Attorney Blog

Ferrum Man Sentenced for Hunting Accident Death

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Jason Cloutier, who killed a Ferrum College student and injured another in a hunting accident last November, was sentenced Monday to one year in jail.

Cloutier, 32, of Ferrum said he was hunting in woods near the campus when he mistook three students for deer and fired a shot from his .35-caliber Marlin rifle. Jessica Goode, 23, was killed after she was hit in the chest and Regis Boudinot, then 20, was hit in the hand by the same bullet and lost his right finger. He has since undergone reconstructive surgery and is scheduled for another operation on August 17.

Cloutier was represented by criminal defense attorney Will Davis, who said that his client cooperated throughout the investigation.

After pleading no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter, carrying a concealed weapon, reckless handling of a firearm and trespassing, Cloutier was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge William Alexander to eight years in jail, with seven years suspended. As part of the sentencing, Cloutier will be on probation for three years after he is released and will have to submit to drug testing as a result of two previous charges of possession of marijuana.

The Goode family played a role in crafting the plea agreement according to the Commonwealth's Attorney, Tim Allen, who indicated that the family wanted something good to come of the accident. The Goodes requested that Cloutier speak at hunter safety courses hosted by the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for five years after he is released from jail.

Additional charges against Cloutier of trespass to hunt and hunting without a license were dropped.

The attorneys at Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, PC, have been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Rocky Mount and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. We aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, burglary and theft
• Murder and manslaughter
• Assault
• Grand larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with experienced criminal defense attorney Will Davis.

Christiansburg Teacher Charged in Student Sex Case

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Diana Eckes Canter, a former Christiansburg High School 11th-grade English teacher, has been charged with having sex with one of her students during the 2008-09 school year.

Canter, 34, faces eight felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor. According to a Christiansburg town official, Canter resigned from her teaching job on Tuesday of this week. She was arrested that same night and subsequently released from the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The offenses allegedly occurred between December 2008 and August 2009. Christiansburg Police began to investigate after being contacted recently by the boy who reported that while he was a minor and while he was attending the high school he had a sexual relationship with Canter.

If convicted, Canter would face up to five years in prison on each felony count.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Montgomery County, Franklin County and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine
Possession with intent to distribute
Manufacturing
Drug trafficking
Juvenile drug charges
Breaking and entering
Robbery, Burglary and Theft
Murder
Sex crimes
Assault
Grand larceny

Drivers Face Increased Fines for Speeding

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Roanoke Times reports that a budget amendment from Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, which increases fines for speeding, takes effect on July 1, 2010.

The cost of a regular speeding ticket will increase from $5 to $6 for every mile per hour over the posted limit. In a school or work zone the fine will go to $7, and in residential areas the fine will be $8 per mile over the limit.

In Roanoke, not only will the cost per ticket be going up, but the police there have been handing out more tickets than in the past. In fact, a lot more. In 2009, the Roanoke Police issued 6,655 tickets -- a 94% increase over a four year period.

The troubling thing is that if you get caught speeding, not only do you pay the cost of the ticket, but your insurance premium might go up and you risk losing your driving privileges if you accumulate too many points on your driving record. And sometimes the consequences can be even worse. In Virginia, you can be issued a reckless driving citation if you are driving 20 mph over the posted speed. Reckless driving is a criminal offense and can result in a steep fine and jail time.

The attorneys at Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, PC, can help you minimize the costs of a speeding ticket or reckless driving violation. Our firm defends clients in Roanoke, Rocky Mount, Boones Mill County, Franklin County, Bedford County, Martinsville and Henry County, VA.

Three Rocky Mount Men Charged After Shots Fired From Vehicle

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Franklin News Post reported that two officers from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries arrested three men in connection with discharging a firearm from a vehicle.

The two DIGF officers were driving on Colonial Turnpike when a white Ford Explorer driven by Kenny Laray Edwards, 38, pulled onto the road in front of the officers. Following the Explorer, the officers witnessed that shots were fired from the vehicle in a residential area.

After pursuing the Explorer for a short time, the officers stopped the vehicle and arrested the men, but no weapon was found in the vehicle. After searching the area, the officers discovered a handgun in the vicinity of where the shots were fired. According to police, the handgun was tossed from the vehicle during the pursuit.

Edwards was charged with driving under the influence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The two passengers, Damien Benjuche, 20, and Travis Edwards, 26, were charged with public intoxication, discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

No one was injured as a result of the incident.

The attorneys at Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, PC, have been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Rocky Mount and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. We aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

Tragic Murder-Suicide in Clearbrook in Roanoke County

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Roanoke Times reports that George ‘Kenny’ Whitt, 30, from New Castle, shot and killed a 33-year-old woman and then shot and killed himself last Monday. The apparent murder-suicide occurred outside of a medical center near Franklin Road and Indian Grave Road in Southwestern Roanoke County, less than a mile from Mr. Whitt’s home.

Although not publicly identified by the police, an ex-husband of the victim states that her name is Diamond Underwood and that she was the girlfriend of George Whitt. She has four children between the ages of three and fourteen.

In a tragic connection to the story, Nellie Sue Whitt, George Whitt’s mother, was convicted in 1991 of murdering her boyfriend, Roy Thompson, by running him over with her pickup truck in order to collect a $100,000.00 insurance policy. She remains incarcerated at the Virginia Correction Center for Women in Goochland County. George Whitt was 12 years old at the time of his mother’s conviction.

The law firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., offers our prayers and condolences to the families and especially to the children affected by this terrible tragedy.

Our attorneys have been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Rocky Mount and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with experienced criminal defense attorney Will Davis.

Woman Charged in Roanoke Stabbing

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Roanoke police have arrested Ester Johnson, 51, in connection with a stabbing that occurred on the 500 block of Harrison Ave. in Roanoke. Johnson was charged with malicious wounding.

The stabbing victim was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but there was no word on his condition.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in the areas of Roanoke and Rocky Mount, Virginia, since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Manufacturing
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Roanoke or Franklin County, Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Glade Hill Man Charged in Shooting Death

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Jeremiah Lee Stump, 30, of Glade Hill, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder by the Franklin County Sheriff's Department in connection with the shooting death of Chad Evan English, 19, of Redwood. He is being detained without bail at the Franklin County Jail.

The body of the victim was found by a relative outside of English’s Redwood home. According to Sheriff Elwell Hunt, Stump was apprehended at a friends’ house in Callway the same day of the shooting.

Stump has an extensive criminal record that includes child abuse and neglect, issuing bad checks, and probation violations. He was incarcerated for more than three years when he was convicted of wounding a child in 2001.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Franklin County and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Manufacturing
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Roanoke or Franklin County, Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with experienced criminal defense attorney Will Davis.

Rocky Mount Man Facing Murder Charge

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Rocky Mount resident is facing a second-degree murder charge after being indicted Monday in connection with the shooting death of Kevin Thomas Nichols last month.

Christopher Lewis Young, 26, was also indicted on felony charges of discharging a firearm inside an occupied building and using a firearm in the commission of a murder.

It is important to note that an indictment simply means that the grand jury believes there is enough evidence to warrant a trial; an indictment is not a determination of guilt.

Nichols, 20, of Rocky Mount, was found unconscious on the kitchen floor of Young's residence at 190 Jenny Lynn Lane just after 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, and had apparently been shot in the chest, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department. Nichols was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Young, who turned himself into the sheriff's department Tuesday afternoon, has been released on $30,000 bond.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in Roanoke, Rocky Mount and surrounding areas in Southwest Virginia since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

Miami Dolphins Running Back Charged with DUI

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

Miami Dolphins star running back Ronnie Brown was arrested early Saturday morning on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) near Atlanta, Ga. The 28-year-old was released a few hours later after posting bond.

Brown's arrest is the latest in a string of recent off-field troubles for the Dolphins organization. Will Allen, a cornerback with the team, was arrested last month for a DUI in Miami Beach, Fl. In addition, defensive tackle Tony McDaniel was accused in February of domestic violence at his home in Davie, Fl.

Virginia State Police Issue 7,000 Tickets Over Weekend

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

As part of a stepped-up effort to patrol I-95 and I-81 this past weekend, Virginia State Police issued more than 7,000 tickets on March 6 & 7.

The effort, dubbed "Operation Air, Land and Speed," targeted all 177 miles of I-95 and the full 325 miles of I-81 in Virginia.

According to police, the crackdown netted:

• 3,536 speeders.
• 717 reckless drivers.
• 20 drunk drivers.
• 310 people cited for driving without a seatbelt.
• 35 drug or felony arrests.

Speeding was more prevalent on I-81 while reckless driving occurred twice as often on I-95.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in the areas of Roanoke and Rocky Mount, Virginia, since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Reckless driving and reckless speeding
• DUI/DWI
• Manufacturing
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Roanoke or Franklin County, Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Two Bassett Men Face 16 Indictments for Theft

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Franklin County grand jury has returned 16 indictments against two Bassett men in connection with the theft of parts from tour buses parked on a lot in Fork Mountain in December and January.

The two men, Tracy Allen Adkins, 23, and Randall Shane Cassell, 21, allegedly stole air conditioner condenser coils from tour buses owned by Easter's Auto and Bus Sales, Inc., according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.

It is important to note that an indictment simply means that the grand jury believes there is enough evidence to warrant a trial; an indictment is not a determination of guilt.

The Law Firm of Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing criminal charges in the areas of Roanoke and Rocky Mount, Virginia, since 1891. The firm aggressively represents clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including but not limited to:

• Possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, prescription medicine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Manufacturing
• Drug trafficking
• Juvenile drug charges
• Breaking and entering
• Robbery, Burglary and Theft
• Murder
• Assault
• Grand Larceny

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Roanoke or Franklin County, Virginia, call Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., at 540-483-5221 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Franklin County Grand Jury Indictments

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Franklin County grand jury returned several indictments Wednesday, including that of a Calloway man, Bruce James Abramski, who was indicted on counts of robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of robbery and entering the Franklin Community Bank with the intent to commit larceny.

An indictment does not mean that a person has been found guilty; rather, it means that the grand jury has found that there is enough evidence to have a trial.

Three Felony Charges Certified for Glade Hill Man

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Jeremiah Lee Stump, 30, of Glade Hill is facing three felony charges in the shooting death of a Redwood teenager, including second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of murder, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. The three charges were certified to a grand jury during a preliminary hearing Wednesday, August 4, 2010.

Roanoke Violent Crime and Property Crime Data Search

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

In a perfect world, Southwest Virginia would be free of violent crimes and property crimes. Unfortunately, the reality is that serious crimes can and do happen regularly in our area. Roanoke.com now has an easy-to-use search tool that enables you to track the locations of serious crimes by street.

Davis, Davis, Davis & Davis, P.C., has been defending people facing serious criminal charges since 1891. For more information, please call Will Davis at 540-483-5221 for a free consultation.