Police find cartridge casings in abandoned car

Police probing the Interstate 64 shootings have found small-caliber cartridge casings inside an abandoned 1975 AMC Gremlin and believe the shooter used a .22-caliber firearm, according to court documents.

The new details emerged from two search warrants filed with Albemarle County Circuit Court as police investigate the suspect in the interstate shootings, Slade Allen Woodson.

One search warrant authorized the search of an orange 1974 AMC Gremlin with a black stripe, which was found abandoned late Thursday off U.S. 29 in Albemarle County near the Greene County border.

A similar vehicle was spotted early Thursday by security cameras at the DuPont Community Credit Union on Lucy Lane in Waynesboro.

According to the search warrant, the camera's tape shows two people inside the Gremlin, which was positioned in the bank's parking lot. The footage shows one of the occupants fire a gun into a parked vehicle's rear window.

While inspecting the scene, investigators noticed that the bank building had also apparently been struck with bullets.

Upon discovering the vehicle, investigators peered through its windows and saw "small caliber cartridge casings" and a box of ammo.

Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police superintendent, said that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is analyzing ballistics evidence found in the Gremlin to see if it matches the rifle fire that hit at least six vehicles the previous night. Four occupied vehicles were hit on I-64 in Albemarle County, injuring two motorists.

A second search warrant authorized police to search a single-story house on Yonder Hill Farm Road near Crozet. Police had seen a 1993 Grey Isuzu Rodeo registered to Woodson parked outside.

The search warrant states that investigators were looking for Woodson, a .22-caliber weapon and ammunition.

When Albemarle County's tactical unit entered the residence at 4:40 a.m. Friday, they encountered an unidentified man armed with a handgun, authorities said. Police shot the man, who was flown by helicopter to the University of Virginia Medical Center and is being treated for his injuries. Police declined to provide much information about the man, but said they do not believe he is connected to the I-64 sniper shootings.

Two neighbors said that the house is occupied by the manager of the surrounding cattle farm and his teenage son.

Police arrested Woodson at the residence. Woodson is charged with two felonies - one count of destruction of property and one count of shooting into an occupied building.

According to the search warrant, police were told that Woodson was hiding at the Yonder Hill Farm Road residence by a "reliable source of information."

Investigators still believe that two people were involved with the shootings, though Flaherty declined to say if police were still looking for another suspect.

"We've taken some mighty big steps in this investigation," Flaherty said. "We're on the right path. Everyone can rest compared to the state we were in overnight."

Brian McNeill is a staff writer for the Daily Progress in Charlottesville.