News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | November 1, 2026
Local News
CC shooting earns 39-year recommendation from jury
Charles City Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler described the shooting at the old elementary school as constructing a wall brick-by-brick with mortar. For one Highland Springs man, that wall came crashing down, along with seven guilty verdicts and a recommendation of 39 years in prison time. A jury of eight women and four men convicted JoQuan W. Hawkins, 21, of W. Jerald Street, on one count of aggravated malicious wounding, one count of malicious wounding, two counts of use of a firearm in a malicious wounding, and three counts of malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle during the two-day trial commencing…
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Woman accepts plea deal on embezzlement charges
A Richmond woman accepted a plea deal to seven counts of embezzlement during New Kent Circuit Court proceedings last Monday. Marleen Lewis Espada, 48, of 2406 Caddie Lane, admitted she stole money from August 2012 to February of this year. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, Espada embezzled $16,305.63 from Rick’s Local Deli, where she worked. While helping customers, Espada would make a sale and then void the transaction and pocket the money. An investigation ensued after funds were determined missing with results revealing that Espada had more than 50 voided sales per month, while…
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CC supervisors send $20,000 message to school board
When Charles City’s District 1 supervisor Gilbert Smith delivered his interpretation of comments in reference to providing matching funds for a school resource officer (SRO) to chairman Floyd Miles Sr. at the July 23 regular meeting, it was apparent by Miles’ reaction that he wasn’t happy. That demeanor immediately caused the chairman to call an immediate closed session prior to board directives. After a ten-minute private session, Miles emerged and motioned the revoking of $22,416 from county schools and returning the money to the county’s general fund. “I have heard rumors in regards to the funding for the grant,” said…
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Drunk driver carrying child to serve 17 months in jail
A man who operated his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and his son inside as a passenger will now spend the next 17 months in jail. James Nicholas Fray, 34, of 5635 Yellow Jasmine Terrace, Providence Forge, accepted a plea deal during July 29 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings. Under the agreement, the defendant pled guilty to one count of felony child abuse, and one count each on misdemeanors of driving under the influence (second offense), driving without a license, refusal of taking a breathalyzer test, and failure to stop at the scene of an accident. In a…
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Soliciting of murder charges dropped in NK Circuit Court
A Richmond man will not face charges for solicitation of murder in New Kent Circuit Court. Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory dropped two charges against Clyde Cecil Armstrong, 35, of 4301 East Parham Road, during Aug. 19 proceedings. Gregory addressed Judge Thomas B. Hoover and spoke about his meeting with Nottoway and Chesterfield officials. Those parties requested Gregory to either continue or to drop the case against Armstrong due to similar matters in those jurisdictions. Gregory added that if the case was continued, the earliest it would be heard is July of next year. After hearing from Gregory and defense attorney…
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Defendants make individual pleas in CC Circuit Court
A variety of pleas were entered by four different men during proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court last Friday: –Anthony Durand Brown, 26, of 11943 Mapisco Road, Charles City, entered a plea of no contest to one count of possession of cocaine. During a traffic stop, Brown threw a plastic bag from his car window during a routine traffic stop on May 10. When the bag was recovered by a Charles City deputy, it contained small amounts of cocaine. Brown was placed in the first offender program that requires him to complete 100 hours of community service. Upon completion and…
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Copper thief to serve prison sentence after accepting deal
A Highland Springs man will serve two and a half years in prison after accepting a plea agreement in Charles City Circuit Court on July 19. William McKendrie Jeffries Jr., 40, of 18 N. Ivy Road, accepted the deal and pled guilty to one count each of possession of burglary tools, damage to a public utility, and misdemeanor petty larceny. One count of misdemeanor vandalism was dropped. Jeffries admitted he and a former co-defendant, Dee Marie Loving, were at a Dominion Virginia Power substation on Oct. 12 of last year. There, he used burglary tools to strip copper wire from…
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New Kent Fire-Rescue to participate in program
Virginia Fire Chiefs Association (VFCA) announced that New Kent Fire-Rescue has been selected as one of 14 departments in Virginia to participate in a federally-funded program designed to increase the recruitment of volunteer firefighters. The Volunteer Workforce Solutions (VWS) program is being led by the VFCA in partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), and George Mason University. Research and data collected by the VFCA since 2004 has shown that staffing is consistently the number one issue facing Virginia’s volunteer fire departments. A survey conducted in 2012 by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs…
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Illinois man receives prison sentence of six-and-a-half years
Denying a defendant’s request for a new trial, Judge Thomas B. Hoover followed the recommendation of a jury and sentenced an Illinois man to six and a half years in prison. Peter James Guerrero, 36, learned his fate during Aug. 12 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings. Guerrero received guilty convictions on two counts of burglary and one count of grand larceny during an April 4 trial. The defendant was convicted of burglarizing New Kent Gymnastics Center and an adjacent empty building, both located at New Kent Commerce Park. Evidence, including Guerrero’s saliva and fingerprints, were instrumental in a jury convicting…
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Briefly… for Aug. 29-Sept. 11, 2013
Diascund Reservoir repairs announced Spillway repairs are planned at Diascund Reservoir at the border of James City and New Kent County, beginning in the late spring or early summer of 2014. During a routine inspection of the dam and spillway, Newport News Waterworks staff observed a problem with the concrete slabs that carry water downstream when the main spillway overflows. In order to inspect the area, Waterworks intentionally lowered the level of the reservoir and it will remain lowered for about two years to ensure the continued stability and safety of the dam. A second issue arose following Tropical Storm…
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