HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Henrico couple is afraid to sleep in their own beds, after a second SUV crashed through their fence and into their yard.

“It’s really increased our paranoia every time a vehicle comes by when you’ve had two end up in your yard” said Eric Mathews.

The latest accident was early Sunday morning, a white Ford Explorer crashed through their cinder block wall, through their yard and rolled over into their neighbor’s yard. “I open up the window and look out to see a SUV… flipped over and the top of it crushed, sitting in our neighbors yard,” Mathews said.

Mathews said this was the second time an SUV crashed in his yard.

Mathews said because of this they are moving to a back bedroom in their house.

Mathews is like several who said they live in a quiet area but Horsepen Road has seen an increase in traffic over the past two years.

Eric Mathews

“People treat this like a drag strip, they treat it like a thoroughfare instead of a residential neighborhood,” said Mathews.

Other neighbors completely agree with that assessment.

“I would say people are probably 45 and above” said Caroline Quamme who lives near by.

The posted speed limit on Horsepen Road is 35.

Quamme and other neighbors said they’d like to see Police step up Patrols in the area. She would like them to run radar to slow people down.

The Mathews hope that would stop another SUV from crashing into their yard.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — The deaths of two men found late Monday in an apartment remain under investigation by Henrico Police detectives. Investigators were called to the 5500 Block of Pony Farm Drive in the Colonial Apartment complex at about 11:45 p.m. Monday for what was initially described as a medical emergency.

“Upon police arrival, there were two adult males found deceased,” Henrico Police Lt. Anthony Mehfoud wrote in an email. “At this early stage, the victims have not been identified nor has the cause or manner of death been determined.”

Investigators remained at the apartment complex well into Tuesday morning, collecting evidencing as part of the death investigation.

The Colonial Apartment complex is located in the central section of Henrico near Azalea Avenue and Wilkinson Road, not far from Henrico High School.

Police asked anyone with information about the deaths to call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. This is a developing story.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Two firefighters suffered minor smoke-inhalation related injuries as they battled an apartment fire at the Copper Spring Apartments in the 3200 block of Copper Mill Trace, Tuesday afternoon. Henrico Fire unit were dispatched to the complex at 12:27 p.m.

“First units arrived within three minutes and found heavy smoke and fire from one of the apartments. All the residents of the affected apartment building escaped without injury,” Henrico Fire Lt. Joe Power wrote in an email. “Firefighters worked fast to control the fire and prevent further damage and was fully controlled within an hour. Crews are working with the Henrico Fire Marshal’s Office to determine a cause.”

The fire damaged eight units total. The Red Cross is helping apartment residents impacted by the fire.

“Check your smoke detectors on a regular basis to ensure they will work properly and change the batteries twice annually,” Powers offered as a reminder.

The Copper Spring Apartments are a few blocks away from West Broad Street, near Pemberton Road in Henrico’s West End.

This is a developing story.

“The motive is unknown, and detectives are continuing their investigation,” Henrico Police spokesman Lt. Chris Eley said.

Larnell A Logan Jr. (PHOTO: Logan family)

Grieving family members gathered outside the apartment located in the 5500 block of Pony Farm Drive in the Colonial Apartment complex Tuesday morning. They formed a prayer circle upon hearing news about the deaths of their loved ones.

Investigators were called to the apartment at about 11:45 p.m. Monday after someone discovered the bodies. The initial call for service was described as a medical emergency.

“Upon police arrival, there were two adult males found deceased,” Henrico Police Lt. Anthony Mehfoud wrote in an email.

Otis Eddleton described his nephew Titus as a humble man and a caring father to his 5-year-old son Malik.

“That’s what hurts me the most — that he is leaving his only child behind,”Eddleton said.

Eddleton said Titus got his GED, and was on the way to starting a new chapter in his life.

“We lost our 14-year-old nephew in 2005 due to a homicide,” Eddleton said. “Now, we got to go through this again.”

Gerald Huggins, who lives near where the bodies were discovered, said he did not hear anything unusual.

“No one heard a thing. No one even heard a police siren. All I heard was maybe somebody beep their horn,” Huggins said.

Both Logan and Titus were fathers of young children, Logan leaves behind a daughter.

Titus Howard (PHOTO: Howard family photo)

“Another young one growing up without a father. That’s the last thing we need. It actually sucks,” Higgins said. “I was blessed to have my father in my life, but that sucks because I have seen what it can do to people.”

“You going to have to answer to that on Judgement day,” Eddleton said as he addressed his nephew’s killer. ” I can’t be the one to judge you, but we all have a higher power that we have to answer to.”

Howard had a criminal record in Richmond Circuit Court that included a 2003 conviction on cocaine and heroin charges. Logan Jr. was scheduled to go to court next week for identity theft. Last month, he was found guilty of trespassing after being forbidden from a property, according to online court records.

The Colonial Apartment complex is located in the central section of Henrico near Azalea Avenue and Wilkinson Road, not far from Henrico High School.

Police have not yet released any information about a suspect in the homicide. They are waiting for the Medical Examiner to determine how the men died.

Anyone with information about the deaths is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. This is a developing story.

Suspects in 3000 block of Lafayette Avenue robbery. (SOURCE: Henrico County Police)

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Police have released surveillance photos of armed suspects who held up a business in Henrico County Wednesday morning.

Officers were dispatched to a robbery call at a business in the 3000 block of Lafayette Avenue around 8:10 a.m.

Police said the two suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun and the one with a hammer, entered the business, walked up to employees and demanded cash.

“The suspects forced the victims into the office area where the victims relinquished currency,” said Lt. Chris Eley with Henrico police. “The suspects then forced the victims to the floor and bound their arms prior to fleeing the business.”

No one was injured.

Police described the suspects as black males, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with slim builds.

If you have information that could help investigators, call Henrico Police at 804-501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — One man jumped to safety after an explosion on a boat in the James River. Henrico Fire crews were called to Osborne Park and Boat Landing late Wednesday night when a boat caught fire in the water.

One witness said he heard an explosion, followed by a cry for help.

“I ran over here to see what was going on and there was a boat in the water. It was smoking pretty bad, and he was yelling ‘help.’ So I called the fire department,” witness Dustin Hall said. “The next thing you know he jumped out of the boat, so I jumped in and tried to help out with the situation. It was just engulfed in flames after that point, after he was out the boat and safe on shore.”

The burning 36-foot Chris Craft boat floated down the river and away from the dock.

“When Henrico Fire units arrived a few minutes later they found the boat engulfed in fire 150 yards from shore. The boat operator was uninjured and swam to shore prior to our arrival,” Henrico Fire spokesman Lt. Phillip Lathrop said. “The fire was extinguished by Henrico Fire’s new Fire Boat. It took firefighters approximately 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire has not been determined at this time.”

Henrico Fire’s new Fire Boat (PHOTO: Henrico Fire)

Henrico’s new fire boat was purchased earlier this year with Port Security grant money.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Henrico man is counting his blessings after his boat exploded on the James River Wednesday night.

In fact,  Jimmy Mickles said he feels lucky to have escaped death twice.

“I should have been dead, that explosion, I should have been dead,” a shocked Mickels said from the shore Thursday.

The first time happened when the motor on his exploded and he was knocked to the back of the boat.

“If the explosion didn’t kill me, I thought I was going to drown,” he said.

A few seconds after the explosion, he jumped overboard to escape the flames. But then he faced a daunting 200-yard swim to safety.

Jimmy Mickles

Mickles, who said he had just gotten the ’70s era, 36-foot Chris Craft less than two weeks ago., started  having trouble as he was leaving Osborne Landing Wednesday. When one of his engines started to give him trouble, he changed out a carburetor.

“Started the motor up, ran fine, [but] started… putting it out. I was going to idle it all the way back,” he said. “And I get out about 200 yards and it back fired and it blew.”

Mickles grabbed a fire extinguisher, but quickly realized it would not be enough to combat the flames.

Henrico County fire crews extinguished the fire and what was left of the boat was towed to the dock.

However, the boat sank Thursday morning, which sent burnt debris and fuel spilling into the water.

“They’re talking $50,000 for clean up. I’m on disability so, I don’t know where that’s coming from,” Mickles said.

The clean-up operation is being overseen by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Friends and family members of two fathers found dead in a Henrico apartment have scheduled a prayer vigil Friday at Worship and Praise Deliverance Church. The families of Larnell Logan Jr. and Titus Howard asked those who attend to bring candles and white balloons.

Logan Jr., 25, and Howard, 33, were found murdered in an apartment on Pony Farm Drive in Henrico on August 24. While Henrico Police said the men had obvious signs of trauma to their upper bodies, investigators have not yet released information about a suspect or motive in the homicides.

Grieving family members who gathered outside the apartment the morning after the murders formed a prayer circle upon hearing news about the deaths of their loved ones.

Titus Howard’s uncle, Otis Eddleton, described Howard as a humble man and a caring father to his five-year-old son Malik.

“That’s what hurts me the most — that he is leaving his only child behind,” Eddleton said.

Eddleton said Howard got his GED, and was on the way to starting a new chapter in his life.

Logan Jr. left behind a young daughter.

Worship and Praise Deliverance Church is located at 3006 Laburnum Avenue. The vigil is scheduled for 6 p.m.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — She was surrounded by death during her time as a member of the Joint Mortuary Affairs Center at Fort Lee. Veteran Teresa Lee was part of a team responsible for the bodies military men and women who died serving their country. But nothing could prepare Lee for the news she received earlier this month when she learned her son Quentin, 22, had been shot and was near death.

“I received a phone call that said he had been shot twice and he was at the trauma hospital in Atlanta,” she recalled. “I waited patiently for an update while I searched for flights that would get me there as soon as possible.”

Quentin and Terasa Lee

Quentin was shot outside Club Quad in Atlanta on August 2. Earlier inside the club, he had been involved in a scuffle with strangers. Teresa Lee said she believed the person who shot her son, and another man, on the street that morning was connected to the people inside the club. Atlanta Police have not yet made an arrest in the shooting.

“Quentin is an awesome young man with a huge heart,” Teresa Lee said. “We are clinging to our faith to bring us through this senseless act of violence. We are praying that he continues to get stronger.”

While Quentin survived the shooting, he lost his kidney, spleen and part of his pancreas, his mother said. The bullet hit his vertebrae which left him paralyzed from his waist down. He is currently in rehab at an Atlanta-area hospital.

Quentin Lee

“It’s a miracle that he’s even here, so we keep praying and expecting more miracles to happen. There’s no doubt he’s here for a reason and he has a purpose,” his mother said.

Teresa Lee set-up a GoFundMe page to raise money to help offset the costs of renovating her home to accommodate Quentin and his wheelchair once he is able to leave Atlanta and return home to Central Virginia.

“The doorways need to be widen, the bathroom renovated to be wheelchair accessible and a ramp or lift chair to allow him to go outside and to his appointments,” she said. “Some accommodations will need to be made for transportation, but I’m not sure what that’s going to be yet. We need all the help we can get, financially and volunteers to help when he’s back home at the end of September and information as to who to contact for assistance.”

Quentin, who grew up in Prince George County while his mother was stationed at Fort Lee, moved to Atlanta to begin a career as an audio engineer. While the shooting has derailed those immediate plans, Teresa said he remained thankful to those who have helped so far.

“We know the road is long and the rehabilitation will be intense, but ultimately it’s in Gods hands,” she said.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Police are looking for two women wanted for going on a shopping spree with stolen credit cards. The cards were stolen between Thursday, August 13 and Saturday, August 15, according to Henrico Police.

“Three victims had credit cards taken from their purse while dining in restaurants in western Henrico County. After the cards were taken, they were utilized to purchase electronics and cosmetics in the immediate area,” Henrico Police spokesman Lt. Chris Eley said. “Officers responded to the businesses and reviewed the store video and identified the suspects as two females. The suspects are described as black females in their mid-30’s, with a medium complexion and medium build.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

Police asked anyone with information to call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

Willow Lawn Grease Spill (SOURCE: CBS 6 Photojournalist Chris Norton)

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – A full underground storage tank is being blames for a grease spill at Willow Lawn shopping center in Henrico County Friday afternoon.

Crews were dispatched to Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive just before 2:30 p.m.

“The grease spill was caused by an overflow of an underground grease storage tank from local restaurants,” Henrico fire spokesman Capt. Daniel Rosenbaum said in a news release. “Power washing crews attempted to clean up the spill in the parking lot.”

However, the grease slid across the parking lot and traveled onto Willow Lawn Drive. As a result, several lanes of Willow Lawn Drive were shut down  and a contractor was called to clean up the mess.

“Clean up is expected to last through the rush hour period and is mainly affecting the flow of traffic in and out of Willow Lawn Drive,” Rosenbaum said.

A CBS 6 News crew on the scene reported the entrance to Willow Lawn Drive near Zoes Kitchen and the street next to the restaurant were blocked off as crews worked to clean up the spill.

Drivers should avoid the area if possible.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. – Cameras were rolling as police and federal agents raided the Chesterfield home of a Henrico schools employee Friday morning.

Forensic officers and detectives from the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force removed a computer tower and other evidence from the home off Francill Court.

According to county tax records, the property belongs to Joseph Murphy.

Cameras were rolling as police and federal agents raided the Chesterfield home of a Henrico schools employee Friday morning.

Law enforcement sources told WTVR CBS 6 that Murphy is an employee at Henrico schools and the focal point of their investigation.

Henrico schools spokesman Andy Jenks released a statement Friday afternoon saying “Joseph Murphy has been placed on administrative leave. Mr. Murphy’s position is not based at a school. We have no additional information to share at this time.”

A federal source said it will take time to go through the evidence pulled from this home.

“It can happen anywhere,” said neighbor Mary Allen, who heard police knocking on doors early Friday.

“It concerns me because this is generally a quiet neighborhood for the most part,” she said.

Murphy has not been arrested, but his house is the focal point of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico police have confirmed 74-year-old Martha Jordan Smith has been found safe.

Smith was last seen by her family at about 5 p.m. Friday evening at her home off of Pemberton Road in Western Henrico County.

Smith has dementia. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 90 pounds. She was last seen wearing a red shirt and black pants.

No more details are available at this time.

HENRICO, Va. — A Henrico man was charged with several crimes after police discovered he was driving a stolen vehicle near the Willey Bridge Friday night.

“Police observed Thomas Newby in the stolen vehicle while conducting a DUI checkpoint,”Henrico Police Lt. Scott Kubicki said.  “Newby fled the scene in the car, but was caught by police a short time later. Nobody was hurt during the arrest.”

Newby was charged with possession of stolen property, eluding police and driving offenses.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Henrico man has been arrested after he pointed a laser at a police plane flying over the West End of Henrico.

Michael Pollock was arrested Saturday night and charged with pointing light from a laser at an aircraft according to arrest reports.

Investigators said a pilot reported someone aimed a bright light at them during a routine patrol in Three Chopt Road at Eastridge Road sometime around 11 p.m. Saturday.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — One person was killed in an early morning crash in Henrico County’s East End, according to police. Officers shut down Williamsburg Road between Eanes and Cavedo Lane after the fatal crash.

The accident happened just before 4 a.m. Sunday along the 2400 block on Williamsburg Road.

The driver of a red car lost control, hit a utility pole, then got out of the car and ran into someone’s yard before the car burst into flames, according to witnesses at the scene.

One person inside the car didn’t make it out and died at the accident site, police said.

Neighbors said the sound of the crash woke them up but they were unable to make it in time to help.

“When we got up the car was engulfed and by the time I got my clothes on to run across the street, I thought I could be of some assistance, my neighbors were standing in the yard and told me it was too late,” said neighbor Curtis Bowman.

The accident knocked out power for about 1,000 people in the area. It was restored around 10:30 Sunday morning.

Police have not released the name of the victim.

According to neighbors they’ve seen several accidents in the area and have petitioned to have a stop light put up, but Sunday’s fiery crash was the worst they had ever seen.

RICHMOND, Va. — Due to multiple crashes on Monday morning, commuters can expect traffic delays in several areas, according to VDOT.

https://www.twitter.com/KristenLuehrs/status/638321348880678913

Shortly after 8 a.m. a crash disrupted traffic on I-295:

I-295 north (Henrico) – The left lane is closed near I-95 due to a crash. There is currently a 4 mile backup. Expect delays.

Then, a little bit later a crash along I-95 caused delays:

I-95 north (Richmond) – The ramp from I-95 north to Broad St. (Exit 74C) narrows due to a crash. Drivers can get by but should use caution on the ramp. There is currently a 3 mile backup. Expect delays.

The I-95 ramp has since reopened and the backup is clear.

HENRICO, Va. — Two rival European grocery chains have chosen Short Pump as their latest battleground.

Aldi has 2 acres under contract for a store in Atack Properties’ new Broad Hill Centre development, and plans filed with Henrico County show that Lidl is taking space across West Broad Street in Markel | Eagle Partners’ forthcoming GreenGate project.

If both plans come to fruition, only about half a mile will separate the longtime German competitors. Lidl was founded in the 1930s in Germany, and Aldi followed there about 10 years later. Both have recently ramped up their activity in Richmond. GreenGate is Lidl’s fourth planned location in the area, while this is Aldi’s 10th store in the works.

“Every retailer is trying to enter the Richmond market – it’s an exciting market,” said Josh Walls, Aldi’s director of real estate.

But neither grocer had made the move into Short Pump yet, and the pending locations would rise along a stretch of Broad Street that is pushing the popular retail sector’s boundaries to the west.

“We’ve been interested in Short Pump for a while, but that’s a compacted market and it’s hard to find a good retail location,” Walls said. “Now that it’s expanding west, and with Wegman’s entering the market, we were given a great opportunity by Atack.”

Aldi is under contract to purchase 2.27 acres from Atack. The land sits on the highly visible corner of West Broad Street and the planned Bon Secours Parkway, which runs through the 70-acre Broad Hill Centre development. A separate development next door, West Broad Marketplace, has landed a Wegman’s grocery store as one of its anchors.

Continue reading on RichmondBizSense.com. 

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A man arrested after a drunk driving crash in Henrico’s West End was using a dead woman’s driver’s license number, according to Henrico Police. Jose Roberto Argueta, 24, ran from one of the vehicles involved in the crash which happened at the intersection of Hungary Spring Road and West Broad Street early Sunday morning.

“Officers located Argueta near the scene and determined he was the other driver,” Henrico Police spokesman Lt. Chris Eley said. “Officers ran Argueta’s information from his North Carolina Identification card and the control number returned as belonging to a deceased female.”

Police charged the 24-year-old driver with DUI, hit and run, identity fraud, no operator’s license and fail to obey a red light.  Argueta’s home address was listed along the 1500 block of Glenside Drive, about two miles from the crash scene.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- An investigation is underway after a trailer came off a truck and hit an SUV on Interstate 295. No one was hurt in the crash which closed all lanes of I-295 near the I-95 split in northern Henrico. The crash backed-up morning commuter traffic for more than four miles.

The tractor-trailer was headed north on I-295 when the trailer broke free, hit a guardrail and then an SUV, the truck driver said. The out-of-control trailer eventually overturned in a ditch.

"It was the ride of my life," said Pernell Baker, who was driving the truck that crashed.  "I didn't know what had happened. Actually, I thought I had blown a front steering tire."

Pernell said his back trailer threw the entire rig around the interstate before the wreck.  State police said their motor carrier unit, a team that specifically investigates tractor trailer wrecks, will examine whether or not equipment failure was to blame.  The incident is in the early stages of the investigation.

The trailer was hauling sand, which spilled out and needed to be cleaned up. The trailer also leaked diesel fuel.

The right and center lanes reopened at about 9 a.m.