Thank you to everyone who helped make DARE Day 2017 such a great success.

On June 15, 2017 at approximately 8:40 AM, Stafford County Deputies and Stafford County Fire and Rescue responded to a second floor restroom at the County Administration Building to assist a male subject in apparent need of medical attention. Deputy D.O. Williams was the first deputy to arrive and observed a man later identified as Martin Carr, on the bathroom floor, inside a stall. Fire and Rescue entered immediately afterwards and rendered medical attention. There was evidence of narcotic usage in the room and they subsequently administered a dose of Narcan to the subject. After a couple minutes he began to resume coherency.

Once Mr. Carr was able to speak, Deputy Matthew Jacobeen questioned him regarding the drugs and paraphernalia that were in the room and on his person. He conceded that he had injected heroin and that the syringe found on the floor was one he had used. Mr. Carr was searched and found to be in possession of a metal spoon, a plastic bag containing four white pills, a small amount of marijuana and a smoking device. He was then transported to Stafford Hospital for treatment.

Once at the hospital, Deputy Jacobeen questioned Mr. Carr again and inquired if he was in possession of any other narcotics. He advised he had hidden some heroin in his genital area and produced a foil packet containing heroin from his pants. Once released from the hospital, Mr. Carr was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance-Schedule I/II, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was held on no bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

On June 17, 2017 at approximately 8:30 PM, Deputy Alex Smith observed a vehicle with defective brake lights being driven on Plantation Drive in the area of the North England Run Apartments. When the vehicle was parked in the apartment complex, Deputy Smith approached the driver and asked if he had a driver’s license. The subject answered the deputy’s question by saying, “I did nothing wrong and I don’t have to show you anything.” Deputy Smith explained that the brake lights were defective on the vehicle and that he did in fact have to produce an operator’s license or a valid form of identification. The subject responded by making a call on his cell phone.

Deputy Smith again explained to the driver that he had made a lawful traffic stop and again advised him that he needed to show his license or identification. The driver ignored the deputy and continued with his phone call. Deputy Smith waited a short time for the driver to comply and then placed him under arrest. A third party in the area helped identify the driver and it was found he was wanted on outstanding warrants from both Spotsylvania and Prince William Counties.

Monte Lamar Mcrae, twenty-six years old was charged with Driving on a Suspended License-Third or Subsequent Offense and Obstruction of Justice. He was also charged with the outstanding warrants from Prince William and Spotsylvania and held on no bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

Please assist us in locating a missing juvenile, Joshua Isaiah Godbolt.

Joshua is 17 years old, has black hair/brown eyes. He is 5'9" tall and weighs 127 pounds.

Please assist us in locating a missing juvenile, Mekdelawit Thesing.

Mekdelawit is 17 years old, has black hair and brown eyes. She is 5'6' tall and weighs 185 pounds.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office reports a shoplifting that took place yesterday, Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at the TARGET in Stafford Market Place.

At approximately 2:45pm yesterday, deputies from the Stafford Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the TARGET located at 1090 Stafford Market Place in reference to a shoplifting. A Loss Prevention Officer from TARGET had witnessed a male subject cutting wireless headphones from a secure rack within the electronics department and concealing the merchandise in a backpack he was carrying. The subject was attempting to exit the store at the same time Deputy B.J. Reed was entering. The subject saw Deputy Reed and fled back into the store. Deputy Reed gave chase and attempted to gain control of the suspect. Deputy A.C. Wolford arrived and assisted Deputy Reed. The suspect violently resisted as Deputies Wolford and Reed attempted to place him under arrest. The suspect assaulted both deputies during the struggle. Deputy R.T. Kulbeth arrived and together with Deputies Wolford and Reed they were able to get the suspect handcuffed. A short time later while still in the store the suspect was able to slip one of his hands from the handcuffs. The suspect fled on foot out of the store with deputies in chase. The suspect ran across the TARGET parking lot, down an embankment behind the store and across the southbound lanes of I-95. The suspect was ultimately apprehended in the center median of I-95 by Deputy A.S. Smith and his K-9 partner Lobo along with Sergeant J.D. Floirendo.

The suspect was identified as Austin Jacob Baxter, age 22 of no fixed address. Baxter was charged with one count of Grand Larceny, one count of Petit Larceny (3rd or subsequent offense), two counts of Assault and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, one count of Obstruction of Justice, one count of Fleeing from a Law Enforcement Officer, one count of Escape, one count of Possession of Burglarious Tools and one count of Destruction of Property. Baxter was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is requesting information as to the whereabouts of Terrence Lee Hudson, age 24 of Stafford County. Hudson is currently wanted on one count of Felony Eluding and one count of Driving on a Suspended License.

Hudson’s charges stem from an incident that occurred last night, Thursday, June 22, 2017. Detective Sergeant D.A. Volpe observed a suspected drug transaction occur in the parking lot of the Fas Mart located at 620 Cambridge Street in Stafford County. The suspect who Sergeant Volpe later identified as Hudson was seen leaving the parking lot in a green 1998 Mercedes Benz E320. The Mercedes headed southbound on Rt.1. Sergeant Volpe radioed the information to Deputy G.P. Gabrielli who was in the area. Deputy Gabrielli attempted a traffic stop on the Mercedes on the Falmouth Bridge just prior to entering the City of Fredericksburg. The Mercedes immediately accelerated and entered Fredericksburg, making an abrupt left turn onto Princess Anne Street. The Mercedes stopped momentarily in front of the Captain D’s before accelerating again. With Deputy Gabrielli in pursuit, the Mercedes continued down Princess Anne Street before making a right onto Hunter Street. The Mercedes continued to elude deputies as it maneuvered along several city streets. The Mercedes finally came to a stop in a driveway in the 1000 block of Rappahannock Avenue. Hudson exited the Mercedes and fled on foot. The Mercedes was still set in drive when Hudson ran and the vehicle rolled into a nearby parked car. Deputy Gabrielli lost sight of Hudson after a brief foot chase into a nearby wooded area. Deputies and city officers attempted unsuccessfully to locate Hudson. Hudson’s wallet containing his ID along with evidence of drug activity was located inside of the Mercedes.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Terrence Lee Hudson is asked to contact the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4400, Stafford Crime Solvers at 540-659-2020 (where callers may remain anonymous) or TEXT “Stafford” + your tip to CRIMES (27463).

Heroin Overdoses Lead to Arrest

On Sunday, June 25, 2017 at approximately 5:30pm, deputies from the Stafford Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Motel 6 located at 401 Warrenton Rd in reference to a drug overdose. Deputies arrived on scene to find a female subject unresponsive. It was soon discovered that the female was suffering from a heroin overdose. Nasal Narcan was administered at the scene and the female regained consciousness. Evidence of heroin usage was found at the scene. The female was later identified as Tara Michelle Sussman, age 31 of Fredericksburg. While deputies were dealing with Sussman they were alerted by a motel patron about a male subject in another part of the motel complex who appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Deputies A.I. Assur and S.T. Myers tended to the male subject who was later identified as Cody Andrew Godwin, age 23 of Stafford County. Godwin displayed slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet to the point that he couldn’t stand without the assistance of deputies. It was later learned that he too was suffering the effects of Heroin usage. Deputies attempted to take Godwin into custody and were immediately met with active resistance. Deputy Assur warned Godwin that he would be pepper sprayed if he continued to resist deputies. Godwin submitted and allowed deputies to handcuff him without further incident. Deputies located both Heroin and Suboxone on Godwin. It was also learned that Godwin was associated with Sussman and that it was Godwin who injected Sussman with Heroin prior to her overdose.

Tara Michelle Sussman was charged by Sergeant J.L. Rakoczy with Possession of a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance (Heroin) and Possession of Controlled Paraphernalia. Sussman was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail on a $1000 secured bond.

Cody Andrew Godwin was charged by Deputy Assur with one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Heroin), one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Suboxone), and one count of Obstruction of Justice. Godwin was already wanted out of Stafford County on numerous Larceny related offenses. Those outstanding warrants were also served on Godwin which included four counts of Grand Larceny, four counts of Commit Larceny with the Intent to Sell, three counts of Obtaining Money by False Pretense, one count of Attempted Grand Larceny and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Grand Larceny. Godwin was also served with a Capias from the Stafford Circuit Court in reference to a Probation Violation. Godwin is currently being held at the Rappannock Regional Jail under no bond.

Dispute At Local Car Dealership Leads to Multiple Arrests

A dispute over a vehicle at a local car dealership resulted in one person sustaining injuries from an assault and multiple other persons being arrested.

On Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at approximately 4:45pm deputies from the Stafford Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Autobility located at 355 Warrenton Road in reference to an assault in progress. Deputies arrived on scene to find the owner of the business suffering from facial injuries from an apparent assault. Deputy J.J. Bryan investigated the incident and learned that the suspect later identified as Shakeer Jamal Ruffin, age 20 of Dumfries had assaulted the owner of the business and fled the scene prior to his arrival. Further investigation revealed that Ruffin had been asked to return a black Ford Explorer he had in his possession after the bank loan fell through. Ruffin returned with the vehicle and an argument over money ensued between Ruffin and the business owner. The business owner removed the rear license plate off the vehicle and began to remove the front license plate when Ruffin suddenly attacked him. It was reported that Ruffin punched the business owner several times, knocking him to the ground. Ruffin then stood over top of the business owner and repeatedly beat him about the head and face. A witness eventually intervened and pulled Ruffin off the victim. Ruffin then quickly fled the scene, driving off in the black Ford Explorer. Deputies quickly located Ruffin and the vehicle in the area of the Chatham Bridge. Ruffin was questioned and ultimately taken into custody.

While Ruffin was at the magistrate’s office receiving a bond hearing, deputies were again dispatched to the Autobility, this time for a disturbance. Deputies arrived on scene to find a crowd of people, most of whom were family members of Ruffin. The crowd was screaming and cursing at the business owner as well as the responding deputies. Deputy J.J. Howell learned that two females from the crowd barged into the business, yelling and screaming at the business owner in reference to the earlier incident with Ruffin. Those females were later identified as Shelby Bianca Thornton, age 27 of Spotsylvania County and Sabina Mae Richards, age 40 of Tappahannock. While screaming at the business owner, Thornton picked up a computer from the owners desk and slammed it down. Thornton then threatened to burn down his house and kill him.

Additional deputies were called to the scene as the crowd became increasingly vocal and agitated. Deputies eventually took Thornton and Richards into custody for their part in the disturbance. While doing so some members of the crowd became more aggressive toward deputies. Deputies instructed the crowd to leave the property. One individual refused to leave and became increasingly aggressive toward deputies. That individual was later identified as Rodney Alexander Weeks, age 24 of Tappahannock. Weeks advanced on deputies with a clenched fist and a barrage of curse words. Other members of the crowd attempted to hold Weeks back but he continued to engage deputies. Deputies eventually took Weeks into custody for his actions.

Shakeer Jamal Ruffin was charged with one count of Malicious Bodily Injury and one count of Disorderly Conduct. He is currently incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Shelby Bianca Thornton was charged with one count of Threats to Burn and one count of Failure to Identify to a Law Enforcement Officer. Thornton was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail under a $5000 bond.

Sabina Mae Richards was charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct. She was released on her own recognizance.

Rodney Alexander Weeks was charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct and one count of Trespassing. He was also released on his own recognizance.

Stafford Sheriff’s Deputies arrested an armed robbery suspect yesterday after he robbed a gas station on Warrenton Road and led deputies on a pursuit along Rt. 3 in Spotsylvania County.

On Tuesday, July 4, 2017 just before noon, deputies from the Stafford Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Interstate Shell located at 535 Warrenton Road in reference to an armed robbery. Deputies were on scene within minutes of the call. Deputies met with the clerk who advised that the suspect entered the business, approached the counter and purchased two packs of cigarettes. At that time there were other customers in the store. After purchasing the cigarettes, the suspect went into the bathroom located to the rear of the business. The suspect remained in the bathroom for several minutes and exited only after all other customers had left. The suspect then approached the clerk, displayed a handgun and demanded the cash from the register. The clerk complied with the suspect’s demands after which time the suspect fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect was seen getting into a grey sedan displaying Pennsylvania license plates. The clerk was able to provide the actual plate number which was subsequently relayed to other deputies in the area. The vehicle was last seen getting onto southbound Interstate 95 from Warrenton Road. Second Lieutenant D.M. Stout spotted the suspect vehicle a short time later on Interstate 95. The suspect vehicle was stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 95 just south of the rest stop in Fredericksburg. Lieutenant Stout was in the far left lane when he first spotted the suspect vehicle. He pulled to the left shoulder at which time the suspect vehicle merged back onto Interstate 95 and proceeded south before exiting onto westbound Rt. 3 at the 130 exit. Lieutenant Stout with the assistance of other deputies attempted to stop the suspect vehicle in the area of Rt. 3 and Bragg Road. Rather than stop, the suspect vehicle quickly accelerated along westbound Rt. 3. With Stafford Deputies in pursuit the vehicle continued along Rt. 3 for several miles before turning into the Harrison Crossing Shopping Center. The suspect vehicle maneuvered through the shopping center parking lot and onto the access road which parallels Rt. 3. Lieutenant Stout made intentional vehicle contact with the suspect vehicle in an attempt to safely end the pursuit. The suspect vehicle fish tailed and ran off the side of the road into the parking lot of the Union Bank. The suspect regained control of the vehicle and proceeded into the parking lot of the SONIC. Lieutenant Stout blocked the exit with his patrol vehicle so the suspect could not escape. A concerned citizen saw the pursuit as he was waiting in the drive thru of the SONIC. The citizen purposely backed his vehicle directly into the path of the suspect vehicle as it was driving around the SONIC toward the exit. The suspect vehicle collided with the citizen’s vehicle and the pursuit was subsequently ended. Deputies quickly took the suspect into custody without further incident.

The suspect was identified as Mark Francis Lahive Jr, age 25 of Bellwood, Pennsylvania. Deputies discovered that Lahive was wanted out of Altoona, Pennsylvania on two robbery charges. Those two robbery warrants were issued on July 3, 2017. Lahive has been charged by Stafford Deputies with one count of Robbery, one count of Brandishing, one count of Grand Larceny, one count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, one count of Felony Eluding and one count of DUI. An Extradition Warrant was also obtained against Lahive related to the active warrants out of Pennsylvania. Lahive is currently incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail with no bond.

STAFFORD DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE OVERNIGHT SHOOTING

The Stafford Sheriff’s Office is investigating the overnight shooting of a man in the Garrison Woods neighborhood.

On Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at approximately 1:30am, Stafford Deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Garrison Woods Drive in reference to a shooting of a person. Deputies arrived on scene to find a
25-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital. His condition is unknown at this time. No arrest has been made and the identity of the suspect is unknown. Detectives are actively investigating the incident.

Anyone with information related to this shooting is asked to contact the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4400, Stafford Crime Solvers at 540-659-2020 (where callers may remain anonymous) or TEXT “Stafford” + your tip to CRIMES (27463).

The Stafford Sheriff’s Office reports that on Thursday, July 6, 2017 at approximately 10:45 am an auto accident occurred in the area of Rt. 1 and Clarke Hill Road. The accident involved three vehicles to include a marked Stafford Sheriff’s Office cruiser. At least one vehicle involved in the accident struck a power pole resulting in power lines being downed across Rt. 1. Three injuries were reported, one from each vehicle involved. All three of the injured were transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Rt. 1 between Hospital Center Boulevard and Courthouse Road was closed for several hours while the accident was under investigation and Dominion Virginia Power worked to repair the damaged power lines. All lanes of Rt. 1 have since been reopened. The accident remains under investigation.

The Stafford Sheriff’s Office has charged George Lee Murdock, age 57 of Stafford with Reckless Driving and Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle. The charges stem from yesterday’s three vehicle accident on Rt. 1 involving a county sheriff’s cruiser.

At 10:46am yesterday, Thursday, July 6, 2017 Deputy R. T. Kulbeth was responding to an emergency call with his blue lights and siren activated. Kulbeth was driving a marked Stafford Sheriff’s Office Ford Taurus. He was travelling south on Rt. 1 near Stafford Hospital when a Ford Van driven by Murdock made a u-turn directly in front of Kulbeth’ s cruiser. The two vehicles collided sending Kulbeth’s cruiser into a power pole and overturning. The power pole broke in half causing the power lines to drop across Rt. 1. Murdock’s van spun around and turned onto its side. The impact caused the front axle and passenger side tire of Murdock’s van to dislodge from the vehicle, go airborne and crash through the windshield of a third vehicle.

The drivers of all three vehicles were transported to local hospitals where they were treated and released. A passenger in the third vehicle was uninjured.

The Stafford Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of Boris Gokovski, age 64 of Stafford County. Gokovski was indicted by a Stafford County Grand Jury on July 5, 2017 on four counts of Sexual Battery. He was arrested on those indictments on July 12, 2017 and incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail on a $5,000 secure bond. Gokovski has since bonded out. He is scheduled for arraignment on July 20, 2017.

The indictments against Gokovski stem from a complaint the Sheriff’s Office received in May of 2017 from a female victim who reported that Gokovski sexually assaulted her at the B&R Ranch located in Stafford County. Gokovski is one of the owners of the B&R Ranch as well as a horseback riding instructor. The sexual assault was reported to have occurred in the late summer and early fall of 2016 while Gokovski was providing horseback riding lessons to the victim.

Gokovski was previously indicted in May of 2017 on two counts of Custodial Indecent Liberties and four counts of Assault & Battery. The previous indictments stemmed from an earlier complaint where a juvenile victim reported that Gokovski had sexually assaulted her during the summer and fall of 2016.

Anyone who has had similar contact with Boris Gokovski is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4400 or Crime Solvers at 540-659-2020.

On Thursday, July 14, 2017 at approximately 8:30pm the Stafford Sheriff’s Office received a call in reference to a possible drunk driver in the Ferry Farm neighborhood. The complainant, an off duty sheriff’s detective, witnessed a black Chevy Malibu driving erratically along Jefferson Street. The Malibu struck a mailbox along Jefferson Street and continued out to Ferry Road. The Malibu was observed swerving along Ferry Road before turning onto Market Street. The vehicle stopped in the area of Market Street and North Randolph Road. The driver got out of the vehicle and collapsed. Deputies arrived on scene and quickly discovered that the driver was suffering a heroin overdose. Deputies administered Narcan to the driver. The driver was then transported by rescue to an area hospital where he was treated and released to the custody of deputies.

The driver was identified as Shawn Frederick Bailey, age 53 of King George. Deputy W.J. McWaters charged Bailey with one count of Driving Under The Influence (4th Offense), one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, one count of Driving on a Revoked License, one count of Driving with a Revoked License while DUI and one count of Possession of Controlled Paraphernalia. Bailey was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail with no bond.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office K9 Steel has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Steel’s vest is embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Ty, California City Police Department”.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 2,600 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 2.1 million dollars.

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050.00. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 and a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.

K9 Steel is a two-year-old German Shepherd. K9 Steel has been with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office since September of 2016. The Stafford Sheriff’s Office was awarded K9 Steel through a grant funded by the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. K9 Steel and his partner Deputy First Class B.U. Demirci graduated from K9 School in November of 2016. Since then K9 Steel has tracked down several violent suspects to include a man who committed an armed robbery at a local convenience store. K9 Steel is one of four canines that make up the Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit. K9 Steel is cross-trained for both explosives detection as well as patrol certified. The other K9 units have been previously outfitted with protective vests. “The Stafford Sheriff’s Office is profoundly grateful to Vested Interest in K9s, Inc for their generous donation,” said Sheriff D.P. Decatur. “Canines are an integral part of law enforcement and as such they deserve the same protections we afford to any other sworn member of our agency.”

The Sheriff's Office has recently noticed an increase in larcenies from vehicles throughout the county. Many times these types of thefts are crimes of convenience where the individual or individuals stealing items from the vehicles will travel through a neighborhood looking for unlocked vehicles. Other times these thefts occur during daylight hours in retail parking lots. Once the unlocked vehicle is located the criminal will steal any item of value that is easily obtainable. While unlocked vehicles are the primary target, those determined to steal will look into a locked car if they see items such as cash, GPS devices, computers or cell phones and break into the car and steal the items.

Here are a few measures you can take to help reduce this type of crime.

1. Be sure to lock your car at all times.
2. Make every effort to take all valuables out of the car. That includes money, wallets, computers, GPS devices, iPods,
cameras, etc.
3. If you have a garage, and it is possible, park your vehicle in the garage and then lock the garage.
4. If your vehicle cannot be parked in a garage, make every effort to park your vehicle in a well-lit area.

National Night Out 2017 is less than a week away. Join us on Tuesday, August 1st from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Stafford Marketplace TARGET parking lot for this great community event. We will have exhibitors, demonstrations, food and lots of fun activities for the entire family. All free of charge!

Rappahannock Area Health District offers additional immunization clinics as we prepare to head back to school.