By Chase Purdy
The Roanoke Times
BUCHANAN, Va. — Authorities on Saturday arrested a former chief of the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Department on a charge he raped a woman, Botetourt County authorities said.
Billy Joe Carter, 35, of Buchanan is being held without bond at the Botetourt County Jail in Fincastle, said Botetourt Commonwealth’s Attorney Joel Branscom. “There’s still some further investigation that’s going on,” Branscom said.
“There may be other charges that they’re looking at.” Court records show Carter was arrested Saturday, the same day of the offense. During a court hearing Monday, Roanoke attorney Wayne Inge was appointed to represent Carter, Branscom said.
A bond hearing will likely be scheduled for later this week, the prosecutor added. Carter’s arrest came nearly a month after a Botetourt County General District Court judge dropped an assault charge against him.
The charge came after Carter and another man swore out warrants against each other for misdemeanor assault after a run-in during the Buchanan festival in early July.
The pair agreed to drop their dual complaints once in front of the judge. Carter resigned as chief of the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Department in July.
At the time, his name had cropped up in news reports repeatedly, including for a June 27 incident in which Botetourt County Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle said Carter inappropriately intervened during a domestic dispute incident.
Copyright 2012 Times-World, LLC
All Rights Reserved