Our network

Devices that enable the disabled

Chesterfield County’s Office of the Senior Advocate will present a free seminar, Gadgets, Gizmos and Home Modifications, on Thursday, May 26, 9-10 a.m., at The Crossings a Bon Air, 9100 Bon Air Crossings Drive.

Community Sponsors

Man arrested after car crash, abandoning toddler

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) - Members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force have apprehended fugitive Lynn Dexter Bailey Jr., 26, who was wanted for abandoning his toddler after he fled from police and crashed his vehicle in March 2010.

The March 3, 2010 incident began when police responded to the 3000 block of Bluffside Drive to investigate a suspicious vehicle report at about 6:30 a.m. When officers approached the car, the driver sped off and crashed into a nearby ditch. Bailey and an unidentified woman ran from the vehicle. Officers subsequently found the unharmed toddler near the vehicle.

After receiving a Crime Solvers tip, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, including two Chesterfield detectives, located Bailey in the 2300 block of Navajo Court in Petersburg and arrested him without incident at about 7 a.m. today.

Parents sound off on overcrowding plan

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Chesterfield parents are not holding back their opinions when it comes to over crowding in their children's school.

Cosby High School is the most over-crowded high school in the county.

One idea to fix the problem would be to send some students to Manchester, becaUse it has room for about 300 more students.

At a meeting last night, the superintendent says the switch is cost-effective and the least disruptive option.

But many of the parents disagreed with nine neighborhoods being redistricted to lower enrollment at Cosby.

The change would be effective in the 2012-2013 school year.

Next, the school board must approve the superintendent's redistricting recommendation.

That could happen as soon as the board's next meeting, which is next Tuesday.

Traffic light operational at Hull St. and Otterdale

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - A traffic alert for drivers who use Hull Street in western Chesterfield.

There will now be a new traffic light at the intersection of Hull Street and Otterdale roads.

This comes after people who live in the area complained about how congested the area can be.

V-DOT studied the intersection last year and decided it needed a traffic light.

Any parents with children who go to Cosby High School may need to take time for adjustments, since the school is very close to that intersection.

Copyright 2011 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.

Community Sponsors

For all your event needs!
Kevin Langford Plumbing, easing your mind, one pipe at a time.

Meth labs heading towards Richmond-metro

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - These are the numbers of meth lab incidents in Virginia from 2006-2009: 21, 22, 19 and 28. The numbers are pretty steady. Then in 2010, a major hike to 107 meth lab incidents. 

The statistic is attributed to more police cracking down on the chemical cookers. But, there are also more meth addicts in the Richmond-metro area.

So far in 2011, there have been more than 50 meth lab incidents. State police report some in Chester, Petersburg and the Fan in Richmond where homes are separated by a few feet.

Lieutenant John Ruffin, a meth expert for Virginia State Police said you need to keep an eye out on your neighbor next door.

"We started seeing an influx coming from Tennessee, out in Southwest Virginia," explained Lt. John Ruffin. "It's slowly moving up into Roanoke now and it's slowly moving its way eastward towards Richmond."

More than fifty car batteries stolen

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – Thieves are stealing car batteries from auto repair shops and it's been caught on camera! They've hit shops up and down Jeff Davis Highway in Chesterfield and Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond.

We've learned the two police departments are working together to see if the more than fifty incidents we found are connected. Crooks will only get about ten dollars for each battery. It will cost shops, on the other hand, upwards of $100 to replace every one.

Friday the 13th was not a good morning at All U Need Automotive in South Richmond.  Surveillance footage shows the brazen battery bandits taking their time breaking into ten cars.  From the time code on the tapes, they were on the lot for almost an hour. 

Owner Lee Runyon discovered the burglary when he opened for business.

Thomas Dale students arrested for alleged noose incident

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) – We've uncovered new information about a disturbing incident that has two Chesterfield students facing charges tonight. The two, white, Thomas Dale students are accused of trying to tie a noose around a black student. That black student's parent reported the incident to school officials and then police.

Students at Thomas Dale High School are all talking about an incident that happened at school last week that led to the arrest of two teens. Police tell us two white students are facing assault charges for what authorities are calling an alleged "bias-motivated incident."

"There were racial slurs that were directed at the black male," said Captain Russ Lescault with the Chesterfield Police Department.

"I guess they were just trying to be funny and result back to like the racial times of history, I guess," said Thomas Dale junior, Rebecca Wright. "I don't know. I guess they were just trying to be funny."