Man charged with smashing thousands of dollars' worth of garden items outside North Stafford Wal-Mart.

By KEITH EPPS
The Free Lance-Star

Date published: 3/21/2002

Police say a Stafford County man barreled through a Wal-Mart's garden section Tuesday night, causing $4,000 worth of damage and startling employees.

Sheriff Charles Jett said several employees were in the garden section outside the main store off Garrisonville Road about 9:20 p.m. when a 2001 Dodge Dakota plowed through the cinder-block walls and wooden poles surrounding the garden area.

The wayward truck smashed numerous plants, flowers, tools and shelves. Jett said nearly 90 items were damaged by the careening vehicle.

Debris was strewn all over the area when deputies arrived, but no one was injured.

"That's what everyone was most thankful about," Jett said. "Someone could have easily been seriously injured or killed."

The driver left the area after the rampage and was seen traveling on Mine Road toward Garrisonville Road. Deputies responding to the call did not immediately find him.

But someone had gotten the license number of the runaway truck. Police later apprehended Richard Wayne Flowers, 25, at his home on Spring Lake Drive in North Stafford.

Flowers was charged with driving while intoxicated, destruction of property and hit-and-run.

Jett said Flowers, whose vehicle was damaged, told police he left the area after the accident because he was scared.

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Date published: 3/21/2002