Two teenagers have been arrested after an attack on a man at the corner of 10th and Grove last night, the Daily Progress reports. Though the story doesn’t make it entirely clear (it’s a quickie until the full story comes out tomorrow), it sounds like this guy was just driving along when a group of nine kids hurled a rock at his car. The guy stopped and “a confrontation ensued” — given that the kids were charged with malicious wounding, I have to assume that they attacked him. Police don’t know whether these kids are responsible for the series of very similar attacks in the past weeks, but that’s clearly what they suspect.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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and they didn’t even use a camera-just good old fashioned police work.
Bravo!
So lets wait and see if this actually puts a stop to these things. I say good job the the police, but somehow I dont think this trend is over.
i noticed the article in the DP said the two were picked up on a “malicious wounding” charge. i wonder if that stemmed from the initial rock toss or from the ensuing “confrontation” between the youts and the car’s driver.
and jan, don’t discount the role of the camera in this arrest. even though it didn’t participate in the arrest, it no doubt had a hand after the fact, as how else would their mugshots have been taken during processing?
Best news of the week. Other than that 10th and Grove widens the area of attacks.
I really hate these guys.
Yeah, that’s great they arrested the punks. Let’s just wait and see what happens as far as justice is concerned. After all, they’re juveniles, so that means they’ll get a break there. Then the C.A. will probably feel politically inclined to go the route of the local kids who were beating up UVA students awhile back, and just give them a slap on the wrist. And then if that doesn’t work all the local clergy and bleeding hearts will scream bloody-murder until the whole thing is diminished to the point of it being the fault of the guy who stopped his car and initiated the whole thing. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know you’re supposed to keep driving and not confront someone who throws something at your car? Charlottesville isn’t the center of the universe, it’s the “bizarro universe”!
I’m sure this isn’t the only kid doing this-more to be rounded up. If the CA does just give them a slap on the wrist then I guess it is up to the public to speak out. Isn’t the CA elected? By us? Or does someone appoint him?
I guess we will have to wait and see.
The commonwealth’s attorney in Charlottesville is an elected democrat named Dave Chapman. You don’t hear much about him because, in stark contrast to Albemarle CA Jim Camblos, he quietly does his job.
If these attacks had happened in Albemarle, Camblos would probably either refuse to prosecute the kids or demand the death penalty (but lose the evidence). The man seems to operate on just those two settings.
If these attacks had happened in Albemarle, Camblos would probably either refuse to prosecute the kids or demand the death penalty (but lose the evidence). The man seems to operate on just those two settings.
It’s funny because it’s true.
interesting that one of the kids was from lake monticello…
34 y/o guy, hope you’re doing ok! you’ll be a hero if you can i.d. the rest of the pack
Wow. The Lake Monticello bloods!
The mind reels…
Hey, I wonder if there will still be random attacks occurring next time the “Cities Ranked and Rated” people swing through.
That would probably knock us down a notch or two.
according to http://www.iir.com/nygc/gang-legis/virginia.htm, committing crimes as part of a gang is a class 5 felony, puhishable by 1-10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine, in addition to the punishment for the actual crime (in this case, malicious wounding). since the police and local media have all but stated they think this stuff is gang-related, i wonder if the CA will go after them more aggressively, or if he’ll back off b/c they’re minors.
On the other hand, 7:39pm is still daylight this time of year. I’ve felt comfortable walking to and from downtown via that intersection in the early evening, but now I’m starting to wonder if it’s such a good idea.
I am really torn between hoping these kids get 40 years in prison and possibly giving them a break and hopefully rehabilitating them with only 20 years in the pen….any opinions?
Since these kids are just 15 years old, they have a long life of crime ahead of them unless serious steps are taken now to rehabilitate them. A jail sentence would only cause them to be released even more violent than they are now. Certainly, they need to be prevented from terrorizing Charlottesville. House arrest maybe? With mandatory counseling? Home visits from child protective services?
” I wonder if there will still be random attacks occurring next time the “Cities Ranked and Rated” people swing through.” – Dave
It was the last time. It’s interesting how a big truth can be well documented over time, but it’s not until certain people get attacked that it becomes a big story. You can see the process that minimized and forgot past group attacks taking place now. We’ve arrested two out of the hundreds of thugs. We can all come back downtown now and spend money. Every utopia has a dark side.
I remember back in the olden days when I was a kid, my very strict parents would tell me that I’d better not commit any crimes, get in trouble with the police or at school BECAUSE UNTIL I TURNED 18 THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS. Although I wasn’t an angel, the thought of my parents deep disapproval, legal fees, no college and perhaps going to juvenile detention (that’s what it was called back then) did deter me somewhat. I used this same line on my own kid. I just have to wonder what these parents think about these kids being in so much trouble at such a young age. I know you cannot watch a teenager 24/7 but I hope the parents are being hauled in and HELD RESPONSIBLE.
What’s a reasonable, effective punishment for a parent? What if the parent is the only caregiver and there are other children in the home?
I’m sure there is no legal punishment for this. I wasn’t suggesting they get thrown in jail. Besides, they are being punished already-have to hire lawyers, are probably under intense scrutiny by social services, the families are totally disrupted. and they have to live with the fact that their kids hurt other people. i sure wouldn’t want to live my life under that cloud forever. But I do think they should have to deal with Chapman and the police.
[…] Two teenagers were arrested late last week, after this interview was recorded. Listen Now: […]
A large majority of these kids grow up in broken famililes. Mostly the mother in these situations pop out kids with guys and know they won’t stay around. They never have any intention of getting married and the children suffer. Total self interest. Hey they can draw another $500-700 bucks on welfare support, so they can buy more alcohol and drugs. How can anyone expect for this kids to show respect for anything when the parents don’t even respect themselves? It’s all about choices and bad choices breed more bad choices..JC
“What’s a reasonable, effective punishment for a parent? What if the parent is the only caregiver and there are other children in the home?”
Well, if they lived in Albemarle and threw a beer party for these kids Judge Johnson would give them 8 years
Iknowcville, in that situation, there was a statute that the parents broke. (althought the orginal sentence was an example-maker.) It is not a crime to have kids who are in criminal trouble. There are resources for parents, but they do have to participate to get any benefit.
JC, not sure what you’re saying that is any original idea. The stereotype that poor, black woman intentionally become pregnant to get money has been circulated for ages. There will always be people who abuse help offered to them, but from your comments, I get the feeling that your connection to anyone represented by that stereotype is little or none. Moreover, it does not represent any root cause for violence.
Meanwhile, a local news outlet has the most unintentionally hilarious story about the situation ever:
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/home/headlines/8953517.html