On Tuesday, March 26, 2013 the Waynesboro Police Department arrested a Waynesboro man and woman in a drug sting at an apartment in the 200 block of Port Republic Rd.  Using a search warrant, the Deparment’s SWAT team raided the apartment and located the invididuals with suspected methamphetamine and paraphernalia used for drug distrbution. 

Robert Wesley Smith (aka “Rabbit”), 22 years old and

Virginia Mae Carlton, 18 years old, both of Waynesboro, were charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of methamphetamine, respectively.   Smith is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail; Carlton was released on a personal recognizance bond.

On Sunday, March 31, 2013 at 2:30 AM, officers were summoned to a residence in the 1400 block of 4^th Street for a domestic disturbance.  The 22 year old victim indicated that she had been held against her will by her boyfriend,

Steven Joseph Faulkner.  She attempted numerous times to escape but Faulkner assaulted her by biting, pushing and finally choking her until she lost consciousness.  Faulkner, 26 years old, of Waynesboro was charged with abduction and strangulation, both felonies and a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault.  He is being held without bond at MRRJ.

On March 20, Chief of Police Michael Wilhelm announced the promotions of Corporal Fred Smith to the rank of Sergeant and Officer Vincent Donald to the rank of Corporal.  The promotions come at the end of a three week process that involved a written test and oral interview.  The promotions have not yet become effective.

Corporal Smith joined the Police Department in 1996 and is originally from Buena Vista, VA.  He is an assistant patrol supervisor, defensive tactics instructor, driver training instructor, general instructor and a member of the Department’s bicycle team.

Officer Donald joined the Police Department in 2007 and is originally from Massachusetts.  He has a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.  He is a field training officer, defensive tactics instructor, general instructor and a member of the Department’s computer working group.

There will be an official promotion ceremony sometime in April.

The Waynesboro Police Department has responded to ten more vehicle burglaries that happened sometime overnight on March 18.  In the most recent incidents, which occurred in the neighborhood locally known as “the Philippines,” i.e. 4^th Street, B Street, Ivanhoe Ave, victims reports having property such as a laptop computer, tools, radio amplifiers, and a purse taken.  As in the previous cases, all of the vehicles were left unlocked. 

Again, the Police Department encourages citizens to remove valuables from vehicles that are left unattended overnight and, of course, to lock all vehicles even those parked in driveways, carports and opened garages.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is requested to call the Waynesboro Police Department at (540)942-6675 or Central Shenandoah Crime Stoppers at  1-800-322-2017.

Cash rewards will be given to anyone who gives information that leads to an arrest.

Previous Release   March 16, 2013

The Waynesboro Police Department is investigating a series of thefts from vehicles that happened sometime overnight on March 15.  As of 2:30 PM on this release date, the Department has responded to a dozen incidents of vehicles being entered and rummaged through.  The majority of the victims live in the Tree Streets neighborhood of the city; all of the vehicles targeted were left unlocked.  Victims reported having valuables such as computers, global positioning systems, flashlights, loose change, even a wallet with credit cards having been stolen. 

The Police Department encourages citizens to remove valuable from vehicles that are left unattended overnight and, of course, to lock all vehicles even those parked in driveways, carports and opened garages.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is requested to call the Waynesboro Police Department at (540)942-6675 or Central Shenandoah Crime Stoppers at  1-800-322-2017.

The Waynesboro Police Department has arrested five individuals after the department’s SWAT team & the WASSP regional drug task force executed a search warrant at a residence in Waynesboro.  On March 18, at approximately 6:30 PM, nearly twenty officers raided the residence at 304 Essex Ave. The search warrant was a culmination of an ongoing task force investigation in which the single family dwelling was alleged to be used for manufacturing methamphetamine by the residents.

After the SWAT team cleared the house of suspects, the Virginia State Police Clandestine Lab clean up team, aided by the Waynesboro Fire Department, decontaminated the suspects and inspected the house for potential hazardous materials.  Several ingredients and equipment that are used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine were seized.  The task force then conducted a search and undetermined amount of methamphetamine was located.  The scene was eventually cleared around 1:00 AM.

All five individuals were charged with two felony counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  They are being held at Middle River Regional Jail on various bonds.

Henry Max Liphart, 31 years old of 304 Essex Ave, Waynesboro

Kevin A. Hockman, 20 years old of 304 Essex Ave, Waynesboro

Jeremy Scott Wheeler, 30 years old of Stuarts Draft

Devin Wayne Flora, 20 years old of Raphine

Alexis O. Weiss, 24 years old of 304 Essex Ave, Waynesboro

Two teenagers, aged fourteen and seventeen, were also present but not charged.  Child Protective Services was contacted and is investigating any possible child endangerment violations.

The Waynesboro Police Department is requesting information in effort to locate a career criminal who has evaded arrest for over three years.  Fred William Quick, Jr, 44 years old, is wanted by both the Waynesboro Police Department and Augusta County Sheriff’s Office on six charges that date back to January 2010.  

Quick is wanted in Waynesboro for the following charges:

• Assault & battery – misdemeanor
• Circuit court capias/violate probation on grand larceny conviction – felony
• Juvenile & domestic relations court capias/fail to appear for child support hearing – misdemeanor
• 2 General district court capiases/fail to comply with court ordered restrictions – misdemeanors

He is wanted in Augusta County for a general district court capias/failure to pay restitution.

Quick is a white male whose last known physical description is listed below, although his appearance has likely changed.

• Height  - 5’8”
• Weight – 220 lbs.
• Eyes – green
• Hair – brown

Quick also has tattoos all over his arms, legs, torso and neck.

If anyone has information concerning his whereabouts, please contact the Waynesboro Police Department at 942-6675 or Central Shenandoah Crime Stoppers at 1-800-322-2017.

The Waynesboro Police Department has arrested a Crozet man after he went on a shoplifting spree that occurred over a two day period in three localities.  On March 12, officers charged Freddie Ray Frazier, 51 years old, after he stole over $200.00 worth of groceries from Martin’s, 437 Tiffany Drive.  When store employees confronted Frazier, he fled on foot through the field behind Buffalo Wild Wings where he was intercepted by responding officers.  Once they had Frazier under arrest, officers located the vehicle that Frazier was using, a Cadillac SRX, on the store’s parking lot.  The vehicle was filled with stolen merchandise, including meats, beer, paper towels, laundry detergents and baby diapers, that had been stolen from other stores.  Officers determined the property had been taken from Walmart in Staunton and Harris Teeter in Charlottesville.  The approximate sum of the stolen merchandise was $1500. 

In addition to the Waynesboro grand larceny charge, officers served a grand larceny charge on Frazier for a February 12 shoplifting at Kroger in Charlottesville.  He is currently being held without bond in Middle River Regional Jail.  Additional charges from other jurisdictions on Frazier are forthcoming.

A Maryland man wanted by the Waynesboro Police Department and three other local jurisdictions was arrested in Baltimore, MD on a local drug possession charge on February 14. William Christopher Smith, 49 years old, has felony charges in Waynesboro, Staunton, Rockbridge County and Shenandoah County.  All of the charges involve grand larceny or failure to appear in court on grand larceny charges over a three month period from November 2012 to February 2013.  Smith, who has several aliases, stole from box stores, e.g. Walmart and Kmart, and gave arresting officers various names and dates of birth allowing him to avoid incarceration as a repeat offender. 

Presently, officers from the Waynesboro Police Department are extraditing Smith back to Virginia.

The Waynesboro Police Department held its Quarterly awards presentation Today, February 20, 2013 in the department’s squad room. Chief Michael D. Wilhelm presented 6 awards including naming of the 2012 Officer of the Year.

 Officer Shamica Spears was presented Two Departmental Commendations for her exceptional performance in Speed and Seatbelt Enforcement during 2012. 

Sgt. Chris Hilliard was presented the Departmental Commendation for exceptional performance in DUI Enforcement in 2012.  

Officer Jesse Feazell was presented the Departmental Commendation for his exceptional performance during the investigation of a fatal traffic crash that occurred on July 3, 2012. 

Cpl. Alyssa Campbell was presented the Police Star Medal for resourcefulness, tenacity and leadership above the ordinary call of duty during the almost two year investigation into the disappearance and homicide of Karen Tait.

NOTE: This is the first time this medal has been awarded to a member of the department since its creation over ten years ago.  

Officer Robert Dean was named Officer of The Year for 2012 due to his exceptional performance. Officer Dean is a Field Training Officer, a member of the SWAT Team and serves as an instructor in several critical areas. In addition he serves in a leadership role in the License Plate Reader (LPR) Program and remains one of the most productive and proactive officers in the Department.

The Waynesboro Police Department has arrested two Waynesboro men on various drug charges.  On February 14, officers arrested Sajon Skylar Arey, 20 years old, after a routine traffic stop in the 100 block of N Charlotte Ave.  Arey, who was driving an improperly registered vehicle, was arrested for driving on a suspended license (DUI related).  A search of the vehicle yielded a considerable amount of methamphetamine and over $5300 and netted Arey an additional charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

On February 15, officers located Brandon Dell Curry, 30 years old, who was wanted for probation violations charges (drug related) out of Staunton and Harrisonburg, in a residence in the 500 block of Arch Ave.  Officers found Curry hiding in a bedroom closet.  After arresting Curry, officers executed a search warrant on the residence and found marijuana, cocaine and over $1000.  Local charges for Curry are possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana.

Both individuals are being held in Middle River Regional Jail without bond.