Crime and Public Safety
Roanoke Fire-EMS FB photo
(from Roanoke Fire-EMS) At 2:24 pm Roanoke Fire-EMS (on Saturday) was dispatched to the 2400 block of Williamson Rd NE for a fire. A small fire was swiftly knocked down upon arrival. Two residents will be displaced as a result of the fire. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
(from Roanoke PD 4/12) UPDATE: The victim of this incident has been identified as Timothy Gravely,(From Roanoke PD) On April 10 at approximately 5:15 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified of a motor vehicle crash with injuries in the 1600 block of Wayne Street NE. Responding officers located an adult male with what appeared to be serious injuries. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the victim to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The victim’s identity will be released after next of kin is properly notified. Preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the vehicle crashed into a building, striking the victim during the process. The driver was located near the scene. The driver was identified as Timothy Cotton, 46 of Roanoke. He was arrested and charged with manslaughter. This is an ongoing fatality investigation. No further information is available at this time.
NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated in a headline that a motorcycle was involved
(from Bedford County Sheriff’s office) Back in Business! After a lengthy unexpected COVID break, The Inmate Work Force started back this week picking up trash at multiple locations throughout Bedford County. Please be careful if you see us out and about on the side of the roads. If you know of a location that needs some extra attention, just put it in a comment below and we will add it to our list.
Montgomery County Emergency Services photo
(from MontCo Emergency Services) Around noon today the Riner Volunteer Fire Department, Riner Volunteer Rescue Squad, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle crash with injuries on Route 8. NRV 911 advised responding crews that there was a head on collision with possible entrapment. Firefighters arrived on scene to find two vehicles with heavy damage. Two patients were found in one of the vehicles and there was no entrapment. Fire and EMS crews treated both patients before they were transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
MGN
(VSP release) The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Wytheville Field Office, after consultation with the Washington County Commonwealth’s Attorney, has arrested a Damascus man on three felony counts of attempted homicide following a hit-and-run near Abingdon. Jesse A. Fritz, 20, is being held without bond at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon.
At 3:46 p.m. on Friday (April 9, 2021), a Virginia State Police Sr. Trooper C.R. Wyrick was dispatched to a crash involving a pedestrian in the 14,300 block of Porterfield Highway north of Abingdon. Upon arriving on scene, the trooper identified three pedestrians had been struck in front of a building and the driver, Fritz, had fled the scene on foot. Fritz was located at approximately 5 p.m. and taken into custody by Abingdon Police.
Further investigation revealed that Fritz had been living at a residence in the building with two of the three victims he struck with his vehicle. As Fritz was pulling out of the parking lot, he did a U-turn and intentionally drove towards a 47-year-old male, an 18-year-old female and a 23-year-old female. Fritz first struck the bumper of a parked car before jumping the curb and striking all three individuals.
The male and 18-year-old female were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The 23-year-old female has been treated and released from a nearby hospital.
After consultation with the Washington County Commonwealth’s Attorney, state police obtained the three felony counts of attempted homicide for Fritz.
STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE: BOTETOURT, Va. – An extensive investigation into a claim by a 20-year-old Roanoke woman of being assaulted by a police officer on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County last month has proven to be unfounded. A month after the alleged incident was to have happened, the woman admitted her original account of the event on March 7, 2021, was untrue. She stated she made the story up because she was anxious.
The incident was reported to have occurred at 10:03 p.m., when the alleged victim claimed she was traveling south on I-81 and was stopped by a sedan with flashing red and blue lights somewhere between the town of Buchanan and the city of Roanoke. She told state police the man told her to exit her vehicle and when she did, she was pulled to the ground and struck in the head. The woman said she fought off the man, ran back to her vehicle and sped away.
No report was made of the alleged attack until a family member called Roanoke City 911 at 11:38 p.m. that same night. The call was transferred to state police, which immediately dispatched multiple troopers to the area to conduct an extensive search throughout the area for any vehicles fitting the description of the alleged attacker’s vehicle. No such vehicle was located.
“State police took this incident very seriously, as it does any report of a police impersonator and/or a young woman being assaulted on the side of the road,” said Capt. Richard Denney, Virginia State Police Salem Division Commander. “We dedicated multiple uniform and investigative resources to this case to make certain no one else would or could be put at risk along I-81.”
Virginia State Police Trooper L.A. Dowdy was assigned to investigate the allegations, with the assistance of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office. But the woman’s statements about the encounter she provided to state police conflicted with statements posted on social media detailing the same incident. Additional inconsistencies developed during the course of the investigation. On April 7, 2021, after approaching the alleged victim again, she recanted her original version. After consultation with the Botetourt County Commonwealth’s Attorney, no charges will be placed.
MGN
ROANOKE POLICE UPDATE: We regret to inform you that the victim of this incident has passed away from his injuries. The victim has been identified as De’Andre Kasey,
29 of Roanoke.
PREVIOUS: On April 3, 2021 at approximately 11:55 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified that a person had been shot in the 100 block of Campbell Avenue SE [the Market Square area]. While officers were responding to the scene, they were advised that an adult male with what appeared to be serious injuries from a gunshot wound had arrived via personal transport to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Officers located evidence of a shooting on scene, but did not locate any other victims or suspects. No arrests have been made regarding this incident at this time. This remains an ongoing 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.
(from Roanoke PD) On April 8, 2021 at approximately noon, Roanoke Police were notified that a person had been shot in the 1700 block of Rorer Avenue SW. Responding officers located an adult female victim with what appeared to be a non-life threatening injury. The victim was treated on scene by Roanoke Fire-EMS and did not wish to be transported to the hospital. The preliminary investigation indicates that the incident did not occur where the victim was located. Officers are still attempting to locate the scene of this incident. The victim and suspect are known to one another and this appears to be an isolated incident. At this time, no arrests have been made regarding this 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.
MGN
Roanoke Police have charged a city resident with a robbery attempt that left him hospitalized with a gunshot wound. Police say it happened in the early-morning hours a week ago Monday on the 1400 block of Chapman Avenue SW. Officials say 18-year-old Anthony Muhammad, Jr. tried to rob another person, but he was shot in the resulting struggle with the would-be victim.
UPDATED NEWS RELEASE: Roanoke Police have arrested Anthony Muhammad Jr., 18 of Roanoke, and charged him with robbery and use of firearm in commission of a felony regarding this incident. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Mr. Muhammad Jr. was attempting to rob a person in the 1400 block of Chapman Avenue SW. That individual and Mr. Muhammad Jr. engaged in a physical struggle, which is when Mr. Muhammad Jr. was struck by gunfire. Detectives presented this case to the April meeting of the Roanoke Grand Jury, where the above indictments were issued for Mr. Muhammad Jr. Mr. Muhammad Jr. came to the Roanoke Police Department on April 7, 2021 where the above indictments were served and he was taken into custody without incident.
PREVIOUS: On March 29 at approximately 12:15 a.m., Roanoke Police were dispatched to reports of shots fired in the 1400 block of Chapman Avenue SW. While en route, officers were advised that there was a person down in the immediate area who may have been shot. Responding officers located an adult male with what appeared to be a serious gunshot wound. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. No other individuals were located on scene. Details about what led up to the shooting are limited at this time, but Detectives have determined that this is an isolated incident. At this point, no charges have been filed and no arrests have been made. This is an ongoing 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.