News
UPDATED SUNDAY PM — Botetourt County Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle reports that Search and Rescue crews located the body of William Weikart around 10 am this morning. He was located in a pine thicket about 50 yards off of the Cherry Blossom trail. The Body will be sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for the cause and manner of death to be determined. No evidence of foul play was found. Sheriff Sprinkle wants to thank the multiple Search, Rescue and K-9 groups who responded from as far away as Blacksburg and Richmond to assist his Office and Botetourt Fire and EMS Career and Volunteer staff. Also thanks to the Virginia State Police and others involved in this effort.
(Continue reading for the earlier news release.)
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring says the holiday season is prime time for criminals and scammers — one reason his office has revamped its Consumer Protection Section. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones.
Click here for the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection website.
From Salem Fire and EMS: The Salem Fire & EMS Department responded to a structure fire at 425 White St. this morning at approximately 1:27 a.m. Two people were inside the home at the time of the fire, but both escaped without injury. The first units arrived within six minutes of receiving the call and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the building. The fire was brought under control within seven minutes of the arrival of the first engine. The building did sustain fire and smoke damage, but the fire was contained to the kitchen. Approximately 14 personnel from the Salem Fire & EMS Department (Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Truck 1, Battalion 1 & Fire Medic 1) responded to the call. Roanoke Fire & EMS (Engine 4) and Roanoke County Fire & Rescue (Tanker 9) was on standby to cover additional emergency calls for the City of Salem. The Salem Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was caused by unattended cooking and the damage from the fire is estimated to be approximately $50,000. The residents of the home were displaced and are staying with family.
From the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office: Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call at 8:50 p.m. Wednesday night from Georgia Pacific in Big Island. The caller reported a man had fallen into a machine. Big Island Fire Department and rescue units along with Bedford County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The victim of the accident is Robert C. Dameron, age 44, of Natural Bridge. The body was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke. The Virginia Department of Labor will investigate the incident. Because of the ongoing investigation no further comments will be made until the investigation is completed.
Substance use disorders of multiple types have been identified a public health crisis recently by both federal and state health officials. WFIR’s Ian Price has reaction with a nationally-recognized addiction:
(Roanoke Fire-EMS photo)
From Roanoke Fire-EMS: Early this morning around 12:20 am crews responded to a fire in the 1000 block of 12th St., SE. This is the third fire at this vacant house this year and the cause has been ruled as incendiary (intentionally set). No injuries were reported. If you have any information about this fire, please call the Roanoke Fire Marshal’s Office at 540-853-2795.