4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Grimmest vindication: Anthony Dale Crawford receives two life sentences February 9 for the murder, abduction, and rape of his wife, Sarah Crawford, whose nude body was found in a Charlottesville hotel room. [See cover story page 34.]
Worst loss of octogenarians: Former UVA rector and Jefferson National Bank president Hovey Dabney, 83, dies February 9. And Ian Stevenson, the former UVA psychiatry department chair who spent the second part of his career studying the paranormal, including reincarnation, dies February 8 at age 88.
Worst alleged infanticide: Robert Wayne Wyant, 32, of Scottsville is charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and child abuse stemming from the November 14 death of an eight-month-old girl, Rob Seal reports in the Daily Progress. Wyant, a volunteer firefighter with the East Rivanna company, is arrested February 9. Authorities refuse to say who the victim is or describe Wyant's relationship to her.
Grimmest hit-and-run aftermath: Tractor-trailer driver Wayne Ketenheim is charged with leaving the scene after driving over a Toyota Corolla on I-81 February 9 and killing one of its occupants, NBC29 reports. Ketenheim, 56, commits suicide in his Pennsylvania home February 11.
Best get: Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito talks to Larry Sabato's political science class February 7.
Worst FOIA violations: Region Ten is cited for violating the Freedom of Information Act when it went into closed session in February 2006 to discuss a pending lawsuit. According to Liesel Nowak's account in the Progress, Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire rules Region Ten should have identified the subject matter of the closed meeting, stated its purpose, and made reference to the applicable exemption from Virginia code on open meetings. Hogshire awards plaintiff Mark Haskins $2,036 for attorney's fees.
Best hostage situation: Charlottesville City Councilor Kevin Lynch threatens to close Old Lynchburg Road if Albemarle County doesn't come up with a connector road to alleviate the traffic that has Fry's Spring residents up in arms and fearing the worst from the upcoming Biscuit Run development, according to Seth Rosen in the Progress.
Worst road rage: Evan Westley Good, 35, is charged with assaulting a police officer February 6 after he couldn't get around a police van parked in the middle of Hartford Court, according to the DP. When Good finally was able to get by, he yelled a profanity. Officer J.W Carper followed Good to his house up the street and initiated a verbal exchange. When Good turned to leave, Carper put his hand on Good's shoulder, and Good put the officer in a headlock. He's being held without bond.
Best Alzheimer's breakthrough: UVA scientists discover a missing link in the process that destroys nerve cells in the brain, which could lead to the development of drugs that interrupt that process. The study appears in the Journal of Cell Biology.
Best new buddy: UVA announces a $25 million donation from its new best friend, cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris, most of which will go to study addiction. In September, UVA pal Anheuser-Busch bestowed $2.5 million to fund the National Social Norms Institute.
Lamest snow day: Albemarle County closes schools February 13 in anticipation of freezing rain– but the county barely gets plain old rain.
Best TV station rivalry: "In severe weather, who are you going to trust– a bunch of men in tights?" asks a commercial on WHSV in Harrisonburg, which is challenging NBC29's superhero-emulating weathermen for Valley viewers. "You won't find our meteorologists doing super hero dress-up," promises WHSV.
The original print version contained an error about the charges against Robert Wyant. It has been corrected in this online version.
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6 comments
i will start by saying that my heart goes out to the recker family, in their loss... but ive been dealt a bigger loss, ive lost my best friend of over 30 yrs.. you people didnt know him the way i knew him, he wasnt a ruthless killer as you people made him out to be.. i rode and drove with this man, in his truck for over 2 yrs, we both drove ambulance in johnstown over many yrs both were emts. he taught cpr in 11 states.. the mans nature was to save lives not take them.. the 4 web sights that ive read pertaining to the accident not one had the same story, you people, the media, ought to get your facts stright before typing and reporting a story.. the people who knew and loved wayne will remember him as the loving and caring man that he was... rest in peace my friend... may the good lord take you both in his loving arms...
Dear Wayne's Best Friend
I am sorry that you lost your best friend. I do believe that many people serve different purposes to many different people - some good, some not so good.
Unfortunately, your friend - Dale Crawford - did not serve a good purpose in the life of his wife Sarah He not only caused pain and fear in her life, he took her life away from her.
In addition to the horrific acts that Sarah dealt with, he has also potentially destroyed the lives of her family. Then let's think about the friends, the coworkers, and the people that knew her on a regular basis. Then think about the police and the people that had to sit on the jury in this trial.
I am personally satisfied that he will be away from all of us forever.
karen, you have wayne mixed up with someone else.. wayne was a truck driver who was involved in a fatal vehicle accident
.... i have no idea who dale crawford is....
Big mistake on my part I thought you were commenting on the Dale Crawford murder and speaking of the killer. I am so sorry.
If you don't know who Dale Craword it, you might want to read the entire issue of The Hook - or keep on on some local Charlottesville news.
IT HAS SADEN ME EVEN MORE TO SEE THIS HAS GONE THIS FAR AS TO PUT THIS IN YOUR MAG WHEN YOU DONT EVEN KNOW THE WHOLE STORY (SAD AND PAINFULL)MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE (RICKER FAMILY)ONE DAY YOU ALL WILL NO THAT IT WAS ALL JUST AN ACCIDENT HE HAD NO IDEA HE HAD HIT THE CAR JUST THAT THERE WAS A VEHICLE CAME OUT IN FRONT OF HIM AND THAT THE CAR WENT DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD HE TOLD ME I PICK HIME UP HE SAID THAT THER WAS CARS STOPING TO HELP THE VEHICLE IF HE KNOW IT WAS HIM THAT WAS INVOLVED HE WOULD HAVE STOP PLEASE STOP THIS KIND OF TALK TILL YOU KNOW WHO HE WAS GOD BLESS ALL WHO HAS LOST A LOVE ONE IN THIS MAY THE TRUTH BE TOLD SADLY MISSED
Dave, if this is what happened, why don't you contact the reporters who have done the story (which wouldn't include the Hook, since they just got the tidbit from another media outlet) and request an interview? I'm sure they'd be glad to get the "other side." Remember that after these accidents happen the media gets most of their story from the police; it's often very difficult to track down family and friends who are willing to talk.