CRIME & SAFETY

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - A plane made an emergency landing at the Virginia Tech airport Tuesday night after being struck by lightning, according to a university spokesperson. University police were notified at 7:55 p.m. that a plane was struck by lightning and needed to make an emergency landing at the airport.

GILES COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - The Wythe County Sheriff’s Office has released pictures of an unidentified man wanted in Pulaski County. The man listed as “John Doe” in Pulaski County warrants was last seen taking food items from a home in Giles County, according to the Giles County Sheriff’s Office.

GILES COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — A still-unidentified man has been leading deputies on a nearly month-long chase across multiple counties, most recently including Giles County. None of them have been able to track him down. The first incident reported so far by law enforcement happened on September 4, according...

GILES COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — The Giles County Sheriff's Office is trying to find a man who they said is wanted and armed. On Tuesday evening around 11 p.m. GCSO said on Facebook that they were trying to find a man with outstanding warrants described as a white man with a ball cap, blue jeans, a dark coat, and a backpack.

The Virginia State Police is conducting an investigation into the death of a male that occurred on Sunday in Elliston. At the request of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Salem division, are looking into an incident that resulted in the death of a male on Crozier Drive.

Fear grips Giles County as an armed break-in suspect is sighted. Residents are on high alert following the unsettling incident. Watch the video to understand the gravity of the situation and how the community is responding to this threat.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — A car fire at a gas station on Catawba Valley Drive was no match for firefighters on Tuesday night. The Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department said they were dispatched to the incident at Catawba Grocery. Officials reported that they made quick work of...

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — A death investigation is underway in Montgomery County after an incident on Sunday. At the request of the Sheriff's Office, the Virginia State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Salem Division, is conducting an investigation into the death of a man on Crozier Drive in Elliston.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a breaking and entering Sunday on Crozier Court. When deputies arrived on scene, the suspect fled, resulting in a chase that ended near Eastern Montgomery High School. The suspect is described as a white man,...

PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Pulaski County announced a plea of Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity was accepted in the Mangekian murder case that occurred in April 2021. Cory Mangekian was charged with first degree murder in the death...

Authorities in Pulaski County, Virginia have identified the body of a woman who was found submerged inside a car at a popular lake earlier this month. Last week, officials identified the woman as 79-year-old Jean Lester, of Hollidaysburg, Pa, according to reports from our Sinclair affiliate WSET. According to local...

PULASKI, Va. – Pulaski County Sheriff’s deputies name the woman they believe is responsible for the fire at the Randolph Park Pool house. Deputies say Amanda Hitt was identified as the person involved after reviewing video — they saw Hitt smoking a cigarette near the area where the fire started.

A Vinton, Virginia man, who illegally possessed explosives both at his home and at another property in Roanoke County, has pled guilty in federal court. Robert Wayne Wright, 29, pled guilty earlier this month to one count of possessing an explosive as a convicted felon. According to court documents, between...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Keith Rahn of Radford, Virginia, has been recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) as a TCA Highway Angel because of his actions following a crash involving a drunk driver. Rahn is a driver for WEL Companies, based in De Pere, Wisconsin. The incident occurred Aug....

(from RoCo police) On Tuesday August 22, 2023, a 2005 Mack Truck driven by Michael Thornton was traveling northbound in the 4200 block of Jae Valley Rd in Roanoke County. The vehicle lost control, crossed the center line and ran off the left side of the road. The truck struck a guardrail and continued down an embankment where it overturned and caught fire. Mr. Thornton died at the scene.

A Fieldale man has been indicted for allegedly engaging in a real estate fraud scheme valued at more than $1.3 million. Herman Estes Jr., 40, contacted a real estate agent on Jan. 17, 2023, to inquire about buying a Roanoke County property, then listed at $1.2 million, court documents show.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — Police in Roanoke County will soon have improved safety with the allotment of $28,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, according to a statement from Congressman Morgan Griffith. The funds will help keep the citizens of...

PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is trying to find two people who they said have been smashing car windows and stealing valuables from within. PCSO commonly uses humor as a vehicle to convey their messages to the community, and the Facebook post referring to...

The Roanoke County Police Department is in search of a missing person last seen on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Christopher Jeremiah Lafanette, 26, was last seen at his house in Roanoke and may have been headed to High Point, NC. He is described as a black man, brown hair, green...

FLOYD COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) — Two men were sentenced to two decades in prison after traveling over 1,000 miles to rob a jewelry store in Floyd County in 2022. According to the Floyd County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Jonathan Flowers and Dale Bennett were both sentenced to 20 years in prison. On Aug. 14, 2023, Flowers and Bennett pled guilty to charges of burglary, grand larceny, and conspiracy.