Buena Vista Man Charged In Saturday's Robbery

Rockbridge County Sheriff's Department personnel survey the scene after a pursuit that led them from Fancy Hill to a grassy area in a Lexington neighborhood. (Ned Oliver photo)

By Roberta Anderson
A Buena Vista man was taken into custody in less than half an hour after he robbed CC’s Stop and Go in Glasgow on Saturday evening.

Wallace Spinner, 36, of Walnut Avenue has been charged with robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and felony eluding of police for a series of events that began shortly before 10 p.m.

According to Capt. Christ Blalock of the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office, the clerk working at the gas station/convenience store and another witness told authorities that a black male wearing a hood on his head and displaying what appeared to be a small handgun entered the establishment demanding money.

After being given all of the money in the till, the man ran out and made his escape in a blue, four-door sedan. A Virginia state trooper spotted the vehicle on U.S. 11 near Fancy Hill and signaled for Spinner to pull over. When the suspect failed to obey, county deputies joined the trooper as they pursued the car on U.S. 11 into Lexington. Lexington police unsuccessfully attempted to deploy stop strips to halt the vehicle at the city limits.

The pursuit continued through Lexington’s residential neighborhoods until Spinner lost control of his car and slid off the road into the ditch on Payton Street shortly before 10:30 p.m. “He was still holding on to that money,” Blalock said.

The magistrate’s warrant charging Spinner lists the amount of money stolen at $800. Blalock said sheriff’s department investigators also later determined that the item carried by Spinner that had appeared to be a weapon actually was not a gun.
 

This is part of the December 2, 2009 online edition of The News-Gazette.

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