Wythe County Victim Assistance Program

09/23/2026

09/19/2026

A man was arrested in Wythe County for child s*x crimes: https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/09/19/man-arrested-wythe-county-child-s*x-crimes/

09/18/2026

Love all the great work the sheriff’s dept does to protect the community and its citizens 💙

09/18/2026

Study: half of US adults have experienced either physical or s*xual violence during their lifetime, mostly by men. Women mostly experienced intimate partner violence, at 61%, while men most commonly experienced violence from a stranger, at 38%. Lifetime s*xual violence was with a significantly higher prevalence among women, at 68%, than men, at 29%.

Study finds more than half of US adults have experienced physical violence and nearly half s*xual violence

09/18/2026

Please see this news release from the Virginia State Police

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING FATAL CRASH IN WYTHE COUNTY

Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 3:03 p.m. today (Sept. 17, 2026) on Interstate 81 southbound at the 64-mile marker in Wythe County.
The preliminary investigation indicates a Jeep Compass was slowing in the left lane because of traffic when it was rear-ended at a high rate of speed by a GMC Envoy. A juvenile passenger in the Jeep, along with three adult passengers, suffered serious injuries in the collision. The juvenile passenger succumbed to those injuries at the hospital. The three adult passengers’ injuries are non-life-threatening. The juvenile was wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the GMC, Kathleen Gajewski, 69, of Plainfield, N.J., suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Gajewski has been charged with reckless driving.
The crash remains under investigation.
Virginia State Police was investigating a collision in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81 in the same area at the time of the fatal crash.

09/11/2026

May we never forget

09/04/2026

A jury found Dustin Owens guilty on Thursday of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Buchanan County.

08/30/2026

08/20/2026

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – The community is invited to come together to remember the lives lost, honor those who responded and reflect on the lasting impact of Sept. 11, 2001, during a special 25th anniversary memorial ceremony.

The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, presented by the local 9/11 Committee, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Wytheville Meeting Center. The event marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks that claimed 2,977 lives and forever changed the nation.

WDBJ7 journalist and Army veteran Melissa Gaona will give the keynote address. Gaona anchors WDBJ7's 4 and 5 p.m. newscasts and produces "Hometown Veterans: Honoring Our Heroes," a special series sharing the stories of local veterans and their service to the nation.

The ceremony will include patriotic music, the posting of colors, the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, an Armed Services Salute, special musical selections and reflections. The program will conclude with a 21-gun salute, taps, the retiring of colors and "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes.

Law enforcement, first responders, veterans, local officials and community members will take part in the ceremony. Participants include the Virginia State Police, American Legion, Wythe County Community College Band, Sheriff Anthony Cline, Chief Joel Hash, Congressman Morgan Griffith and local clergy.

The ceremony provides an opportunity for the community to remember those who lost their lives in New York City, at the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, while also recognizing the courage and sacrifice of first responders, members of the military and ordinary citizens in the days and years that followed.

The event is free and open to the public.

WHAT: 9/11 Memorial Ceremony — 25 Years of Remembrance
WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026
WHERE: Wytheville Meeting Center, 333 Community Blvd., Wytheville
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Melissa Gaona, WDBJ7