The Tappahannock Police Department has charged a second man in connection with the July 3, 2014 stabbing at Tappahannock Greens. Troy Lamont Burrell, 52 of Tappahannock has been arrested and charged with malicious wounding. Burrell and another man, Michael Deyo were involved in an altercation that resulted in both men being stabbed. Deyo has already been charged in relation to this incident with malicious wounding.
Both men are due in the Essex General District Court on September 11, 2014.
On June 30, 2014, at 2:45 pm, Tappahannock Police was called to 423 Virginia Street regarding a fight against several individuals. It was determined that the altercation had taken place between John W. Richards, age 42, of Tappahannock, and Harley D. Thacker, age 36, also of Tappahannock. The altercation had taken place inside Richard’s residence and then had continued out onto Virginia Street. Mr. Thacker’s injuries required him to be transported to Riverside Tappahannock Hospital and then to VCU Medical Center. He sustained extensive injuries to his left eye, and several internal injuries including broken ribs. Richards did not appear to have any visible injuries.
Due to the presence of a large congregation of people at the scene, the Tappahannock Police Department was assisted by the Essex Sheriff’s Department with crowd control. The scene was very chaotic and it was difficult to determine what had caused the altercation between the two men. However, after further investigation conducted by Officer Tim Johnson, John Richards was arrested for Malicious Wounding. He is currently being held without bond at the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center in Saluda pending trial. Mr. Thacker was treated and released after several days in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
The Tappahannock Police Department is also investigating another altercation that occurred on July 3 at the Tappahannock Greens Apartments. At approximately 10:35 pm, officers were dispatched to 994A Winston Road, Tappahannock, for a fight in progress with weapons involved. Upon arrival, officers observed two individuals who had been involved in an altercation, both persons having sustained severe wounds. Investigation revealed the two individuals had both displayed knives and had cut each other about the face and body. It was unable to determine the cause of the altercation. Both subjects were transported to Riverside Tappahannock Hospital for treatment. One subject was air-lifted to VCU Medical Center where he remains in critical but stable condition. The other subject was treated and released.
The police department has arrested and charged Michael F. Deyo, 49 of New Point with malicious wounding. The identity of the other person involved is being withheld pending the completion of the investigation. Additional charges are possible.
Tappahannock Police have arrested seven individuals related to a theft ring from the Tappahannock Wal-Mart. On Sunday, May 4 the department was alerted by Wal-Mart that an employee was alleged to be stealing and trading merchandise from the store. The employee, Franklin Neale, Jr., 23 of Warsaw was charged with thirteen felony and misdemeanor thefts that occurred during April and May of this year. The police department believes that Neale would facilitate and assist others to remove items from the store. The items in question ranged from fishing licenses and fishing equipment, stereos, speakers, and other household goods. To date a substantial amount of the property has been recovered. The other individuals arrested and charged are as follows:
Amanda L. Rhodes, 25 of Dunnsville, three counts of petit larceny
Jeremy L. Blackwell, 19 of Heathsville, one petit larceny, one conspire to commit larceny, two counts grand larceny, and two conspiracy to commit grand larceny
Taylor N. Packett, 18 of Caret, one count petit larceny and one count conspire to commit larceny
Richard Bowen, Jr., 31 of Hauge, one felony conspire to commit larceny and one felony larceny
William E. R. LaRochelle, 25 of Dunnsville, one felony conspire to commit larceny and one felony larceny
Aaron P. LaRochelle, 22 of Heathsville, three grand larceny and two conspiracy to commit grand larceny
According to Chief James G. Ashworth, Jr. this case is still under investigation and more charges are possible.
All suspects in this case are due in Essex General District Court on June 12, 2014
Seat belts prevent ejection and without one, a person’s body becomes a missile inside the vehicle. The Tappahannock Police Department along with DMV’s Virginia Highway Safety Office encourages everyone on the road to wear their seat belts during every trip, day and night.
Law enforcement officers in Tappahannock and across Virginia and the nation will be out in full force looking for seat belt violators during the national Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization this May. “If you’re not buckled up, you will get a ticket,” warned Chief James G. Ashworth, Jr. “Don’t risk death or injuring others in your vehicle. If you’re driving, the second action you need to take after fastening your own seat belt is to insist all your passengers are wearing their belts too.”
Day and night, local law enforcement officers are on the lookout for those not wearing their seat belts--and for good reason. In 2012 in the U.S., 61 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. “Local law enforcement officers are actually trained to spot seat belt violations at night, so just because it’s dark, don’t think they won’t be able to spot unbelted drivers,” said Chief Ashworth.
Virginia’s statewide seat belt use rate was 79.7 percent in 2013 and 78.4 percent in 2012. Last year in Virginia, 54 percent of all traffic fatalities, or 310 deaths, were unrestrained drivers and passengers. Also, 118 (38 percent) of the unrestrained deaths were young people ages 21 to 35, and 73 percent were males. Most of the unrestrained fatalities, 144 or 46 percent, occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. Of the 228 unbelted driver fatalities, 55 (24 percent) had been drinking.
Drivers (75.7 percent) and passengers (68.8 percent) in pickup trucks had the lowest seat belt use rates, along with passengers (69.4 percent) in work vans.
“These numbers tell us young males, many of them pickup drivers who’ve been drinking, are not buckling up and dying on our roadways,” said Chief Ashworth. “We want to do everything we can to reach these people and save their lives.”
Those who drive and ride in pickup trucks may think that their large vehicle will protect them more than other vehicles in a crash. This false sense of security may cause them to not wear their seat belts, but the stats show that this bravado is misplaced. “Everyone, no matter what vehicle they are in or if they are a driver or passenger, should always buckle up,” said Ashworth.
On February 25, 2014, a joint task force consisting of local, state and federal authorities served multiple search warrants and arrested seven people in connection with Slipknots Trading & Tobacco, LLC. Connie R. Bowler, 47, of Gloucester; Melody R. Green, 52, of Topping; John Rhoades, 41, of Hayes; Brandon Bowler, 22, of Gloucester; Robert Rhoades, 19, of Hayes; Harrell Stockwell, 54, of Gloucester; and Christopher Lowery, 29, of Farnham, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute smokeable synthetic cannabinoids with the intent for human consumption, and drug paraphernalia.
Slipknots operated a store in Tappahannock in the Essex Square Shopping Center and had planned on moving the store near Wal-Mart in March. “My office has responded to numerous incidents where people who had smoked these products were having serious medical complications and needed to be hospitalized.” says Chief James Ashworth. “I have taken several phone calls from concerned citizens and parents who were upset about the products being sold and wanted know what to do.” “The current state laws didn’t allow us much option in enforcement which is why I also took a position of educating the public on the dangers associated with smoking these products.”
The indictments allege that the store sold the synthetic cannabinoids in conjunction with items such as rolling papers and water pipes. It is also alleged that Slipknots sold more than $3 million dollars of smokeable synthetic cannabinoids over an 18 month period at their stores.
This case now lies with the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
