06/14/2026
WYTHEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: June 14, 2026
Wytheville Police Arrest Suspect for Public Intoxication and Attempted Abduction of a Minor
WYTHEVILLE, VA — On June 13, 2026, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Wytheville Police Department officers responded to a reported disturbance at the Northwinds Apartments complex located at 2355 North 4th Street. A caller initially reported an intoxicated male acting aggressively on the property's playground.
While searching the area, responding Officer J.E. Oglesby was notified by Central Dispatch of a second emergency call from the same location regarding an attempted child abduction. Officer Oglesby was met on-scene by a resident who reported that an unknown male had approached his 4-year-old daughter on the playground, grabbed her by the hand, and began walking away with her. The father immediately intervened and safely reclaimed his daughter after a brief physical and verbal altercation, after which the suspect fled south toward a nearby treeline. The child sustained a minor injury to her lip during the encounter but did not require emergency medical transit.
The Wytheville Police Department launched an immediate search of the surrounding area. Following a subsequent tip from a citizen who observed an individual matching the suspect's description walking up and down driveways on Holston Road, officers successfully located and detained the male at a commercial business in the 1050 block of Holston Road.
The suspect was positively identified as Chad Douglas Spence. Following an evaluation at the scene, Spence was placed under arrest for public intoxication and subsequently charged with felony abduction.
Arrestee Information:
Name: Chad Douglas Spence
Charges::
Virginia Code § 18.2-388 – Public Intoxication
Virginia Code § 18.2-47 – Abduction of a Minor
Spence was transported to the magistrate's office where the warrants were formally served. He is currently being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail (NRVRJ) without bond.
The Wytheville Police Department extends its gratitude to the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office for their mutual aid and to the alert citizens whose timely reporting directly assisted in safely taking the suspect into custody.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
