Lignum man faces felony charge after arrest
Prison Barbed Wire Fence.Prison Cell's Bars. Jail, Detail of Confinement and Crime, Justice. Prison Interior. Concept of Limiting Freedom.

Lignum Man Faces Felony Charge After Arrest

 

Stafford, VA – A man from Lignum, aged 36, has been charged with a felony for possessing controlled substances following an incident at a local inn.

On Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m., Sergeant B.U. Demirci and Deputy C.R. Newman were called to America’s Best Value Inn on Warrenton Road. Reports indicated a shirtless male acting erratically, leading officers to find him near the I-95 interchange. The man was identified as Bennie Smith.

Smith admitted to being at the inn but claimed he was headed to a different motel on Warrenton Road. Showing signs of intoxication, Smith was consequently arrested and taken to Rappahannock Regional Jail.

At the jail, Smith dropped a small object with a white powder while changing into jail attire. Officers and Smith scrambled for the object, which Smith attempted to ingest. Deputy Newman intervened to secure both Smith and the substance. Smith has been charged with public intoxication, felony evidence destruction, and obstruction of justice. His initial hold was replaced with a $5,000 secured bond.

Shore News Network Staff Report

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.