News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 4, 2025
Local News
Former Charles City man receives three-year prison sentence on attempted arson conviction
A former Charles City man will serve three years in jail after receiving formal sentencing on an attempted arson and felony obstruction of justice charge Friday morning in Charles City Circuit Court. Brent Edward Tanner, 47, formerly of the 18000 block of The Glebe Lane, learned his punishment as the result of an Aug. 3 contested trial. During that trial, evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler show that the defendant had gotten into an argument with Sandra Dickerson. Tanner threw gasoline on the home and was close to light it before being tackled by Timothy English. After the defendant’s…
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Talleysville Fire Station groundbreaking takes place in New Kent
Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for New Kent’s Fire Station #5 exemplified continuing group in the county. The station, located in Talleysville, not only will make the community safer, but it is a need for the county safety that has reached an all-time high. County supervisors Thomas Evelyn, Tommy Tiller, Patricia Paige, Ron Stiers, Ray Davis, and county administrator Rodney Hathaway echoed their support for the new fire station Tuesday morning. While firefighters and EMS workers continue to work the front line, county leaders are looking to support them in their mission. “We set aside funding in the FY18 budget in the…
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Rezoning of land provides first step of possible Dollar General in Charles City
For decades, Charles City citizens have lobbied local leaders for commercial business to bring shopping opportunities to the county. An approval for rezoning a portion of land in the center of Charles City provided the first steps of a major retailer coming to the county. Charles City supervisors approved the rezoning request by Par 5 Development Group after reconvening Thursday morning (Sept. 27) as a part of a continuation of the Sept. 25 meeting. On Sept. 25, Charles City’s Planning Commission forwarded a favorable 6-0 recommendation to county leaders to rezone a portion of agricultural land to business for the…
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Defendant’s story ‘far-fetched’; convicted on grand larceny, destruction of property charges
Sometimes there are stories that seem to good to be real. For one Richmond man, his version of events on Nov. 6, 2017 led Judge B. Elliott Bondurant to deem them as a “fabrication” and resulted in a 23-month jail term. Thomas Christopher Pryor, 32, of the 200 block of Accommodation Street, was found guilty on one count each of grand larceny and felony destruction of property during a contested trial Monday in New Kent Circuit Court. Two charges of misdemeanor violation of pretrial conditions were dismissed. On the offense date around 11:20 p.m., Charles Ward, owner of Safe N…
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Cyclists occupying New Kent roads, VA Capital Trail in Charles City Sept. 24-25
Roads in New Kent and the Virginia Capital Trail in Charles City will be occupied by cyclists on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. On Sept. 24, more than 600 cyclists taking part of the Bridge of Life ride to bring awareness of kidney disease will travel through New Kent. The ride will see cyclists leave Richmond that morning before stopping at New Kent Winery for lunch. Afterwards, riders will continue to Jamestown Beach Event Park for the night. On Sept. 25, cyclists will leave the park and travel the entire Virginia Capital Trail. Starting in Williamsburg, the riders will travel…
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Alleged mold outbreak at Charles City schools raise concerns from parents
Parents are asking answers from Charles City’s School Board regarding hazardous conditions inside of the high school. Several parents spoke during Tuesday night’s citizen comment period at the school board’s monthly meeting about alleged mold on the ceiling of Charles City High School’s cafeteria. On Monday, pictures surfaced on social media in what was described to be black mold on several of the ceiling tiles inside of the high school cafeteria. Some students told parents that they ate in the commons area due to the condition. Monday afternoon, a representative of Charles City Public Schools sent a robo-call to parents…
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Alleged armed robbers among New Kent Circuit Court grand jury indictments
Two men who allegedly took part in an armed robbery were among many indictments handed up by a grand jury during Monday proceedings in New Kent Circuit. Isaac Tyrell Sturdivant, 18, of the 19000 block of Turk Drive, Charles City, and Dev’ron Lemar Cowles, 21, of the 5700 block of Centerville Road, Williamsburg, were each indicted on two charges of armed robbery and one charge of use of a firearm in a commission of a felony. The two defendants allegedly used a gun to rob Brock Richards on Apr. 8. In other indictments certified by the grand jury: –Kevin Wayne…
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New Kent teenager receives month in jail after stealing liquor
A New Kent teenager admitted to taking items from a building as part of Monday proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Shawn Christopher Fitzgerald, 19, of the 13000 block of Old Church Road, entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of misdemeanor unlawful entry (originally burglary) and one count of misdemeanor petty larceny. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, between Nov. 2017 and Apr. 2018, a number of items were taken from a facility rented out by Michael Chenault for his hunting club. Among these items were hunting decoys, bottles of liquor, and bottles…
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Highland Springs man to serve two years for stealing items from Charles City Masonic Lodge
A Highland Springs man who stole from a civic organization will serve two years in jail. Torrey Lamar Jefferson, 28, of the 1700 block of Ivy Cliffs Court, entered a guilty plea to grand larceny as part of a plea agreement reached Friday morning in Charles City Circuit Court. One charge of burglary was dropped as part of the plea deal. In a summary of evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, in early June, members of Charles City’s Masonic Lodge went into their building for a meeting when they discovered the back window was broken. When searching through the…
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Distributing marijuana in New Kent nets Hampton man seven month jail term
A Hampton man will spend seven months in jail after receiving formal sentencing Monday afternoon in New Kent Circuit Court. Jatavious Jaquez Calloway, 30, of the 600 block of Bell Street, received a five-year sentence with four years, five months suspended on one count of distribution of marijuana more than one-half ounce but less than five pounds. During a June 25 trial, Calloway entered an Alford Plea of Guilt, meaning while the defendant maintains his innocence, evidence presented during the trial would be enough to convict him of the crime. At that trial, it was determined that on Sept. 29,…
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