Caroline County | I'm Surrounded By Idiots

Search operations at The Four Winds Club, Caroline County

This happened Saturday morning (July 21, 2007) but I was waiting on a update on the woman’s status before posting:

At approximately 0245 (2:45 a.m.), a call was received from a visitor of The Four Winds Club, located at 2350 Skinkers Neck Drive, Rappahannock Academy, reporting that a woman had gone missing approximately three hours ago and was last seen along the Rappahannock River.

The Caroline County Sheriff’s Office coordinated and helped to conduct search operations of the campground while personnel from the Port Royal Volunteer Fire Department conducted search operations in the Rappahannock River using a boat and a body heat detection device. Personnel from the Bowling Green Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Ladysmith Volunteer Fire Department rescue/dive team also responded.

The Virginia State Police dispatched resources including a State Police tracking dog and a helicopter (N36VA) from their Aviation Unit which used forward looking infrared to conduct a search of the forest and open areas.

At day break, fire and rescue volunteers went door-to-door asking residents if they had seen the missing woman without success before they were relieved at approximately 0900 (9:00 a.m.). The woman was eventually located and was unharmed.

Caroline Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary – July 24, 2007

Nothing really interesting but here’s the main points:

Bill Griffin, Supervisor of Maintenance, announced that repairs/upgrades for Bowling Green Primary School, Bowling Green Elementary School, and Ladysmith Primary School will not be completed this summer due to a lack of response to the requests for proposal (RFP). The upgrades may be able to be done during Christmas break during December or will have to wait until next summer to be completed.
The board approved up to $516,291 in bonds for the Dawn Wastewater Project.
A rezoning application for the new 19-lot subdivision east of 301, south of Chase Street in Bowling Green was approved.

Next meeting: August 14th, 2007, 6:00 p.m., Community Services Center – Auditorium.

Hot pursuit in Caroline County.

From Fredericksburg.com [photo credit: Lippa for Sheriff]: Woman faces charges in two localities:

A Fredericksburg woman was charged yesterday with hit-and-run and eluding police in episodes in two localities.

Beth A. Egnar, 43, was charged with DUI and eluding police in Caroline County and was served a warrant for a felony hit-and-run in Fredericksburg Sunday night.

[…]

Caroline Sheriff Tony Lippa said his office got a call about 11 p.m. Sunday to be on the lookout for Egnar. A man had called 911 and told Fredericksburg police that he was following a woman who struck his vehicle and drove off.

Fredericksburg spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said Egnar was driving a 2003 Subaru wagon when she allegedly hit a Dodge pickup truck on State Route 2.

Lippa said his department put out two sets of road spikes on Route 2 before they were finally able to stop the car, which was southbound.

Lippa said the car stopped for police at an intersection just north of Bowies Pond with all four tires flattened and surrounded by six to seven police cars.

Good thing Lippa bought those spike strips (at no cost to the county by using drug seizure money).

Justice in Caroline? Nope, just nolle prosequis. Part 2 AKA Latney fiddles while Caroline burns…

See previous article.

I previously quoted this week’s edition of The Caroline Progress regarding the various nolle prosequis [Latin for “not to wish to prosecute”] by Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey Latney, Jr., Esq., well it gets even better when you check out the background of the people that Mr. Latney, Esq., wishes not to prosecute (nolle prosequi by Latney in italics, felonies in bold [note: this is just Caroline County, Virginia unless otherwise noted {photo credit: Caroline County Sheriff’s Office and Delaware Criminal Justice Information System – Online Wanted Person Review}]):

Eric Childs:
- July 10, 2007:
  - Pleaded guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
  - Pleaded guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
  - Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
  - Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
- March 26, 2006:
  - Guilty – Possession/distribution of controlled paraphernalia.
- February 8, 2006:
  - Guilty in absentia – Drunk in public.
- May 27, 2005:
  - Guilty – Petit larceny.
- May 31, 1998:
  - Guilty in absentia – Drunk in public.
Paul Ferguson:
- August 24, 2007:
  - Pending – Failure to appear on felony charge.
  - Pending – Possession of cocaine.
  - Pending – Driving on suspended.
- July 10, 2007:
  - Nolle prosequi – Credit card fraud.
- April 6, 2007:
  - Guilty – Failure to appear on felony charge.
  - Guilty – Driving on suspended.
  - Guilty – Seat belt violation.
- February 2, 2007:
  - Guilty in absentia – Driving under revoked/suspended license.
  - Guilty in absentia – Failure to appear on driving suspended.
  - Guilty in absentia – Safety beat violation.
- July 19, 2006:
  - Guilty in absentia – Expired state inspection.
  - Guilty in absentia – Seat belt violation.
  - Guilty in absentia – No operation license in possession.
- June 25, 2003:
  - Prepaid – 62/45 speeding.
- July 3, 2002:
  - Prepaid – 74/55 speeding.
Saleem Stevens:
- July 10, 2007:
  - Nolle Prosequi – Possession of a controlled substance.
- June 24, 2005:
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of Schedule I/II drugs.
  - Nolle prosequi – Distribution of Schedule I/II drugs.
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of a controlled substance.
  - Nolle prosequi – Conspiracy to violate drug act.
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of substance with firearm.
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of cocaine.
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of ecstacy [sic].
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of heroin.
  - Nolle prosequi – Possession of marijuana.
Edward Pinkney:
- July 13, 2007:
  - Guilty – Trespass after forbidden.
  - Nolle prosequi – Grand larceny.
- January 5, 1994:
  - Sentence/Probation revoked – Show cause.
- May 26, 1993:
  - Guilty – Possession of cocaine.
Donald Grabenstein:
- July 13, 2007:
  - Nolle prosequi – Assault and battery.
- January 19, 2005, District Court for Baltimore County, Maryland:
  - Guilty – Assault, second degree.
  - Guilty – Disorderly conduct.
- June 29, 2004, District Court for Baltimore City, Maryland:
  - Guilty – Controlled dangerous substance: Possession – not marihuana [sic].
Ernest Deviers:
- July 13, 2007:
  - Nolle prosequi – Assault and battery.
- October 19, 2005 in Stafford County, Virginia:
  - Guilty – Criminal non-support.
- December 6, 2001 in Stafford County, Virginia:
  - Guilty in absentia – Bad check $34.16.
- July 31, 2001 in Fredericksburg, Virginia:
  - Guilty – Failure to appear for trial.
  - Guilty – Bad check $89.88.
- February 27, 1998 in Stafford County, Virginia:
  - Guilty – Habitual offender violation.
- September 30, 1997 in Stafford County, Virginia:
  - Guilty in absentia – Invalid boat registration.
  - Guilty in absentia – Operation boat without proper.
- April 19, 1993 in Stafford County, Virginia:
  - Driving while suspended after driving while intoxicated.
- Has warrants out for him in two states:
  - Delaware:
    - Capias / Failure to appear – capias return/civil contempt of court.
    - Warrant failure to appear / failure to stop at a stop sign – warrant failure to appear / driving while suspended or revoked.
    - Capias failure to pay / driving while suspended or revoked.
  - Maryland:
    - Failure to appear – Driving while intoxicated, under the influence of alcohol or drugs or drugs & alcohol or controlled dangerous substance.
    - Failure to appear – Person driving motor vehicle on suspended out of state license.

Sources:

Justice in Caroline? Nope, just nolle prosequis.

From The Caroline Progress (print edition): Circuit Court–July 10 [emphasis mine throughout]:

Eric Childs, of Ruther Glen, was charged with four counts distribution of cocaine from separate incidents on Sept. 13, 2006, Sept. 20, 2006 and Nov. 6, 2006. He was arrested on April 17 following a direct indictment by Caroline County Grand Jury. Two of the charges were nolle prosequi. Childs pleaded guilty to the other two felony charges and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Sept. 25.

Paul David Ferguson, of Ruther Glen, was charged with felony credit card fraud from an incident on April 22, 2006. He was arrested on May 5, 2006. The charge was nolle prosequi.

Saleem R. Stevens, of unknown address, was charged with felony possession of controlled substance from an incident on Dec. 2, 2004. He was arrested on Jan. 9 following a direct indictment by Caroline County Grand Jury. The charge was nolle prosequi.

From The Caroline Progress (print edition): General District Court–July 13 [emphasis mine throughout]:

Edward Carl Pinkney, of Woodford, was found guilty of misdemeanor trespassing from an incident on March 10. He was arrested on March 25 by Caroline County Deputy Ketchem. Pinkney was originally charged with felony burglary and grand larceny, but the burglary charged was amended and the grand larceny charge was nolle prosequi. He was sentenced to 12 months with 12 months suspended on the amended charge.

Donald Grabenstein, of Rappahannock Academy, was charged with assault and battery from an incident on June 17. The charge was nolle prosequi.

Ernest W. Deviers, Jr., of Fredericksburg, was charged with assault from and incident on June 17. The charge was nolle prosequi.

Nice to see that Harvey Latney chooses not to prosecute drug dealers, credit card defrauders, grand larcenizers, and assault and batterers. Am I the only one that thinks there needs to be a change in this county?

Caroline Deputies Catch Internet Predator

From WTVR CBS 6 in Richmond [photo credit: Ibid]:

Caroline County Deputies catch a 21-year-old man trying to solicit sex from a teenager over the internet. And James Street admits he did it to CBS 6 News.

“I’m just a young guy who was kinda bored at home and you know nothing really to do and got on a chat room,” James Street says.

“I’m so upset at myself. I know better and it just sucks,” he went on to say.

He’s knows better? To do it or get caught?

Caroline Sheriff Tony Lippa says Street thought he was talking to a 13-year-old girl, but it was really a Caroline Deputy. After two hours of sexually explicit chat, deputies set up a meeting time and place. Street never showed up, but the sheriff says they had enough to arrest him anyway. It’s against state law to try to solicit sex from a teen over the internet, and a felony.

“I’m not a predator. I’m just a young kid who made a mistake. I mean it’s not like, it’s not like I was really going to pursue anything,” Street tells CBS 6.

You’re not a predator? You’re a 21-year-old that attempted to solicit a 13-year-old. I think your picture is in the dictionary under the word “predator”.

He’s charged with indecent liberties and using a computer to solicit sex from a minor. Even worse, Street works at a local camp with teens. He’s free on bond.

Good job Caroline Sheriff’s Office.

Hat tip: Tom James’s Caroline County, VA JUSTICE Blog

As a bonus, here’s his interview with Jon Burkett of WTVR: [googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3216419653316809793]