THE BEST SEASON IN FREEDOM HISTORY? Tyquan Brown and the Eagles next play in the region final. Sports, Page 13
November 21, 2018 | Vol. 17, No. 47 | www.PrinceWilliamTimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
County leaders tout upsides of Amazon HQ2 By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Virginia leaders expressed nothing but enthusiasm last week when Gov. Ralph Northam announced Amazon would split its new East Coast headquarters between Northern Virginia and New York City. Still, the news soon raised questions among residents about the effect of 25,000 new high-paying jobs on the Washington region and Prince William County. On social media, concerns about inflated housing prices, exacerbated school over-
crowding and longer commutes surfaced almost immediately. Prince William elected officials, however, are emphasizing only the positive. Corey Stewart, chairman of the county’s board of supervisors, says those worrying about housing prices and traffic are looking the HQ2 announcement the wrong way. Most of Amazon’s 25,000 jobs will likely be filled by people who already live in the area – or their children -- and that’s “good news for the employment base in the entire region,” said Stewart, R-At Large.
The company’s jobs are expected to arrive over about 12 years. “It’s more high-paying jobs not just for new residents but for existing residents,” Stewart said, noting the positions would have “a very significant impact on job prospects” for county residents. Stewart said he believed any so-called “Amazon effect” would likely be felt most acutely in area schools and community colleges, as the internet giant has promised to work with public school divisions to prepare students for future tech careers. See AMAZON, page 4
Local GOP makes its pitch for 2019
By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Prince William County Supervisor Marty Nohe announced his bid
for board chairman weeks before he’d initially intended. But at least two Democratic candidates were making moves for the county’s top elected post, and a local reporter put
PHOTO CREDIT ROGER SNYDER
Special delivery – Aden Road bridge
After a one-day delay due to last week’s snowstorm, the rehabilitated historic, iron-truss bridge was returned to Nokesville Friday, Nov. 16. The bridge spans the railroad tracks and has been closed since July. Now that the structure is back in place, the bridge is expected to reopen sometime in December. INSIDE News....................................................2 Puzzle Page..........................................9 Opinion...............................................10 Lifestyle..............................................15
him on the spot: Would he run or not? That was back in mid-October. Nohe, R-Coles, decided to make it official, saying he would challenge sitting incumbent Chairman Corey Stewart for the Republican nomination in 2019. Then came the Nov. 6 election, when Stewart, R-At Large, took a drumming from voters in the county and across the state in his challenge to Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat. Stewart, 50, lost to Kaine by 16 points statewide and by whopping 31.9 points in Prince William. Now, Stewart’s not sure whether he’ll seek re-election, saying only that he’ll make an announcement by the end of the year. But Nohe, 48, says he’s undaunted by the results of this month’s contest even though Democratic candidates won Prince William handily (with the exception of state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, who beat GOP incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock by just 1 percent in the county.) Nohe’s reason? As a so-called
PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
Manassas City Councilman Ian Lovejoy (R), left, and Prince William Supervisor Marty Nohe, R-Coles, have announced they're running for higher office in 2019.
“off-off-year election,” the electorate will be different in 2019, he contends. Without national issues buzzing in the background, Prince William voters are more likely to tune into local concerns. “I think these local elections tend to bring out a different group of voters,” Nohe said. “People tend to look beyond Democrat versus Republican, urban versus rural, liberal versus conservative.” See GOP, page 8
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Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | November 21, 2018
Commonwealth’s attorney declares officer-involved shooting ‘justified’ Staff Reports Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul Ebert has determined that the Nov. 4 officer-involved shooting in Woodbridge was justified. The victim, a 29-year-old Woodbridge man, survived the incident, which occurred after he shot himself in an apparent suicide attempt, according to police. Ebert (D) said no criminal charges will be sought against any officer involved in the shooting, which occurred in the 1100 block of Laurel Street, a residential area in eastern Woodbridge, according to a statement released by Prince William County police Thursday, Nov. 15. “The evidence indicates that the responding officers used great restraint and used deadly force only when necessary, in my opinion,” Ebert said in a statement. Police also released more information about the events leading to the officers’ decision to shoot Brett Anthony Monteith, who was later charged with capital murder in connection with the incident.
Police: Monteith shot at officers from the roof
About 5:41 p.m. on Nov. 4, au-
thorities received a 911 call from a person reporting that his grandson, later identified as Monteith, “was bleeding and holding a firearm at their residence located at 1106 Laurel Street,” police said in the news release. The caller reported he saw Monteith running out the back door of the residence and then lost sight of him, police said. The first responding officers arrived at the home about 5:44 p.m. and “faced immediate gunfire from the roof area of the residence from a man armed with a .22 caliber rifle,” police said in the news release. At 5:45 p.m., patrol supervisors issued a “Signal 1,” signifying an “officer in trouble, calling for all available units to respond to the scene,” the police report said. Four officers were on scene at the time shots were fired toward police, police said. “Two officers at the scene returned fire on the suspect, ultimately striking him in the upper body, before subduing him in front of the residence at approximately 5:49 p.m.,” police said in the news release. One of the officers on the scene was struck by a round fired by the suspect, police said. The round
struck the officer in the back, hitting his exterior ballistic vest. The officer was seen at an area hospital as a precaution. No other officers were injured, police said. Officers provided first aid to the suspect, who was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. He was later released from the hospital and taken to the Adult Detention Center, where he remains incarcerated, police said. Monteith was charged with one count of attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer and one count of using a firearm in commission of a felony. He is due in court on Dec. 12. Additional charges may be brought by a grand jury later, police said. Police investigated and determined that Monteith shot himself with a firearm before the initial 911 call placed by his grandfather. At some point between the 911 call and officers arriving, “the suspect got onto the roof of the home where he then opened fire on responding officers,” police said in the news release. Other homes were struck also struck during the encounter, causing property damage, but no injuries, police said.
Brett Anthony Monteith, 29, shot at Prince William police officers from his roof before officers returned fire, injuring him. He is being held without bond. An administrative investigation into the shooting continues, police said. “I am confident that our officers performed with the upmost courage as they faced a dangerous, unprovoked attack by an armed assailant,” Prince William County Police Chief Barry Barnard said in a statement. “Their actions that evening were heroic and we are fortunate that none of the officers in the incident or any innocent residents in the area were harmed.” The officers involved in the shooting were identified as Evan Jurgensen, 25, who has been with the Prince William County Police Department for 2.4 years, and John Yenchak, 22, who has been with the department for 1.5 years, police said. Both officers are assigned to the Eastern Patrol District within the Operation Division and have not been involved in any previous officer-involved shootings, police said. Both officers have returned to full duty.
Prince William County, Virginia
Prince William County, Virginia REALESTATE ESTATETAXES TAXES DUE DUE REAL December 5, 5, 2018 2017 December
Prince William real estate forare thedue on December 5, 2017. rince William County real estate taxesCounty for the second half taxes of 2017 you have not received yourare property believe you seconda tax halfbill of for 2018 due onand December 5, should 2018. have, contact the Tax dministration Office at (703) or bya email at Taxpayer_Services@pwcgov.org. If you have 792-6710 not received tax bill for your property
REAL ESTATE TAXES DUE December 5, 2017
SUBMITTED and believe you should have, contact the Tax you receive a tax bill and escrow property taxes with your mortgage company, you should Police released this photo of an officer’s exterior ballistic vest that was struck by a Administration Office at (703) 792-6710 or by email ontact your mortgage company immediately. Your mortgage company will tell you the correct round fired by the suspect during the officer-involved shooting incident on Nov. 4 at TaxpayerServices@pwcgov.org. ocedure for having the mortgage company pay the County directly on your behalf. Payments
ade after December 5 willtaxes be charged a 10% late payment in accordance County real estate for the second half ofpenalty 2017and areinterest due on December A late payment penalty of 10% will be assessed on ith state law.
5, 2017. received a tax bill for your property and believe you should have, contact the Tax the unpaid tax balance if taxes are not paid in full by ISSN 1050-7655, USPS 188280 Office at (703) 792-6710 or by email at Taxpayer_Services@pwcgov.org. the due date. Published Published every Wednesday in accordance with Code of Virginia Title 58.1-3911
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