News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 1, 2025
Local News
Chronicle returns to stores Dec. 27
Due to the Christmas holiday, the next edition of the New Kent-Charles City Chronicle will appear in stores on Dec. 27. The Chronicle office will be open on Dec. 23 and close at noon on Dec. 24. The office will reopen at 12 p.m. on Dec. 26, with deadline being 5 p.m. on that date. The first edition of the Chronicle in 2020 will appear on newsstands on Jan. 3, 2020. The office will be open Dec. 27 and Dec. 30, and close at noon on Dec. 31. The office will reopen on Jan. 2, 2020 with regular business hours….
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Threatening officers result in convictions for Quinton man
A Quinton man who threatened officers with a shotgun after a heated argument was found guilty during Monday afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Eric Tremaine Williams Sr., 47, of the 1400 block of Quaker Road, was convicted on two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and a single count of misdemeanor obstruction of justice as part of the contested trial. One charge of brandishing a firearm was dropped. On March 3, New Kent Deputies Ethan Townsend, William Dyer, and Cole Thomas went to the residence of Eric Williams Jr. to serve him a warrant for his…
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Chesterfield man charged with homicide after New Kent woman dies from drug overdose
A Chesterfield man who allegedly provided a controlled substance to a New Kent woman has been charged with homicide. Eric Marvin Laney, 43, of the 9900 block of Jean Road, North Chesterfield, was arrested in relation to the death of Samantha Nicole Rigdon. According to a press release from New Kent Sheriff’s Office, on Jan. 28, Laney provided a controlled substance to Rigdon. According to a chief medical examiner, the cause of Rigdon’s death was determined to be the result of a narcotics overdose. Laney was transported to Henrico Jail East and is currently being held without bond. In addition…
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Despite presentation, questions loom about groundwater withdrawal for power plant in Charles City
A Dec. 5 presentation on a request to withdraw groundwater for a proposed power plant in Charles City was met with little happiness from some citizens of the county. The informational session was part of a Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) presentation on the process of obtaining a groundwater withdrawal permit for the Chickahominy Power Plant scheduled to be built. Scott Kudlas, Director of Water Supply, spoke about physiographical provinces, with all of them having unique geology, rich soils, and water. He said the water that is proposed to be withdrawn by the power plant will come from a certain…
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Williamsburg man found guilty after trooper detects marijuana, discovers cocaine during fuel stop
A Williamsburg man admitted guilt to possessing cocaine after Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Carlos Lamont Erskines, 39, of the 100 block of Winterset Pass, entered a guilty plea to the lone count of possession of cocaine as part of a plea agreement. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, on Nov. 14, 2018, a Virginia State Trooper was fueling up his patrol car at the A-Plus off exit 220 (West Point) when a black Infinity pulled next to his. When the driver exited the vehicle, an odor of marijuana emitted from the…
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Man sentenced to two years for stealing, scrapping car taken from Charles City
A Glen Allen man will spend two years in jail after receiving formal sentencing in Charles City Circuit Court Monday morning. Chad Mann Shaffer-Shaw, 27, of the 11000 block of Dude Ranch Road, was sentenced to five years in jail with four years suspended on one count of obtaining money by false pretenses and five years in jail with four years suspended on a lone count of grand theft auto. He must also pay $900 in restitution. During an Oct. 4 contested trial, evidence depicted that Shaffer-Shaw had taken a car from the yard of the defendant and scrapped it…
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Lanexa man charged with murder of New Kent businessman
A Lanexa man has been charged with second degree murder after the discovery of a New Kent’s businessman’s body on Dec. 4. Michael Anthony Jenkins, 38, of the 15000 block of Pocahontas Trail, has been charged with one count of second degree murder, one count of grand larceny of property, and two counts each of grand larceny of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and petty larceny (third offense within 10 years). According to a press release from New Kent’s Sheriff’s Office, a call was received shortly before 2 p.m. of an individual down inside the…
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New Kent head football coach arrested on simple assault charge
The head coach of New Kent High School’s football team has been arrested. According to a press release from New Kent Sheriff’s Office, John William Fulks, 42, of the 14000 block of W. River Road, King William, was arrested on a simple assault charge on Dec. 4. According to the press release, an investigation ensued about an alleged incident that took place on Nov. 8. According to the allegations, an altercation took place in the locker room before an away game. No additional details were available as this is an incident involving a juvenile. Fulks was released on his promise…
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Dump truck overturns on bridge at New Kent border
Virginia State Police are investigating the cause of a crash at the border of New Kent and Henrico County that occurred on Dec. 2. According to a Virginia State Police report, a preliminary investigation reveals that a 2018 Western Star dump truck driven by Andrew Gurley, 20, of Charles City, was traveling eastbound on Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) with the bed of the truck raised. The truck preceded in the right lane across the Chickahominy River Bridge and overturned on the passenger side with the bed of the truck leaning over the jersey wall. The entire load of approximately 23,000…
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New Kent passes resolution to become a ‘second amendment sanctuary’
New Kent’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that declared the locality a “second amendment sanctuary.” The vote came at the Nov. 27 work session in front of a packed room. The resolution is part of a movement that states the county will back the United States Constitution to bear arms and will oppose any restrictions that could be imposed by state legislature. After the original resolution was read, District 1 representative Thomas Evelyn added an amendment that added the paragraph “Now there, be it further resolved, that the Board of Supervisors of New Kent hereby declares New Kent County,…
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