The rest of the story so far

Goochland Sheriff James L. Agnew held a press conference on Monday, June 25 to share more details about the attempted home invasion/shooting that happened in the center of the county last Friday.

A press release distributed several hours after the incident r contained the bare bones of the story. A man from New Zealand named Troy George Skinner attempted to gain entry to a home in the Holland Hills subdivision. After breaking a glass door, the lady of the house shot at him twice, catching him once in the neck. Skinner ran to a neighboring home, where he collapsed in the front yard. First aid was rendered as he was taken into custody by Goochland Deputies. He was transported via MedFlight to MCV hospital.

Over the weekend, Agnew and his investigators conducted interviews and began to assemble pieces of this bizarre puzzle. Agnew has asked the FBI for assistance in the case and expected to meet with the FBI later on Monday afternoon.

Agnew said that on Friday afternoon, June 22, the mother and her 14 year-old-daughter were painting in the basement of the home in Holland Hills, an enclave of spacious homes on large lots, when she heard the front doorbell ring. As she was not expecting anyone, she ignored it. A few minutes later, a man appeared at the basement door pounding on it saying that he had hitchhiked 30 miles and demanding entry.

 The mother and daughter ran upstairs and locked the door to the basement. The mother called her husband who told her to call 911 and get their gun.  Her 18 year- old daughter, who was upstairs, brought the weapon, a P22 Walther pistol, to her mother who loaded it.  By then, Skinner, who according to Agnew is 6’1” and weighs 275 pounds, was beating on the door to the deck with a  landscape stone. The mother told Skinner three times that she had called the police and had a gun. That did not deter him. He smashed the door with the stone and reached in to unlatch it. The mother shot twice, one bullet caught Skinner in the neck, the other went into the door jam.

Skinner used a landscape stone to smash the glass in this door.

Skinner  remains at MCV. He refuses to talk to law enforcement. His condition has improved and Agnew said he expects that Skinner will soon be charged with entering a dwelling with intent to commit murder, rape, robbery, or arson and transported to the Henrico jail, west. Skinner was in possession of a large knife, which could be considered a deadly weapon, at the time of entry, making the crime  a class 2 felony, which could result  in life imprisonment if convicted. Agnew did not rule out the possibility that federal charges could also be find against Skinner.

According to Agnew, Skinner is believed to have encountered the 14 year-old on an online gaming site called Discord (discordapp.com). She told him she was no longer interested in continuing the interaction earlier in the year.

Agnew contended that Skinner planned his actions well in advance. The 25 year-old man traveled from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia, to Los Angeles, arriving in Washington, D. C. at 9:40 p.m. on June 20. Skinner took a Greyhound bus to Richmond and spent one night at Hosteling International USA there, checking out at 8:46 a.m. on June 22. He purchased a knife and duct tape at the Short Pump Walmart at 12:45 p.m.He also had pepper spray in his possession. Agnew said they have no information about how Skinner made his way from Short Pump to Goochland.

A Goochland investigator displays the knife that Skinner bought at Walmart while Sheriff Agnew looks on.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on June 22, a Holland Hills resident noticed a male wearing black clothes and a hoodie, even though it was a hot day, crossing the road along Bulldog Way and Steeplechase Parkway. (This information was relayed to the Sheriff’s Office several hours after the incident occurred.)

WTVR Channel reporter Melissa Hipilot told the Sheriff that she had been in contact with someone in New Zealand who claimed that Skinner was taking some sort of mental health medication. Agnew said has no knowledge of that. He also said that he had no idea if Skinner has a criminal history, and hopes the FBI can facilitate the international implications of the case, and supply more information about Skinner.

A  bag carried by Skinner contained his New Zealand driver’s license, and an indication that he planned to return there on June 30.  A phone and tablet computer have been taken into evidence and have not yet been analyzed. Law enforcement does not yet know how Skinner obtained the Goochland address.

Agnew said that the family was badly shaken by the incident, are nice people, and the victim in this crime.

He cautioned parents to be aware of their children’s online habits and do not assume that people they meet in cyberspace may not be good people or who they claim to be.

The Sheriff said he will share information on the case as it becomes available.

Land use matters

Goochland’s Planning Commission is comprised of five appointees, one from each district. It is an advisory body charged with reviewing land use matters and making recommendations to the Board of supervisors, which has the final say.

Current Commissioners are: John Myers, District 1; Matt Brewer District; Carter Duke, District 3; Chair John Shelhorse, District 4; and Tom Rockecharlie, District 5.

At its June 7 meeting, the Commission reviewed tentative plats for recently rezoned residential enclaves,  Mosaic and Reader’s Branch, located in the Hockett Road corridor in eastern Goochland.

Once a rezoning application had been approved by the supervisors, most actions concerning new projects take place administratively. 

Mosaic, a 55 plus community approved in March, submitted a tentative plat for  476 dwelling units, a mix of town houses and single family homes.  Topography of the site and gas line easements, said Director of Community Development JoAnn Hunter, resulted in 44 fewer lots than originally approved. Rezoning applications include conceptual plans that tend to be broad overviews of a site. As developers refine projects, things change.

As a result, many lots in Mosaic could be between 65 and 55 feet wide. There was some discussion about side setback for the townhomes, which seemed odd, because they tend to be attached. No projections into the setback areas will be permitted, which prevents  future enlargement of these homes.

The plat presented on June 7 places the clubhouse and fitness facility at the center of the community, which will extend from Tuckahoe Creek Parkway to Broad Branch Drive, between Capital One and Hockett Road. Of the approximately 207acres in Mosaic, 87.042 is designated as lot acreage; 79.613 open space; and 29 acres for roads. The remainder could be the amenities.

Reader’s Branch, east of Hockett Road opposite the Parke at Centerville, also got approval of its tentative plat. This subdivision also shrank two lots after a more careful look at the site revealed that topographic features will support 301 versus the 303 home site approved.

A proffer amendment application filed by Cameron General Contractors to allow a “home for the aged” on the north side of Rt. 6 opposite the entrance to Rivergate. The 38.8 acre parcel was  zoned in 1998 for two office buildings totaling 180,000 square feet, which never materialized.

Proposed is a 130 independent senior living units in one three story building. Services will include dining, housekeeping, valent parking, some retail, concierge services, and a shuttle bus.   Residents will average 80 years of age. It will not offered skilled nursing or assisted living options.

The application substitutes the residential structure for one of the office buildings and reserves the right to construct the other, perhaps to offer higher levels of care, in the future. The county’s wastewater pump station, located on an adjunct parcel, will continue to use the same access point onto Rt. 6.

There was no opposition to the facility. It will generate less traffic than an office building and upscale materials, setbacks, and landscaping complement Rivergate.

Community meetings with Rivergate residents  resulted in a right turn only option exiting the property for safety reasons. Crossing the very narrow existing median to safely turn left, Rivergate residents believe, is perilous, especially for older people.

The narrow Route 6 median at the Rivergate entrance makes left turns dicey.

Roger Spence, a Rivergate resident, said that the developer was receptive to the concerns of his neighbors. He also said that if the right turn only condition  had not been part of the application, the board room would have been filled with opponents from his community. The narrow median, Spence contended, requires a commitment to cross all lanes of traffic to turn left, a difficult maneuver in heavy traffic. Fatalities will occur there, he predicted, if left turns are permitted.

Spence also said that it is often difficult to ascertain which lane oncoming vehicles occupy. He predicted a 10 hour public hearing before the supervisors if left turns are permitted there.

The only objection county staff had to the application was the right turn only provision, contending that VDOT standards will require the applicant to widen the median for safety.  The right turn only provision just moves the turning action further west and does little to improve safety, said Debbie Byrd, assistant director of community development. A traffic signal at Rt. 6 opposite Hope Church, just west of the site, which will be in place by the end of 2018, will provide breaks in eastbound traffic.

Commissioners were not convinced. Rockecharlie said that he would have a hard time recommending something that could cause an older person to be t-boned by a  gravel truck coming east from the Luck Stone quarry. The access point is located at the top of a blind hill on a road with a 55 mile per hour speed limit, decreasing the margin for error when turning. Brewer said he could support left and right turns if the median was widened.

The commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval, expressing concern  that the intersection be improved to ensure safe left turns. The application moves on to the supervisors for another public hearing.

In the meantime the applicant and staff will refine the proposal to address these safety issues.

All community meetings are posted on the county website http://goochlandva.us/ well in advance of their occurrence. Pay attention, be engaged, make a difference.

Slipping into summer

After busy start to 2018, Goochland’s Board of Supervisors began summer with a light agenda at its June 5 meeting. As no public hearings were on tap, there was no evening session.

Perhaps the most interesting factoid in the Board packet was the notice that Hermitage Gardens, LLC has withdrawn its rezoning application to build 438 homes on 176.34 acres the east side of Hockett Road. Vigorous push back to the proposal at a May 14 community meeting may have given the applicants second thoughts. Adding more traffic to Hockett Road; impact on county schools; and erosion of the county’s rural character were the main objections voiced by citizens.

Other landowners eyeing dense residential development in the Hockett Road corridor must understand that they need to devise a more concrete solution to the Hockett/Broad intersection than paying full cash proffers and letting the county and VDOT figure out how to mitigate traffic impact.

According to VDOT Ashland residency administrator Marshall Winn, the traffic signal at West Creek Parkway and Route 6, opposite Hope Church, is on the VDOT construction schedule and should be in place by the end of 2018.

Winn also reported that utility conflicts and  easements needed for upgrades to the Rt. 288/Broad Street Road interchange have been secured. The target date for this road work has moved up from September 2020 to January 2020. He speculated that further acceleration of the project is possible.

Paving of the stretch  of Manakin Road mangled by gas line installation is under way and  should be finished by June 8, said Winn. The gas company will then begin installing the gas line along Broad Street Road east of Manakin Road. The right lane will be closed on Broad Street Rd. (Rt. 250) between Manakin Rd. and Hockett Rd. from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 11-15 for utility work.

Board Chair Ken Peterson, District 5, welcomed, in absentia, Vern Fleming to the District 3 seat school Board seat. Fleming succeeded John Lumpkins, Jr. who was appointed to the District 3 supervisor in April. They will both serve until replacements are elected in November.

County Administrator John Budesky said that the annual fireworks display will be held on July 4 in Courthouse Village as usual. He thanked the Sheriff’s Office in advance for doing an excellent job of controlling traffic and keeping everyone safe during and after this event. He also asked those attending to pack their patience and be considerate of others traveling to and from the event.

The fireworks are delightful. However, as more people from outside Goochland clog our roads to attend the display, fewer Goochland residents, whose tax dollars pay for the pyrotechnics and public safety costs, decline to participate in the countywide traffic jam to watch “the bombs bursting in air” as we celebrate America. It may be time to rethink this annual event.

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief Bill MacKay reported that EMS crews recently used the LUCAS © chest compression system to deliver two patients to hospitals with a “fighting chance” to recover. Providing manual CPR is physically demanding and difficult to perform consistently for long periods of time. Once CPR compressions have begun, they must continue until either the patient responds; reaches a hospital; or CPR is terminated on the orders of a doctor. Goochland ambulances are equipped with telemetry that transmits patient information to a hospital during transport. MacKay thanked the supervisors for funding this lifesaving equipment.

MacKay gave a shout out to Goochland schools for getting through the academic year with no school related student traffic accidents.

He also commended fire-rescue providers for actions during the recent flooding on Riddles Bridge Road who responded to the scene in the middle of the night and waded into rushing water to save trapped motorists

Two additional Fire-Rescue folks completed paramedic certification, MacKay said. Two career providers have completed tactical medic training to support law enforcement operations in uncontrolled environments.

The Hon. Dale W. Agnew, Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, gave the Board an update on her office. She thanked Budesky and Barbara Horlacher, Director of Financial Services for  making  the budget process easy.  She reported that her office received a clean audit.

A new system that electronically enters real estate information upon recordation will speed and simplify title searches.   As new condos and other properties are sold, this is an important time saver.

The record room has been reorganized to maximize space and ensure that public records can be easily accessed.

Agnew also said that probate activities have increased approximately 25 percent in the last two years. She expects this trend to continue as people move into the recently approved senior communities in the county.

The criminal court case load has remained level, but civil actions, especially those to collect unpaid taxes, have risen about 25 percent.

Dr. Gary Rhodes, President of Reynolds Community College, announced that he is retiring at the end of August after 16 years at the helm of the college. His successor is Dr. Paula Pando.

Rhodes said that in May, 21 Goochland High School students earned Associate’s Degrees about a month before their high school diplomas thanks to the dual enrollment program. Next year, 31 local students are expected to follow suit.

He reported that community college enrollment tends to fall in good economic times. He also said that he would like to see the Goochland campus expand programs offered, perhaps to include additional career and technical opportunities. Community colleges are a vital tool in fixing the mismatch between open jobs and lack of skilled employees to fill them.

The consent agenda, routine items that require supervisor approval, included amendments of the school budget that have no impact on the county transfer amount. (See Board packet beginning on page 91 for details.)

More amendments to the school budget were necessitated by funding for the Junior ROTC program being picked up by the Marine Corps. Goochland is one of a very few similar programs nationwide to achieve this. Thanks to everyone who made this happen and kudos to our Marine cadets and school staff who make the program a success.

Additional funds, some made available when bids for paving at Byrd Elementary School came in less than budgeted, were allocated for capital projects, including security upgrades and improvements to the high school football field.

Capital Improvement funds were also allocated for purchase of a new animal protection vehicle and fund design of improvements to the Rt. 6 sidewalk, which was damaged by erosion during our rainy spring.

The Board authorized Budesky to execute a license agreement and memorandum of understanding to relocate the Virginia Cooperative Extension office to the Central High School complex. This would occur after anticipated renovations to the complex are completed later in 2018.

Several public hearings were scheduled for the July 3 meeting.

Application to add 12 parcels of land totaling 56.365 acres, which are part of the recently approved Mosaic senior residential enclave, to the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.

Other July public hearings on changes to county code to align with state law include: an ordinance to amend the number of members of the Economic Development authority from seven to five, with three constituting a quorum; changing the local health director’s discretion about quarantining a police dog; what work on an onsite sewage treatment system constitutes maintenance; when real estate taxes are due; changes to the law regarding variances; prohibiting a planning commission from delaying of any proposed plant, site plan, or plan of development. (see the board packet for details.)

Troubled bridge over the Interstate

On May 31, a meeting to gather citizen feedback about possible improvements to the Ashland Road/Interstate 64 interchange was held at the Centerville Company 3 Fire-Rescue station.

Goochland County expects to submit an application to be considered for Virginia’s Smart scale program funding in August.  Kimley-Horn, the engineering firm retained to help with preparation  of the application, shared three possible solutions to mitigate rush hour gridlock able to handle traffic increases expected through 2045.

Tom Coleman, a principal planner with the county, explained the three possible options. They were: a partial cloverleaf; two roundabouts with “truck aprons” to accommodate  large and heavy industrial traffic;  and a “diverging diamond” traffic pattern similar to that at the Zion Crossroads interchange in Louisa County.

Thanks to Betty Nuckols for passing along the link to this informative video about diverging diamonds. https://youtu.be/eLAwwl3EtN4

The Smart Scale program, designed to fund regionally important road improvements, is very competitive, said Coleman. There are no guarantees that this project will “win” funding. The county may resubmit applications every other year. “Winning” projects will be announced sometime in the Spring of 2019. It will pursue other funding options.

Each alternative includes a second two lane bridge over I64 and finally acknowledges that four lanes are needed to handle traffic.

Coleman said that the partial cloverleaf is the most expensive and least functional choice. He and Kimley-Horn representative conceded that the double roundabout, even with spiffy truck aprons, could be clog the works if large trucks were to tip over while traversing them. A recent wreck at the Temple Avenue roundabout near I95 was cited as an example of this.  The best option, he contended, is the diverging diamond, which moves traffic to the opposite side of the road, reduces conflict points, and keeps vehicles moving albeit at a slow but safe speed..

All options have hefty price tags. The double roundabout is estimated at $30 million; the diverging diamond at $31 million. The partial cloverleaf, which was presented as the least favorable option perhaps a bit more due to rights of way acquisition. Some federal money may be available for the project.

The meeting room was filled with citizens who expressed healthy skepticism about the proposals. One woman, however, said that she works near Zion Crossroads and uses the diverging diamond road there every day. At first, she said, she thought the configuaration was daft. But after using it, she believes that it improves traffic flow and is the best and safest of the three proposed alternatives.

In response to a question about the incidence of vehicle accidents and fatalities at Zion Crossroads before and after the installation of the diverging diamond, the Kimley-Horn representative said that wrecks decreased from 25 to 12 and serious injuries from 12 to 2.

Included in the proposal is the cost of  moving the exiting park and ride, whose current location would be gobbled up by road changes. In all scenarios, the park and ride will move to the west side of Ashland Road south of the interchange, roughly opposite open acreage used for Field Day of the Past parking. It will be enlarged to handle more vehicles.

All proposed options, said Coleman, are at a very high level. Details will be addressed closer to completion.

Coleman speculated that if Goochland wins Smart Scale  funding for the project and all the stars align, it might be completed in ten years. In reality, it could take much  longer. Actual construction could take more than two years. This all means that until at least 2030, twelve years from now, Ashland Road and I-64 will be remain a malfunction junction at certain times of the day.

At some unknown point in the future, Ashland Road may be widened to four lanes, speculated Coleman. How and when this will happen, is anyone’s guess. Until then, vehicles negotiating this interchange will continue to play chicken. People who live along Ashland Road will continue to use their current rush hour strategy of “gun it and pray” to exit their driveways among dump trucks, tractor trailers, and other vehicles zooming along.

If you have any comments or questions about these proposals, please contact Tom Coleman at tcoleman@goochlandva.us before June 30. The Supervisors are expected to consider these proposals at their July 3 meeting so the Smart scale application can be submitted by August 1.

Interim School Board member sworn in

Vernon Fleming took the oath of office as District 3 member of the Goochland School Board on Friday, June 1. He was appointed to fill the vacancy created when John Lumpkins, Jr. was tapped by the Board of Supervisors to fill its District 3 seat. Both Lumpkins and Fleming are interim appointments who will serve until  a special election on November 6 allows voters to elect a District 3 supervisor and school board member.  The untimely passing of District 3 Supervisor, Ned Creasey in March necessitated the changes.

Vernon  Fleming is sworn in as interim District 3 school board member by the Hon. Dale W. Agnew.

The Hon. Dale W. Agnew, Goochland Circuit Court clerk, administered the oath.

A Louisa County native, Fleming is a retired Army Lt. Col., whose career included a stint teaching military science at the College of William and Mary. Since returning to civilian life, Fleming has held executive positions at major American companies and is currently employed by Performance Food Group, headquartered in West Creek.

Fleming has six children, two currently students in Goochland Schools. He is active in his church and is on the Board of Directors of the Goochland Historical Society; and. The Shady Grove Rosenwald School in Louisa. He has served as District Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America and as a Big Brother in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Richmond.

According to a press release  from GCPS, “Mr. Fleming is eager to put his experience and skills to work ensuring schools are adequately funded and properly staffed with qualified administrators and teachers, and doing everything possible to provide a quality and inspiring educational experience for OUR children.”

Dr. Jeremy Raley, Mike Payne,  Kevin Hazzard,  Vernon Fleming, and Beth  Hardy.

Following the swearing in, schools board members Beth Hardy, District 4, Vice Chairperson; Kevin Hazzard District 2, ad Mike Payne, District 1 welcomed Fleming to their ranks. Dr. Jeremy Raley, superintendent of Schools, congratulated Fleming and presented him with a Bulldogs shirt and CTE cap to welcome him to Team Goochland.

Dr, Jeremy Raley presents Vern Fleming with Bulldog shirt and CTE hat. He is now a member of Team Goochland!

Fleming’s skill and experience as a soldier, executive, community volunteer, and a parent will bring new perspectives to the school board as it continues the positive momentum to  maximize the potential of every learner.