Upcoming Event

Date: January 17th, 2012

2012 Spring Citizen's Academy

The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office will be holding the Spring 2012 Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy starting on February 22nd. Come learn about the Sheriff’s Office and participate in some very interesting classes. Samples of the classes that will be taught are: DUI Operations, Forensic Investigations and Traffic Operations. We will also have a K9 demonstration, a tour of the Henrico County Jail facility, speakers from the Virginia State Police and many more activities. Participants in the academy will also have the opportunity to ride along with a uniformed Deputy during a scheduled shift. Don’t wait too long to sign up; classes are limited to 25 people. Hurry and call today or stop by the Sheriff’s Office! The deadline to sign up is February 13th.

Call SGT. S N Creasey at (804) 556-5349 for more information

Click HERE for the application and HERE for a copy of the Citizen's Academy rules.

2011 Annual Sheriff's Report

Date: January 3rd, 2012

Please click here to view the 2011 annual Sheriff's report prepared by Sheriff Agnew.

In the Community

Date: December 10th, 2011

Christmas Mother 2011

Goochland Deputies and their families delivered food and Christmas gifts to 28 different families on Saturday, December 10th, 2011. The Christmas Mother program has been around for more than 40 years in Goochland County and the Sheriff's Office has participated every year for the past 17 years.

Be Safe this Holiday Season

Date: December 2nd, 2011

Holiday Season Brings More Drunk Drivers onto the Road

During the holiday season there is more drinking going on. Consequently, there are more impaired drivers on our roads. More traffic crashes and alcohol-related highway deaths occur during holiday periods than other times during the year.

In our effort to prevent the loss of life, reduce property loss and remove intoxicated drivers from the roads, traffic enforcement is increased during this busy time of year. You can help!

Report Impaired Drivers

At times, you may witness impaired drivers on the road endangering friends and loved ones. They may be weaving, running off the road, or crossing into oncoming traffic. Often times, responsible citizens are left asking themselves—what can I do?

First, keep as much distance from the other vehicle as possible.
Second, do not try to pass the vehicle or signal the driver to pull over.
Third, get the license plate number along with a vehicle description to include make, model and color.
Finally, pull over and call 911. Give the exact location of the vehicle and direction of travel. Include the road name and cross streets.

Don’t jeopardize your own safety trying to obtain any of this information.

Plan ahead and designate a sober driver!!!

Recent Arrest

Date: September 20th, 2011

Search Warrant Yields Felony Marijuana Charge

On September 9, 2011 the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 2400 block of Hidden Hollow Lane. The address is located in the central portion of Goochland County off of Dogtown Rd. 21 marijuana plants being cultivated in various locations around the residence were seized. These plants ranged from 2.5ft to 4ft in height.

38 year old Daniel Lee Spartichino of Goochland County was arrested on a felony charge of Possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Spartichino is scheduled to appear in Goochland County General District Court at 9:00am on October 17, 2011.

Back to School

Date: August 19th, 2011

Safety Tips

With the end of summer and the start of school, drivers need to be proactive to help keep kids safe around school zones and school busses. Some simple reminders for drivers:

Slow down and be alert.
Enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully.
Watch for children on and near the road in the morning and after school hours.
Reduce distractions. Concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Put down your phone and don’t talk or text while driving.

Reminder for your kids:

Make sure kids always walk in front of the bus, stay out of the driver’s blind spots and wait for the bus to stop completely before approaching the street.

Effective July 1, 2011, passing a stopped school bus is now considered reckless driving in Virginia.

§ 46.2-859. Passing a stopped school bus; prima facie evidence.

A person driving a motor vehicle shall stop such vehicle when approaching, from any direction, any school bus which is stopped on any highway, private road or school driveway for the purpose of taking on or discharging children, the elderly, or mentally or physically handicapped persons, and shall remain stopped until all the persons are clear of the highway, private road or school driveway and the bus is put in motion; any person violating the foregoing is guilty of reckless driving. The driver of a vehicle, however, need not stop when approaching a school bus if the school bus is stopped on the other roadway of a divided highway, on an access road, or on a driveway when the other roadway, access road, or driveway is separated from the roadway on which he is driving by a physical barrier or an unpaved area. The driver of a vehicle also need not stop when approaching a school bus which is loading or discharging passengers from or onto property immediately adjacent to a school if the driver is directed by a law-enforcement officer or other duly authorized uniformed school crossing guard to pass the school bus. This section shall apply to school buses which are equipped with warning devices prescribed in § 46.2-1090 and are painted yellow with the words "School Bus" in black letters at least eight inches high on the front and rear thereof. Only school buses which are painted yellow and equipped with the required lettering and warning devices shall be identified as school buses

The testimony of the school bus driver, the supervisor of school buses or a law-enforcement officer that the vehicle was yellow, conspicuously marked as a school bus, and equipped with warning devices as prescribed in § 46.2-1090 is prima facie evidence that the vehicle is a school bus.

Making our highways safer for everyone

Date: August 3rd, 2011

Sharing the road

The Sheriff's Office receives a lot of calls from both bicyclists and motorists alike regarding regarding bicyclist safety and who truly has the right to the road. Virginia Law states that when a bicycle is operated on a public roadway, it shall be considered a vehicle while operated on a public roadway (See VA Code §46.2-100). In the Virginia motor vehicle code, chapter 8 (§46.2-800 et. seq), the laws governing the use of a bicycle on the highway are defined. Basically, when a bicycle is operated on a public highway, they are required to abide by all of the same laws as a motor vehicle. In turn, a motor vehicle is required to yield right-of-way to a bicycle and may proceed past a bicycle if it is safe to do so and they must pass at least two feet to the left of the bike and at a reasonable speed (§46.2-839). Bicyclists must abide by traffic signals such as stop signs and traffic lights. Failing to do so could result in a citation. If a bicylists runs through a stop sign and is struck by a vehicle, the bicyclists can be charged with failure to yield right-of-way or failing to stop at a stop sign.

A recent change in the law allows for bicycles, motorcycles, and mopeds to proceed through a steady red light as long as they come to a complete stop at the red light and wait for two light cycles or two minutes, whichever is shorter. If it is deemed safe to proceed through the intersection then they may treat the light as a stop sign (§46.2-833). This addition to the code was necessary due to the sensor plates for traffic lights not being triggered by smaller, lighter vehicles. Anyone who is going to operate a bicycle on a highway is encouraged to read through and learn their rights and responsibilities when they are on a public roadway. You can visit http://leg1.state.va.us/000/src.htm and search for bicycle to research the various code sections that pertain to bicycles on a highway.

The following bicycle safety tips were taken from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website. You can view the entire page by going to http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/safety/programs/bicycle/index.asp

Bicycles are subject to the same laws as motor vehicles. Riders of all ages should use the following tips to help ensure safe and legal bike operation:

Ride with traffic.
Stop and look both ways before entering the street.
If you are a new or inexperienced rider, it's a good idea to stop at all intersections.
Before turning, use hand signals and look all ways.
Be a responsible bicyclist - obey all traffic control devices and use proper hand signals.
Ride defensively - anticipate the actions of other road users and watch for road hazards.
Pass vehicles with extreme care - turning vehicles may not see you.
Be aware of motor vehicle blind spots while riding or when stopped at an intersection.
Walk your bicycle when you get into traffic situations beyond your cycling abilities.
Exercise great caution when riding in bus traffic - watch out for buses pulling to and from curbs and passengers getting on and off buses.
Park your bicycle so you do not block sidewalks, disabled accesses, building accesses, or emergency drives.