BRIEFS – NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON/WILLIAMSBURG/YORK/[GLOUCESTER] (2024)

MAN SURRENDERS IN OFFICER ATTACK

NEWPORT NEWS – A 32-year-old Newport News man, wanted on charges of beating a patrol officer Wednesday afternoon and taking the officer’s gun, turned himself in Friday.

Ricky Royal was arrested at 3:45 p.m. and charged with robbing the gun of officer Frank Nowak, said Lt. Carl Burt. Royal was also charged with an outstanding probation violation.

Royal went to the police station downtown with his attorney, Burt said.

He refused to make any statements to police and did not turn in the gun he is to have allegedly stolen.

Police say Royal was one of three men who attacked Nowak in the 1600 block of 18th Street. Another man, James Powell, was arrested Wednesday.

And police say they are searching for Samuel A. Marrow, 27, with a last known address in the 600 block of 6th Street.

Marrow is described as a black man about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.

EDUCATION FAIR SLATED FOR MALL

NEWPORT NEWS – The second annual Education Fair – featuring information about the 87 partnerships established between Newport News public schools and local businesses – will be Thursday through Saturday at Patrick Henry Mall.

Some information and exhibits will be collected on tables and others will be displayed on wall hangings.

Student musicians will perform and there will be performances from different physical education classes. Performances are scheduled 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday, and 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday.

Eric J. Smith, incoming superintendent of schools, will speak at the mall at 10 a.m. Tuesday during a brief ceremony to kick off the event.

GUNMAN ROBS ATM CUSTOMER

HAMPTON – A gunman robbed a Williamsburg man as he used an automatic teller machine at Old Point National Bank at 1630 Hardy Cash Drive, then fired two shots at his car Wednesday night.

Detective Sgt. Hubbard Davis said the customer was using the ATM about 11 p.m. when a man confronted him and instructed him to withdraw a large sum of money.

When the man replied that he didn’t have that amount, the gunman settled for a smaller sum.

Before he fled, the robber shot at the left front tire of the victim’s car and shot into the passenger door, Davis said.

Police were searching for a black man, about 6 feet 1 inches tall, 140 to 150 pounds with close-cropped hair, who was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt and sneakers.

CITIZEN ABANDONS CHASE OF SUSPECTS

HAMPTON – A Hampton man jumped in his pickup and pursued a car carrying two robbery suspects Thursday night but abandoned the chase when one began shooting at him.

None of the bullets struck the driver or his pickup, Detective Sgt. Hubbard Davis said.

The episode began with the robbery of two men in the parking lot outside Rooney’s Grille & Bar at the Hampton Woods Shopping Center, 1144 Big Bethel Road, Davis said.

The men had left the restaurant when the pair confronted them at gunpoint about 11:45 p.m. and ordered them to give up their wallets.

After robbing the pair, Davis said the two men fled toward the back of the shopping center where a car was parked.

A man who saw a car leave jumped into his pickup and followed the suspects’ car on Hampton Roads Center Parkway toward Interstate 64, Davis said.

Police would not identify the driver of the pickup.

As the driver of the pickup pulled alongside the car, ”the man in the passenger seat fired several shots” at him, Davis said.

The driver noted the license number and police traced it to a car belonging to a Newport News woman. Davis said one of the men apparently had borrowed the car.

CIA DIRECTOR TO SPEAK AT W&M;

WILLIAMSBURG – The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency will discuss national security issues at the College of William and Mary’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law Tuesday.

Robert M. Gates, a 1965 W&M; graduate, will be on campus as part of the Marshall-Wythe speakers’ forum.

His talk will include a question-and-answer session and is open to the public.

Gates has been director of the CIA since November 1991. His talk will be held in Room 120 of the law school at 4 p.m.

HAMPTON BURGLAR GETS 7-YEAR TERM

NEWPORT NEWS – A Hampton man convicted of a string of burglaries at a Newport News apartment complex was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison.

Nathaniel Williams, 37, was sentenced by Circuit Judge J. Warren Stephens to serve two years apiece for three different burglary counts, along with another year for a grand larceny conviction.

Williams is already serving a 10-year sentence that stems from four breaking-and-entering convictions in Hampton.

The Newport News burglaries occurred on April 8, April 25 and April 30 at the Lakeland Village apartments.

Williams was accused of prying open doors or windows and stealing money, jewelry and video-cassette recorders.

co*kE POSSESSION NETS 10-YEAR TERM

YORK – John Thomas Bonneville Jr., 36, was sentenced in York County Circuit Court Thursday to 40 years, with 30 suspended, for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it.

Bonneville was arrested last year following a raid of his Allen’s Mill Road home by York Sheriff’s Department and Drug Enforcement Administration officers. Police seized 10 ounces of cocaine.

He pleaded guilty to the charge, said a court administrator.

MAN SENTENCED IN THEFT OF RUGS

YORK – Roy Charles Shankle Jr., 30, of the 3000 block of Grayfox Circle in James City was sentenced in York County Circuit Court Thursday to 10 years, with all but six months suspended, for grand larceny, said a court administrator.

Shankle was charged in August with stealing $27,750 in Oriental rugs from a truck parked at a business driveway off Lightfoot Road. The rugs were recovered.

2 YOUNG MEN ROB DOMINO’S DRIVER

HAMPTON – Two young men, possibly 15 to 20 years old, robbed a Domino’s Pizza driver in the 3400 block of Sunnyside Drive about 10:15 p.m. Thursday.

While talking to a man about the order, a second man placed an object against the driver’s back and demanded his wallet.

When the Domino’s employee replied that there was no money in the wallet, the robber searched the man’s pockets, and took a small amount of money, said Detective Sgt. Hubbard Davis.

MAN GETS 5 YEARS FOR ARSON VERDICT

YORK – Donald Lee Patrick, 48, of Chesapeake was sentenced in York County Circuit Court Monday to five years for arson.

Patrick, owner of the First Mate Seafood Restaurant in York, was found guilty this month of setting fire to the restaurant in 1986.

The judge followed the jury’s sentence recommendation, said a court administrator.

[BOATER GETS YEAR FOR LEAVING WRECK]

[GLOUCESTER – Frank R. West III of Wicomico was sentenced Friday to 12 months in jail, with six months suspended, and fined $1,000 for his role in the July 9 York River boat collision that preceded the fatal heart attack of a 74-year-old Sandston man.

West, 23, was allowed to remain free on bond pending an appeal of his conviction on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident without stopping to render aid.

West was piloting the commercial fishing boat that rammed a drifting motorboat, overturning it and dumping its three occupants into the water.

One of those men, Buster Hogge, died six hours after the accident.

West had been charged with manslaughter, but a judge in January convicted him of the lesser charge after observing there was no evidence he had been deliberately reckless.

Circuit Judge John M. Folkes said also he was not persuaded that Hogge’s death was a direct result of the accident.

An autopsy revealed that Hogge had severe hardening of the arteries, a kidney stone, a scarred liver and an enlarged spleen.]

[MAN SURRENDERS IN OFFICER ATTACK]

[NEWPORT NEWS – A 32-year-old Newport News man, wanted on charges of beating a patrol officer Wednesday afternoon and taking the officer’s gun, turned himself in Friday.

Ricky Royal was arrested at 3:45 p.m. and charged with robbing the gun of officer Frank Nowak, said Lt. Carl Burt.

Royal was also charged with an outstanding probation violation.

Royal went to the police station downtown with his attorney, Burt said. He refused to make any statements to police and did not turn in the gun he is to have allegedly stolen.

Police say Royal was one of three men who attacked Nowak in the 1600 block of 18th Street.

Another man, James Powell, was arrested Wednesday. And police say they are searching for Samuel A. Marrow, 27, with a last known address in the 600 block of 6th Street.

Marrow is described as a black man about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.]

Originally Published: March 28, 1992 at 12:00 a.m.