Five people have been charged in a string of heat pump component thefts in the Woodford area of Caroline County.

Caroline Sheriff Tony Lippa said three suspects are in custody and two are still at large.
The alleged crimes occurred from September to December and involved multiple homes and churches, Lippa said.

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Caroline residents Patrick A. Foster, 23, Hank G. Rakes, 33, Carl C. Madison IV, 25, Matthew L. Madison, 20 and Desiree N. Pitts, 29, are each charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell, destruction of property and conspiracy to commit larceny.

Deputies are still searching for Carl Madison and Pitts.

In all, the group racked up a total of 53 felony warrants and more charges may follow as the investigation continues, Lippa said.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the remaining two suspects are asked to call the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office at 804/633-5400 or the anonymous tip line at 804/633-1133.
–Portsia Smith

Thursday’s scheduled bench trial for the Sky Express bus driver involved in a fatal crash that left four woman dead has been continued.

K. Cheung

Kin Yiu Cheung, 37, was expected to face four counts of involuntary manslaughter in Caroline County Circuit Court Thursday morning.

But according to a continuance motion, the case was continued upon agreement of Commonwealth’s Attorney Tony Spencer and Defense Attorney Murray Janus for “good cause shown,” or for an undisclosed good reason.

A new trial date will be set on March 7.

Cheung, who speaks Mandarin Chinese and “not too good” English, told state police that he was tired and dozed off and then fell asleep on the morning of May 31 when Sky Express bus No. 386 overturned on Interstate 95 in Caroline County, according to court documents.

When he woke up, the court document said, he turned the bus hard to the left. The bus ran off the right side of the highway near the Carmel Church exit, hit an embankment and overturned, landing on its roof.

State police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said fatigue was a factor in the crash and speed is what made the bus flip over. The speed limit in the crash area is 70 miles per hour.

Of the 58 passengers aboard the bus, 53 were taken to 11 hospitals across the state.

Killed in the crash were Karen Blyden-Decastro, 46, of Cambria Heights, N.Y.; Sie Giok Giang, 63, of Philadelphia; Josefa Torres, 78, of Jamaica, N.Y.; and Denny Estefany Martinez, 25, of Jersey City, N.J.

An affidavit filed by state police said Cheung’s driver log book was two days out of date.

When given a chance to update it by a trooper, Cheung wrote that he got off work at 5:45 a.m. Monday and slept until 6 p.m. He said he slept while riding in a private vehicle from Durham, N.C., to Greensboro, N.C., which is about an hour ride by car, according to mapquest.com.

He reported to work at 10 that night. The bus left Greensboro about 10:30 p.m., and the crash occurred shortly before 5 a.m. Tuesday. It wasn’t clear how many stops Cheung made between the two cities, or where.

According to a public records search, Cheung has had nine traffic violations in Virginia over the past eight years.

Court records show that the he had four speeding violations, two seat-belt violations and violations for following too closely, failure to obey highway signs and failure to stop or yield entering the highway. All of those violations occurred in either Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax, where he lived as recently as 2009.

Of the speeding violations, two were 18 mph above the posted speed limit and two were 17 mph above the posted speed limit.

Cheung also, according to public records, lived on the 11000 block of Sunburst Lane in Spotsylvania County from 2005 to 2008.

The crash, one of a string of discount bus accidents this year, set off a firestorm of media coverage and federal regulatory reaction to an industry seemingly rife with companies that skirt the rules. Sky Express already had a poor safety record and was shut down after the Caroline County crash. Days after that, the company was cited by federal authorities for trying to “reincarnate” under a different name.

Two men convicted in a botched May 2010 robbery in which a good Samaritan was wounded at a Caroline County gas station were each sentenced to more than 50 years in prison this morning.

Richmond residents Warren Harold Brown and Winston Sylvester Oliver II were convicted in federal court with conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery affecting commerce and two counts of using a firearm during a crime.
Oliver, who police say was the getaway driver, received 52 and a half years in prison; Brown, the convicted shooter, received 51 years.

- Reporting by Portsia Smith

Germanna Community College held its first ever winter graduation ceremony at the Fredericksburg Expo Center on Monday, December 19, 2011. (Photos by Peter Cihelka)

By MICHAEL ZITZ

Here’s Jan and David Snow’s recipe for satisfying children who might otherwise wake up on Christmas morning without toys under the tree:

Start with U.S. Marines in dress blues.

Place them in beautifully decorated Stevenson Ridge in Spotsylvania County.

For some kick, mix in Elvis.

Sprinkle liberally with hundreds of guests.

Top it all off with an estimated 1,000 gifts.

In its sixth year, the Snows’ annual Toys for Tots party was a bigger success than ever Saturday night.

“It keeps swelling every year,” Jan Snow said.

After the Marines, the hit of the evening is always David Snow, who dons a wig, jumpsuit and glasses to become Elvis. Saturday night, he sang Presley tunes and Christmas songs for 30 minutes. When another Elvis impersonator pretended to try to horn in on the act, the Marines carried him out as the crowd laughed.

The fact that the Snows have a lot of friends doesn’t hurt.

“Oh my God, Manhattan Construction showed up at our house with three truckloads of toys,” Jan Snow said.

Manhattan Construction superintendent and Fredericksburg native Johnny Painter gave generously. He “said he was sorry he couldn’t be here, but he sent over 37 bicycles and 50 other toys,” David Snow said. Snow and Painter went to James Monroe High School together.

More people get involved each year.

“We’re so grateful to the whole community,” Jan Snow said. The party is becoming a fixture every third Saturday in December.

About 1,000 toys were donated for this party, she said.

The Snows, who live in Stafford County, own Simplicity Inc., a barter business based in King George County.

The Marines’ Toys for Tots Foundation is based in Triangle, in Prince William County, near Quantico. According to the foundation’s website, its mission is “to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.”

The Snows began hosting the party at their home in 2006.

At first, Jan Snow said, they called Quantico and asked the Marines to come. “Now the Marines call us and ask when the party is going to be,” Jan Snow said.

Despite the economic downturn and slow recovery, people have been giving more and more each year, she said.

“We started this just as the economy was starting to slow down,” she said.

But the Snows have learned that even in tough times, “people have good hearts and they want to see the kids get gifts,” she said.

Jan Snow said about 225 people attended Saturday night’s event, up from 175 in 2010, 100 in 2009 and 50 in 2008.

“It’s taken on a life of its own,” she said. “We had people calling in June and July and asking when the party was going to be.”

Michael Zitz: 540/846-5163
Email: mikez@freelancestar.com

STAFFORD COUNTY

116 Washington St. (In Falmouth Bottom, below Belmont.) Lights and figures on the house, candy canes all around and Santa on the roof.

14 Briarwood Drive (Take Ferry Road to Colebrook, then a right on Briarwood.) An army of cutouts, Merry Christmas on the house, a Nativity delight with a new manger and wreaths.

153 Brickert St. (Follow Butler Road until it turns into White Oak Road. Just past the Pro Trucks store, turn left onto Potomac Avenue and left onto Brickert.) A dazzling, large tree of lights joins Frosty, candy canes and Santa up on the roof.

610 White Oak Road (From Ferry Road, make a right on White Oak, on the right.) Santa by mailbox, on a tractor pulling wagon with presents, figures in yard and a Christmas card wishing all well.

619 White Oak Road (Just past last house, on left.) Blow-ups join figures in yard, a Christmas clock and a merry Santa on the porch in bright yard.

39 Shauns Lane (From last house, continue on White Oak to a right on Shauns.) A great display that fills a yard with lights, snowflakes, a Nativity scene, Santa on a teeter-totter. (House next door also cheery, with Santa on a tractor.)

59 Leeland Road (From Deacon Road, take Leeland Road; a quarter mile down on the left.) The house is a beautiful mass of colored lights with animals and other decorations in the yard.

209 Northview Drive (From U.S. 1 north of Falmouth, take a right onto Layhill and a right on Elizabeth, to stop sign.) Lights shine bright with Santa in a hot-air balloon and a swing, carousel and much more.

130 Cranes Corner Road (From U.S. 1, take right onto Cranes Corner, opposite road to Stafford High.) A yearly favorite features blow-ups of all sorts, big snowmen, reindeer and Happy Holidays message.

37 Hull’s Chapel Road (From Enon Road, just before Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church, take a right on Hull’s Chapel Road.) A handmade and life-sized Nativity scene anchors this yearly, well-lit favorite.

650, 654 and 682 Ramoth Church Road (From U.S. 1 north, take left onto American Legion Road, State Route 628, which soon becomes Ramoth Church Road. Several miles up on the left.) Santa must smile when he flies over the homes of the Cooper family and its Ho Ho Express, it’s so full and festive. Countless cutouts join a Nativity scene and much more.

362 Winding Creek Road (From Courthouse Road, take Winding Creek. On the left.) From the snow globes with snowmen to the reindeer runway, the yard is like a winter wonderland.

20 Monument Drive (From U.S. 1, take Courthouse Road past Colonial Forge High School to left on Monument.) Red, green and white lights create a forest of trees and more that pulse to music you can tune in to in your car.

168 Hope Road (From U.S. 1, take Hope Road, State Route 687, a mile or so to the display, on the right.) A house and hill have scenes from a gingerbread train with a new LED Nativity scene, complete with camel and donkey.

2029 Aquia Drive (Come into Aquia Harbour, make left on Richmond, go until it dead ends, take left on Aquia.) A manger scene, blow-ups and the tradition of a rooftop happy face.

1039 Portugal Drive (Come into Aquia Harbour to a right on Aquia Drive, then a right onto Portugal.) Brilliant lights and Snoopy in a plane; Santa in his sleigh, riding a bike, skiing and joining Mrs. Claus in a swing.

4 Crater Lane (From Garrisonville Road, take Staffordboro Boulevard past the commuter lot. Turn left at the dead end past Foxwood Village office.) Mr. and Mrs. Claus, a Nativity scene and more highlight this regular’s display.

36 Riverton Drive (From Garrisonville Road, take right onto Barrett Heights, left onto Whitestone, left onto Riverton.) Lights on trees and projected on house join a merry yard where animals, packages, candy canes and more await.

31 Bertram Blvd. (From Garrisonville Road, take a left on Furnace, a right on Choptank, a left on Buck and a right onto Bertram.) Patriotic snowmen, elves, a sleigh and reindeer are presided over by Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

68 Van Horn Lane (Continue from last house to right onto Van Horn at Rock Hill Baptist Church.) A full-sized sleigh and carriages join wooden elves, a full-sized Nativity scene and so much more.

7 Gray Birch Drive (From State Route 610, take Eustace Road past H.H. Poole Middle School. Turn left onto Gray Birch.) LED lights join figures in the yard, Santa’s workshop, colored lights and a big snowman.

15 Gibson Drive (From U.S. 17 north, take a right at Poplar Road, then a left on Janney Lane and a right on Gibson Drive.) A landing strip, Santa in a hot-air balloon and a Nativity are just a few highlights of this bright display.

114 Wateredge Lane (From Poplar Road, take Kellogg Mill Road to a right on Abel Drive and left on Wateredge.) Lights on house, trees and yard are synched to music heard on car radios. food bank donations collected.

SPOTSYLVANIA AND ORANGE COUNTIES

6 Edison Court (From last house to a left on Edison.) A nice Nativity scene while Santa fishes, a 6-foot bear picks berries and elves ready the sleigh.

12534 Chewning Lane (From State Route 3, take a right onto Chewning, just past Wawa, and house is about a mile on the right.) A manger, with trees and lights ablaze, a helicopter, “Merry Christmas” spelled out and nice lighted wreaths on the fence.

12309 McClain St. (From Route 3, take Corter by Chancellor Elementary to a right on McClain.) The Christmas pig flies, into a tree! There’s a Nativity on one roof, a tree on the other. And don’t forget Santa’s aircraft squadron working on the Christmas airlift.

7307, 7309, 7312 Middleton Drive (From last house, head back to a right on Corter to Middleton.) From bears in the yard to a big Santa, lighted figures and much more adorn these yards.

8211 Old Plank Road (On Old Plank Road, just west of Catharpin.) In perhaps the most unique Christmas display around, Santas, lights and more top a long row of vintage tractors.

8915 Blvd. of the Generals (Take Old Plank Road past Catharpin Drive to a left into Estates of Lee-Jackson on Boulevard of the Generals.) Red, green and white lights shine in this display with lighted candy canes.

135 Jefferson Avenue (Going into Lake of Woods, take a left at gatehouse, a left on Monticello Circle and right on Jefferson.) Here Santa’s on a teeter-totter, lighted and joined by all manner of reindeer, Grinch characters, penguins and much more.

6817 Harrison Road (From State Route 3, take Harrison. On left just past intersection with Gordon Road.) A myriad of lighted figures in yard and lighted wreaths make this special.

11216 to 11222 Piedmont Landing Drive (From Harrison Road, take Piedmont Drive to a left into Piedmont Landing.) Four houses in a row use unique lighting, fantastic detail and yard figures to make striking displays in a subdivision that has many more.

6009 Sunny Meadows Drive (From Leavells Road, take Windsor Drive to a right on Ascot, a right on Huntington Meadows, a left on Sunny Meadows.) A Nativity scene joins a ski lift, a merry-go-round and the abominable snowman putting a star on a tree.

6918 Bloomsbury Lane (From State Route 208 heading toward courthouse, take right onto Bloomsbury.) White lights on the house and trees frame a hand-made Santa and sleigh, deer, snowmen and so much more.

6123 Blackstone Blvd. (From Smith Station Road, take Blackstone into Fox Point.) Cheery lights on the house, a snow bear, Santa’s sleigh and the word “Joy” lights the night in subdivision decorated all over.

9410 Deep Creek Lane (Take Leavells Road toward Spotsylvania Parkway, then a left just before it on Greenspring, a right on Deep Creek.) A wondrous mix of more than 70,000 lights and decorations synchronized to pulse with music you’ll hear on your car radio at a home where donations are taken for the area food bank.

11715 Kingswood Blvd. (From U.S. 1, take Harrison Road to a right onto Kingswood.) This yard is chock full, with a Christmas train, cartoon cutouts, a Bible verse and snowmen with the names of family members.

4944 Lansdowne Road (From Mine Road, take Lansdowne, and house is on right.) Lighted animals in yard join colored lights in the yard, snowmen and more in this cheery display.

4519 Rebecca Road (From State Route 2, take Gerber Drive to Rebecca Road.) A new snowman and gingerbread man join Santa trains, candy canes, reindeer and more in this holiday display.

FREDERICKSBURG

197 Stonewall Drive (From U.S. 1, take Confederate Boulevard to a right on Stonewall.) Light figures of a Nativity scene, a teeter-totter, a train, trees, a carousel, a helicopter and so much more light up this dazzler.

134 Springwood Drive (Off Lafayette Blvd. near Twin Lakes Drive in Alum Springs Estates. At end of street.) Santa’s on the roof while lights on house and in yard flash to the music you’ll hear in your car, making this a real dazzler.

KING GEORGE COUNTY

1026 French Court (From State Route 3, take Fletcher’s Chapel Road 2 miles to a left on Oakland, then left on French Court.) House, bushes and trees are ablaze with lights, Santa on side of house and enough figures in yard to make children smile.

9410 Indiantown Road (In King George, take State Route 610 a mile or so to house.) A “Happy Birthday Jesus” sign, Nativity scene and more key this display to create a “real meaning of Christmas” feel.

14256 Melody Lane (From State Route 205 heading toward Colonial Beach, take a right on State Route 621 and a left on Melody.) Skaters, carolers, angels and more in one of area’s most beautiful hand-made displays.

BY JIM HALL

The heart surgery program at Mary Washington Hospital suffered a setback this month when its surgeon was relieved of those duties.

Dr. Richard Gitter, 48, was placed on administrative leave in early December, about 10 months after arriving in Fredericksburg.

It’s not clear why the action took place. Mary Washington officials yesterday would say only that the University of Virginia Health System, Gitter’s employer, took the action, and that it was an “administrative” leave, not “clinical.”

“Since Dr. Gitter is an employee of U.Va., they would be the ones to talk to about the administrative leave,” hospital spokeswoman Debbie McInnis wrote in an email.

Mary Washington signed a five-year contract with the University of Virginia Health System to manage its heart surgery program. Gitter arrived in Fredericksburg in February as the first representative of that new relationship.

Gitter could not be reached for comment yesterday. He did not return two messages left at a number for his home. The Free Lance-Star also asked U.Va. officials for help in contacting Gitter for an interview.

A spokesman for U.Va. yesterday confirmed that Gitter had been placed on administrative leave but declined to say why the action was taken, when it took place or how long it might last.

“Typically in cases like this, we don’t discuss it any further,” spokesman Eric Swensen said.

Gitter’s departure continues a difficult period for the hospital’s flagship program. Mary Washington started a heart surgery program in 1994 with Dr. John Armitage as its medical director.

Armitage departed in 2010, to be succeeded by Dr. Pyongsoo Yoon. Yoon was medical director for about 11 months before leaving to take a job in Memphis, Tenn.

Hospital officials turned to U.Va. in hopes of building the program into one of the state’s best.

Gitter arrived in Fredericksburg after working for three years at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

He is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Tulane University. He received advanced training at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and the University of Virginia Medical Center.

When he arrived here, Gitter said his role was to make the heart surgery program better.

“We’ve had struggles in the past, and we don’t want those struggles. Our community demands and deserves more than that,” he said.

Added Fred Rankin, president and chief executive officer of Mary Washington Healthcare, at the time: “It is a rebuilding, but it’s not a reclamation project. It’s taking what is a good program and making it great.”

Gitter arrived in Fredericksburg while still involved in a lengthy federal lawsuit with Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg.

Gitter sued the hospital and Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates, a Richmond heart practice, for breach of contract when he was not hired by the practice to run the heart surgery program at the Harrisonburg hospital.

The dispute began in 2007, according to court files from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond.

Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates and the hospital told Gitter that he was the candidate recommended for the job by a search committee, according to the court papers.

However, during the credentialing process, Gitter answered no when asked if his hospital privileges had ever been restricted during a disciplinary action.

Gitter’s privileges had been suspended by St. Vincent’s Medical Center East in Birmingham, Ala., for failing to find someone to cover for him during an on-call shift.

Nine days later, St. Vincent’s rescinded the suspension and placed Gitter on probation.

When the issue came up during court proceedings, Gitter said he did not consider the hospital’s action to be disciplinary.

St. Vincent’s had sent Rockingham a form stating that there were no restrictions on Gitter’s privileges and recommending him without reservation.

Gitter and the hospital did agree on an employment contract but never signed it.

Gitter resigned from his job in Birmingham and sold his house, but then learned that the job offer had been rescinded.

“They feared that based on the acrimony that arose during the negotiations, he would not be an easy person to work with,” wrote 4th Circuit Judge Roger Gregory in the majority opinion.

Gitter sued, and for more than four years the case worked its way through different state and federal courts.

The case was dismissed from the 4th Circuit docket three months ago when both sides agreed to a consent order.

With Gitter on leave, Dr. Sang Ho Na is handling the heart surgery program at Mary Washington.

Na arrived in late November. He is board certified and a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He did his advanced training at the Washington Hospital Center and the University of Louisville.

Drs. John Kern, Gorav Ailawadi and Denton Stam will fill in for Na when he is away.

Na has already performed several complex surgeries at Mary Washington.

“He is very busy with lots of referrals from the cardiologists,” said Dr. Henry Clemo, a cardiologist and president at Virginia Cardiovascular Consultants. “We are very lucky to have Dr. Na.”

John Fick, chairman of the hospital’s board of trustees, said Tuesday that he wants the heart surgery program at Mary Washington to feature a superior surgeon who has the confidence of local cardiologists.

“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Fick added. “Hopefully we can go into the mode of getting stabilized. I think we’re on the right track right now.”

Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com

Today’s crime report from the Fredericksburg Police Department contains the following item:

1000 block Carl D Silver Pkwy, 12/13 7:30 am – 12/14 9:00 am.  A maintenance employee for Rappaport Companies reported that the figure of the Christ child was stolen from the Nativity scene in Central Park.  The investigation is ongoing. 

Click here to see the entire report.

UPDATE from Natatia Bledsoe (10:02 a..m.)

All of the businesses in Eagle Village, including Giant, were evacuated for safety purposes. They all have been cleared for occupancy, but they may not be open for business because there is no gas service to the entire shopping center.

Columbia Gas is not sure when gas service will be restored to the shopping center. They had to turn off the gas at the street level as they assess and work on repairing the rupture.

The smell of gas should dissipate from the area by about 10:30, and there is no danger to anyone in the area, Bledsoe said.

Businesses at Eagle Landing – adjacent to the UMW housing – were never evacuated because gas readings there never reached a dangerous level.

Some, but not all businesses were affected and University of Mary Washington students living in Eagle Village housing were not evacuated, Bledsoe said.

The shopping center will remain closed until gas reading levels return to a safe level.

Bledsoe said the smell of gas was reported across U.S. 1, along College Avenue and as far as St. Mary’s Catholic Church at the corner of William Street and Stafford Avenue.

There have been no reports of anyone becoming ill or needing treatment, Bledsoe said.

She said it was unclear how long it might take before gas readings return to safe levels and the shopping center can reopen.