Rodis has initial appearance in Louisa
The former Catholic priest convicted earlier this year of stealing thousands from two Louisa County Catholic churches had his initial appearance in Louisa County court yesterday, where he is charged on the state level with 13 counts of embezzlement.
Rodney Rodis, 53, was appointed attorney Jack Maus, who had represented him previously, and an arraignment was scheduled for July 21, said Louisa prosecutor Rusty McGuire.
Rodis is already serving five years on related federal money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud convictions.
He was initially charged in Louisa in 2007, but those charges were dropped by former Commonwealth's Attorney Don Short when Rodis was charged federally.
Thomas Garrett, however, took over as Louisa's commonwealth's attorney since the federal convictions and reinstituted the state charges in May.
--Ellen Biltz
Culpeper arrests man in domestic assault
A Manassas Park man has been charged with breaking into his estranged wife's home early Sunday and beating up her male companion.
Culpeper town police were called to a home on Birch Drive about 4 a.m. following reports of "screaming and banging" inside the house.
According to Lt. Chris Settle, the woman told police that she was asleep on a couch but awoke when her estranged husband began "kicking and beating" the 26-year-old White Shop man who was sleeping on the living room floor. The victim wound up with a cut on his face and a swollen-shut right eye, Settle said.
By the time police arrived, the suspect had allegedly left through the same basement window he was believed to have entered. He later returned to the home and officers were summoned again, Settle said.
Lt. Scott Roy and Officer A. J. Cooper arrested Daniel Robert Billows, 25, and charged him with burglary in the night and assault and battery.
'Cow-pie' mushrooms land teen in trouble
A 17-year-old Culpeper youth is in juvenile detention after police say he told them he had been getting high on mushrooms collected from "cow pies" in local pastures.
According to Culpeper police Lt. Chris Settle, Officer Norma McGuckin was dispatched to Clay Street about 3:15 p.m. Sunday to check on reports of a disturbance. A witness told McGuckin that the boy was using profanities, making threats and pulling on an 18-year-old woman's leg.
Police found the couple on Fairfax Street, and the boy consented to a search of a car registered to his mother.
Police said they found a cloth lunch box that contained mushrooms, scales, plastic bags, a cigar and cash. The youth was charged with possession of mushrooms with the intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia, Settle said.
--Donnie Johnston
Armed man takes clothes from store
An armed suspect stole an armful of clothes from a Fredericksburg business yesterday, police said.
City police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the man entered Unisex Fashions at 3339 Fall Hill Ave. about 10 a.m. with a knife in his hand and a gun in his waistband.
He demanded money from the cash register, but the clerk refused to comply. The suspect then grabbed some clothes and ran out.
The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20s, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 to 150 pounds. He had short black hair and was wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and very dirty shoes.
He possibly left in a small, two-door burgundy vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call city police at 540/373-3122.
--Keith Epps