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Armed standoff leads to arrest in New Kent County

Posted at 7:12 AM, Feb 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-02 07:13:42-05

NEW KENT Co., Va. – The New Kent Sheriff’s Office was involved in a standoff with an armed individual Friday night on New Kent Highway.

At approximately 7:12 p.m., a deputy attempted to pull a vehicle over for a traffic stop west of the intersection of Tunstall Road and New Kent Highway. According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy then discovered that the driver, identified as Richard C. Custalow, was wanted out of another jurisdiction, and asked him to exit the vehicle. When he refused, a struggle ensued.

The sheriff’s office said Custalow then displayed a pistol and pointed it in the deputy’s direction. The deputy retreated for cover, and as Custalow exited the vehicle holding the pistol, another deputy arrived on-scene.

Both deputies told Custalow to surrender the pistol. Custalow then placed the pistol to his head.

Over the course of the next hour and 10 minutes, additional law enforcement units arrived on-scene to negotiate with Custalow. He was then taken into custody without incident at approximately 8:22 p.m., with no injuries reported to him or to law enforcement personnel.

Custalow was taken to Henrico Jail East on both the original charges he faced and additional charges he received as a result of the incident.

Sheriff Joe McLaughlin said in a statement, “The situation could have ended so much different if not for the heroic actions of the deputies on scene. I am very pleased that no one was injured and that the matter was resolved in a positive fashion.”

Custalow’s next court date is set for February 5 at 8:30 a.m. in New Kent General District Court.