FXBG, Stafford Police Reports: DUIs, Liquor Stores, and Wild Horses

Kelly Sienkowski August 1, 2024 at 10:30am

Stafford County DUI crashes The Stafford County Sheriff's office marked the end of July with several arrests for charges involving vehicles and alcohol.

On July 27, just before midnight, a 21-year-old man crashed his father's Mustang into a median near Circle K on Prosperity Lane, disabling the car. The occupants tried to move the car but left it unattended in a Lowe's parking lot. Deputy T.G. Croson found the driver, who showed signs of intoxication and admitted to drinking margaritas. Empty alcohol bottles were found in the vehicle, and a witness provided video showing the driver’s reckless behavior before the crash. The driver was charged with DUI and reckless driving and was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail until sober.

On July 27th just before midnight, Deputy T.G. Croson responded to the Circle K, located at 34 Prosperity Lane, for a single vehicle auto accident. It was advised a Mustang struck a median, disabling the vehicle. Right after the crash, the occupants began cleaning up their mess by pushing the crippled car out of the roadway.When deputies arrived, they located the vehicle in the Lowe’s parking lot, now unattended. After a quick drive around the area, Deputy Croson located a male matching the description of the driver. When Deputy Croson made contact with the 21-year-old, he would confirm he was the driver and the vehicle was his fathers. The driver not only had signs of intoxication, but admitted to consuming margaritas earlier.During an inventory search of the vehicle, empty alcohol bottles were located. A witness came forward with video of the collision that showed the driver traveling in a reckless manner moments before impact. The driver was charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail until sober.

On July 29, a 39-year-old Stafford man, Stephen Alexander, was arrested after crashing into a deputy's vehicle while allegedly driving intoxicated. Deputy S. Waheed had initiated a traffic stop when Alexander’s black Acura MDX, traveling at high speed, struck the deputy's cruiser. Although there were no injuries, Alexander fled the scene but was quickly tracked down with the help of evidence left behind and local police. Alexander, whose license was previously revoked due to a DUI, showed signs of intoxication. He faces numerous charges, including a second DUI offense, felony hit and run, and multiple traffic violations. He is being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

A 39-year-old Stafford man is behind bars after striking a deputy’s vehicle during his intoxicated drive On July 29th at approximately 11:07 p.m. Deputy S. Waheed was at the intersection of Garrisonville Road and Salisbury Drive when he noticed a vehicle with an equipment violation. He would conduct a traffic stop with the vehicle on the Jessica Cheney Bridge. Seconds after getting out of his vehicle, Deputy Waheed’s cruiser was struck by a black Acura MDX traveling at a high rate of speed. Luckily, there were no injuries. Deputy Waheed maintained a visual on the suspect vehicle as it fled from the scene and broadcasted its information to nearby deputies. The suspect vehicle would swerve between lanes and run the red light at Richmond Highway as it entered into Aquia Harbour. With the assistance of Aquia Harbour Police, and the evidence left at the crash site including a side view mirror, deputies quickly located the suspect vehicle. The driver was identified as Stephen Alexander. Alexander had a revoked license due to a prior DUI in 2023. He had signs of intoxication, including the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. He was detained and faced a slew of charges. Alexander was charged with second offense driving under the influence within five years, felony hit and run, failure to yield to flashing lights, driving while revoked, driving after forfeiture of his license, driving without an ignition interlock system, using a handheld device while driving, failure to obey a traffic light, failure to be in the required position and method of turning at an intersection, tire tread depth, and inspection of a motor vehicle required. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Thieves target liquor stores

On July 30, a series of alcohol thefts led to a police chase and subsequent arrest. Deputies responded to thefts at two ABC Stores, discovering the suspects were targeting multiple locations. The suspects were driving a blue Honda Odyssey, which was later spotted and pursued by deputies. The chase, which included dangerous driving and nearly hitting a pedestrian, was eventually called off due to safety concerns. The vehicle was found abandoned, and a K-9 unit helped locate the passenger, Adrian Barett, 21, who said the stolen alcohol was to pay for fentanyl. Barett was charged with possession of controlled substances, possession of a stolen vehicle, and obstruction of justice. The driver remains unidentified.

On July 30 at approximately 6:53 p.m. Deputy X.D. Bates responded to the ABC Store, located at 356 Garrisonville Road, for a larceny. Staff advised nearly $250 worth of drinks were just stolen by two suspects before they fled in a blue Honda Odyssey. Staff further advised these two suspects had been targeting various ABC stores throughout Virginia. With this extra information, deputies prepared in case another store was hit. Their preparation paid off, for at 7:14 p.m. Deputy S. Waheed responded to the ABC Store, located at 50 North Stafford Complex Court, for another larceny. The suspect description matched one of the suspects in the previous report and he too fled in a blue Honda Odyssey. As Deputy Waheed gathered information from the business, Deputy Bates canvassed the area for the Odyssey. He would locate the suspect vehicle in the area of Garrisonville Road and Eustace Road. With Sergeant M.L. Jacobeen and Deputy K.F. Bierfeldt now in the area as well, they activated their emergency equipment to conduct a traffic stop. Instead, the vehicle would make evasive maneuvers and kick off a pursuit. As the vehicle’s speeds began to climb, it nearly struck a pedestrian at Salisbury Drive. The vehicle would continue down Garrisonville Road before turning onto Northbound Richmond Highway. There, it would travel Northbound using the Southbound lanes multiple times. Under the watchful eye of First Sergeant M.R. Flick, deputies continued the pursuit into Prince William County but, due to unsafe conditions, the pursuit was terminated. Deputies instead began canvassing the area when Deputy Bates located the unoccupied vehicle on Eby Drive. With the help of a K-9 Unit, the passenger was located within the area. He would admit to stealing the alcohol in an attempt to sell it to buy fentanyl. Within the vehicle, which was discovered to be stolen out of Prince William County, deputies located the stolen alcohol and suspected controlled substances. The passenger, Adrian Barett, 21, of Woodridge, was charged with possession of controlled substances, possession of a stolen vehicle, and obstruction of justice. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond. The driver has yet to be identified or located. That being said, the businesses he stole from got a good look at him. If you have any information, please contact the Stafford Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4450.

Deputies Saddle Up in Race to Catch Wandering Horses

Stafford Sheriffs responded to a call for three loose horses on Garrisonville Road.

On July 19th at 10:05 p.m. Sergeant A.T. Leckemby herd the call from our Emergency Communications Centaur for three loose horses on Garrisonville Road near Rock Hill Church Road. He arrived in the area to find the horses we’ve affectionately named Harry Trotter, David Hasselhoof and John Bon Pony in the roadway. The horses were running in the roadway, but not furlong.

Sergeant Leckemby channeled his inner Rip Wheeler and was able to stable-ize the situation. With the help of a neigh-bor, the horses were quickly returned to the corral to end this bronco buffoonery.

Fredericksburg Police Arrest Credit Card Theft Suspect While Another Remains at Large

On July 19, 2024, Fredericksburg Police arrested Bashir Salvador, 32, after he and an accomplice were suspected of making fraudulent purchases with stolen credit cards at Lowe's. Salvador was apprehended following a foot chase, while the second suspect escaped in a U-Haul van later found abandoned in Spotsylvania, VA. The U-Haul contained stolen credit cards and ID cards, and the suspects are linked to nineteen frauds between Florida and Virginia; the second suspect remains at large. On July 19, 2024, Fredericksburg Police Officers were informed that two subjects were inside Lowe's, located at 1361 Carl D. Silver Parkway, making multiple high-dollar Dyson vacuum purchases with stolen credit card accounts. Officer Bach arrived in the business's parking lot and observed one suspect fleeing in a U-Haul van while the other fled on foot. Officer Baugher and Officer Bach gave chase to the male on foot as he ran through Central Park. Officer Parker was in the area and spotted the subject as he ran across Carl D. Silver Parkway. After a lengthy foot chase, Officer Parker caught the suspect and took him into custody.

The U-Haul driver managed to evade escape, and the U-Haul would later be found abandoned in Spotsylvania, VA. A search of the U-Haul yielded a large quantity of stolen credit cards and ID cards. Detective Mejia later determined that the U-Haul was rented from Sanford, FL, under the name Salvador on July 17, 2024. The U-Haul was used by the same two suspects who committed nineteen separate frauds between Florida and Virginia. Bashir Salvador, 32, of Far Rockaway, NY, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, credit card theft, credit card fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, and larceny with the intent to distribute. The second suspect, pictured below, is still unidentified and remains at large.