeared to be a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The adult male was subsequently transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. The suspect vehicle, a red small sedan, fled the scene before officers’ arrival. Currently, detectives with the Vinton Police Department are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made at this time.Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Vinton Police Department at (540)-283-7049.
According to officials, an on-duty Virginia sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Christmas Eve and charged with intoxicated driving. Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy Lemmie Sanders III was charged with driving under the influence after the sheriff’s office received a 911 call Friday night about the deputy’s erratic driving. According to The Roanoke Times, a trooper then found Sanders’ vehicle after it had hit a curb. A department spokesperson said the car had sustained minor damage. The Roanoke Times could not reach Sheriff Mike Worrell on Monday for information on Sanders’ employment status. Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney Justin Griffith says the circuit court will appoint a special prosecutor to handle Sanders’ case.
UPDATE: The victim has been identified as Mario Green, 41 of Roanoke. There are no further updates and this remains an ongoing homicide investigation.
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Hanover Avenue NW Homicide –On December 22, 2021 at approximately 12:00 a.m., City of Roanoke E-911 Center personnel notified Roanoke Police of a disorder at a residence in the 1000 block of Hanover Avenue NW. Responding officers located an adult male and adult female inside the residence, both with apparent gunshot wounds. The adult female had a non-life threatening gunshot wound and was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital by Roanoke Fire-EMS. The adult male had what appeared to be a critical injury, and was pronounced deceased by Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel. The man’s identity will be shared after proper notifications are made. Detectives are working to determine what led to this shooting. No arrests have been made at this time. This is an ongoing homicide investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call (540)344-8500 and share what you know. You can also text us at 274637; please begin the text with “RoanokePD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and texts can remain anonymous.
(Roanoke County, VA—December 23, 2021) Roanoke County Fire and Rescue responded at approximately 4:45p.m. on Thursday, December 23, 2021 to the 100block of Hershberger Road, in the North County area, for the report of a commercial fire alarm. First arriving crews from Roanoke County Station 1(North County)found a small fire on the stovetop of one apartment. That small fire was contained by the building’s sprinkler system. The resulting water damage has done approximately $75,000 in damage and has displaced multiple units of the multi-story apartment complex. Those displaced are being assisted by The American Red Cross. ###
During the month of December, Bedford County Sheriff’s Office has taken numerous larceny reports from unlocked vehicles in the Forest area of the county. Items stolen include firearms, vehicles, credit cards, cash, and various other items. On 12/23/2021 the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office located a suspicious vehicle leaving an apartment complex in the Forest area. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and observed items in open view that matched the descriptions of items stolen earlier in the evening.
Deputies have recovered two stolen firearms and various other stolen items taken on Wednesday morning as well as items stolen early this morning. As a result, Jamari Stewart and Jermaine Hawkins were charged 1 count of Grand Larceny of a Firearm and 2 counts of Petit Larceny each. A juvenile will also be facing charges related to the larcenies. The investigation is continuing, and additional charges are expected to be forthcoming
Dominic Thomas Novia
Boones Mill, Virginia (December 23rd, 2021) – On Wednesday, December 22, 2021, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a call for shots fired in the 6000 block of Bethlehem Road in Boones Mill, Virginia. Upon arrival, deputies located Mary Ann Cook, seventy years of age, deceased in her residence from an apparent gunshot wound. Dominic Novia was identified as the suspect and had fled the scene on foot.
Additional information came into the Emergency Communications Center that a male matching the suspect’s description was in the area of a nearby convenience store. Units arrived on scene, immediately searched the area, and located the suspect near Whispering Creek Road. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Franklin County Jail.
Dominic Thomas Novia, thirty years old of Boones Mill, has been charged with Second Degree Murder and is being held without bond. This was an isolated incident and poses no further threat to the community.