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Area man arrested in fatal Southside hit & run
From the RPD:
The Richmond Police Department is investigating a deadly hit and run that occurred yesterday afternoon on the city’s south side.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., Saturday, February 20, Christopher A. Griffin, 55, of the 2000 block of Riverside Drive was attempting to cross Semmes Avenue southbound near the intersection with Cowardin Avenue when he was struck and killed. The incident occurred in the 1900 block of Semmes Avenue about 300 feet west of the intersection.
The vehicle that struck him, an Audi TT convertible travelling eastbound, continued on without stopping. It was later located in the 2800 block of East Leigh Street. The owner/driver of the vehicle was arrested.
John B. Spence, 65, of the 2800 block of East Leigh Street has been charged with Felony Hit and Run. RPD investigators are consulting with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and other charges are expected to be filed.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call RPD Crash Team Officer Roderick Rose at (804) 646-1343 or contact Crime Stoppers at 780-1000 or at www.7801000.com. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the key word “ITip” followed by your tip. All the Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.
I’m awaiting the same level of commentary on this post as the one last week with those two men shooting at 29th and Broad.
Hope that John runs this comment, because I’m honestly sick and tired of people pointing the finger at folks that are not like them. You are perpetuating hatred of others rather than being sad or disappointed in the person AND in the society that aided in them becoming what you call “thugs”, “criminals”, etc.
Instead, take a look at the man who allegedly committed a murder and look at someone who looks like you, lives near you, and either judge him with the same guidelines you judged those other men. Or do everyone a favor and keep your mouth shut about situations in which you have no context at all.
Thanks-
Neibs
Neighbor, do you really want to go there?
Wow, must suck to go through the day so bitter.
This guy is such a thug
I don’t know this guy or the details of the incident. Every once in a while a White Male driving a vehicle has a deadly accident. Usually the guy is drinking alcohol. It is tragic. Last year a White male doctor hit a jogger in Hanover. A couple years ago a White male, lawyer’s son, hit a cyclist on Riverside Drive.
These incidents were preventable and the drivers made terrible choices to drive while intoxicated. They are currently in prison.
There is a difference between the murders and shootings that occur 2-3 times a week versus a terrible accident while intoxicated that usually occurs to every race and sex.
I rate the level of neighbor’s discourse about on par with a Facebook “share” I saw earlier today about how Mike Vick is a victim because he spent two years in jail and Jared from Subway “who molested way more children then Mike Vick killed” “never spent any time in prison.” Race baiting much?
I saw the car. The windshield was shattered and completely smashed in. How he made it from semmes to Leigh, I have no clue.
Stop calling these “accidents”, especially those involving DUI and hit and run. They are nothing of the sort. They are intentional acts.
That said, Robbie’s point is on the mark in that these individuals didn’t act with intent with regard to the deaths they caused, but rather the actions resulting in death and the cowardly fleeing the scene. That is hugely different than the thug gang bangers intentionally shooting people.
Neighbor needs a reality check.
I’ll ignore the foolish comments about race baiting and that I’m bitter(?) I thought about saying it before but I’ll be 100% clear…I’m a white male, my intention is to call to light the way we interpret events in which we have no context. Robbie’s comment, while having a very good chance of being a correct interpretation of the incident here, is exactly my point.
We look at a couple guys who look like they’re in a gang, and probably are, so we judge them and say “yeah, he got what was coming to him”. But what about the society that he grew up in? What about the fact that those guys maybe lived in a place and went to a school and lacked a family that most of the folks on this blog (certainly including me) have had in our lives?
Then we look at this white guy, and say what Robbie said “probably a tragic accident involving alcohol”. Why do we jump to that conclusion? I don’t know why, but I think it’s because we look at where he lives, what he looks like, and assume something about him.
@Neighbor: Really? I point the fingers at people who are just like me, so let me start here. This “thug” you say society created – tell me about him, please; because I know of no society that created him. Only a culture. Please, please, please, let’s go there.
Gotten way out of hand here. First off, if you want to be taken seriously and committed to your beliefs, then you would use your real names rather than hiding like children behind fake monikers.
Next, people make mistakes and often run scared. I am not condoning this person’s actions because he obviously knew that he had hit something if his windshield was shattered. But people do make bad decisions under pressure. This may be one of those incidents. Is he a bad person by nature? I don’t know because I don’t know him – do you? Can you make that judgement? Unfortunately this one mistake will ruin his life forever since it was a hit and run rather than staying on the scene and calling 911. Who knows, it may be the only trouble they have ever been in so does that justify his being stereotyped? And nothing was said about him being drunk – where did that come into play?
Sometimes I get so tired of seeing the comments on CHPN.
I appreciate John and CHPN. I appreciate it as a place where community members can come and comment: where everyone doesn’t always agree, though it’s a great medium through which we can all engage in discussions.
I just fail to see the positive outcome of this discussion here. It would appear to me that- while nobody knows the details of either incident being discussed- it has become a springboard for opinions, accusations and a general vitriol that frankly doesn’t seem very neighborly.
I’ll indict myself as someone who doesn’t always contribute positively here, though I hope I come across as simple comedy relief when tensions appear to be getting high. I accept my role in the discourse from behind the internet wall, and I likewise would ask that everyone else examine how they show up from the privacy of their internet-laden walls too.
What’s the point here? What are we really arguing about? What’s your favorite color?
Everyone shut up. Stop trying to sort out blame. God, y’all are pathetic.
Let’s just take a moment to think of this victim’s family and friends. It’s a shame that someone reached the end of their life so early and in such a painful way. I pray for the family that they find peace and reach a point of acceptance that allows them to proceed forward in life.
Shutting this one down for a while, folks.