Wild Overnight Rampage Leaves Neighbors Terrified

A bizarre overnight series of incidents left residents shaken after a shirtless man allegedly wandered through neighborhoods, entered multiple properties, rummaged through vehicles, and frightened several families before deputies finally tracked him down. The suspect now faces multiple charges after deputies say his actions sparked a string of 911 calls across the area. The first report came from a Chesapeake resident who discovered someone had gone through his unlocked 2017 Dodge Durango while he slept. According to the victim, barking dogs woke him around 3:30 a.m. When he later checked his SUV, he discovered his wallet had been stolen. It contained several hundred dollars in cash, credit cards, his driver's license, and his Social Security card. The victim had already canceled his credit cards before deputies arrived. Not long afterward, dispatchers began receiving reports of a shirtless, barefoot man with scraggly hair running through the area claiming someone was trying to kill him. One homeowner told deputies the man suddenly appeared inside his garage and climbed into a vehicle parked there before fleeing when confronted. Moments later, another family reported the same man had forced open the front door of their home while they were sleeping. The homeowner told deputies he awoke to find the stranger inside his living room yelling incoherently. When he retrieved a firearm, the intruder ran outside, hid in nearby bushes, and attempted to start the homeowner's vehicle before fleeing again. The homeowner's wife said the terrifying encounter began with loud banging on the front door before the man burst inside. She said the incident left the family, including their child, badly shaken. Deputies from the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, along with Chesapeake police officers, searched the neighborhood and eventually found the suspect after he entered yet another residence without permission. He was taken into custody and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. During the transport, deputies reported the suspect managed to maneuver his handcuffs from behind his back to the front while inside the patrol cruiser, although he remained secured. The investigation wasn't over yet. After deputies cleared the initial scene, the homeowner realized his Ruger LCP handgun was missing from inside the house. He later located the firearm hidden in weeds near his driveway. According to the report, the pistol had a round chambered, something the owner said he never does when storing the firearm. Because the gun had been lying in wet grass, investigators determined fingerprint or touch DNA evidence would likely not be recoverable. Meanwhile, deputies returned to another nearby home after security cameras captured the suspect entering a garage and opening vehicle doors before running away. Video reportedly showed him looking through a pickup truck before trying unsuccessfully to enter a locked vehicle. The footage has been collected as evidence. Locking Doors and Vehicles Matters Investigators noted several of the homes and vehicles involved were unlocked. Law enforcement recommends locking homes, garages, and vehicles—even in quiet neighborhoods—and never leaving wallets, firearms, or other valuables inside unlocked vehicles. Security cameras can also provide critical evidence when crimes happen quickly or suspects move through multiple properties in a short period of time.

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