Written by: Sam Orlando
Staunton, VA – In what can only be described as a masterclass in due process, Augusta County Sheriff's Deputy CJ Taylor was finally served his arrest warrants today for assaulting two citizens at a traffic stop in Staunton last year, a whole 30 days after the warrants were issued. The delay has sparked whispers of obstruction against Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith, a man too occupied to respond to such trifling concerns but no stranger to obstruction allegations himself.
A Most Leisurely Legal Process
Previously, Breaking Through News reported that Taylor was facing two counts of assault for his involvement in a Staunton traffic stop last year. The victims, none other than Antwhon Suiter, President of Black Lives Matter Shenandoah Valley, and police auditor Chris Shifflett, have been patiently awaiting justice. Taylor was not only present in the sheriff’s office on the day the warrants were issued, he was also placed on paid administrative leave that day, according to a Sheriff's Office source. He did not, however, get served with his warrants that day. One might say he had his cake and was eating it too.
Holidaying Above the Law
With an uncanny sense of timing, Taylor embarked on a hunting expedition to Colorado a mere two weeks after his warrants were officially issued—but not served. While the public may wonder if airline or airport security were privy to Taylor’s pending charges, it appears that they were as much in the dark as everyone else. Perhaps, Taylor's camouflage skills are not limited to hunting grounds.
Sheriff Smith’s Glorious Track Record... of Obstruction?
It seems Sheriff Smith might have a playbook for this sort of thing. In 2019, he was accused of hiding a warrant against his close friend Felix Chujoy, a convicted human trafficker. Oh, but it doesn't stop there. Smith's brother Ronald Smith was suspected of stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from his employer, Loves Truck Stops. In an unparalleled display of fraternal love, Sheriff Smith allegedly decided that investigation was simply unnecessary. Are we spotting a pattern or is this just coincidence?
A Legal U-Turn
Amina Matheny-Willard, representing one of the victims, saw through the fog of this judicial quagmire. She reached out to Special Prosecutor Donald Caldwell on Thursday, and lo and behold, the Virginia State Police served the warrants. Suiter received confirmation of this long-overdue legal milestone, which he shared with Breaking Through News.
Paid Leave: A Double Win
Meanwhile, Taylor has been enjoying paid administrative leave, making him perhaps the only person in history to benefit financially from pending assault charges. Critics might call this a taxpayer-funded vacation, but let's not rush to judgment. Now that he has been arrested and is facing charges of violence, will he continue to get paid by Augusta County taxpayers?
A Culture of 'Special Treatment'
Allegations of impropriety within the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office were already in the air like the scent of freshly baked apple pie. With Taylor’s situation, the fragrance has turned from sweet to putrid. Antwhon Suiter says he is relieved that it appears, at least the State Police, are capable to doing their jobs.
Sheriff Donald Smith: The Silent Protector
As for the sheriff, his silence has been deafening. Breaking Through News inquired about the series of unfortunate events, but the sheriff must have misplaced his voice along with his moral compass.
A Judicial Cliffhanger
With Deputy Taylor officially charged, it's tempting to think that this long-winded episode of "How to (Not) Serve a Warrant" is coming to an end. But knowing the Augusta County Sheriff's Office's penchant for the theatrical, the audience can't help but anticipate an encore performance in this ongoing saga.
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