Hanover man faces 3 charges after driving into protesters in Lakeside

Henrico Police arrested and charged a 36-year-old man with driving into a group of protesters in Lakeside Sunday night. The incident happened shortly after 5 pm on Lakeside Avenue near I-95, adjacent to Roy’s Big Burgers, but the victim who was struck didn’t call police until reaching the A.P. Hill monument on Hermitage Road in the city.

The driver, Harry Rogers of Hanover County, was charged with assault and battery, attempted malicious wounding and felony vandalism. The victim was checked by rescue officials at the scene but refused any further treatment. Rogers is currently being held without bond as Henrico Police investigate the incident.

Police officials are asking anyone who may have been in the area or have any information regarding this incident to contact Sergeant Wood at (804) 501-5000, call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or submit tips on the “P3 Tip” app on your smartphone device or tablet. Stay organized and entertained with a sleek multi-functional android tablet .

On Monday, Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor said her office was evaluating whether to add hate crime charges against Rogers.

“The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology," Taylor said in a statement. "We are investigating whether hate crimes charges are appropriate."

According to Taylor's statement, Rogers was driving recklessly down Lakeside Avenue on the median, then drove up to the protestors, revved his engine and drove into the protestors.

“While I am grateful that the victim’s injuries do not appear to be serious, an attack on peaceful protesters is heinous and despicable and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law," she said. “Yesterday, I participated in a different peaceful protest for equality and justice in Henrico. Protesters acting peaceably, well within their constitutional rights of assembly, should not have to fear violence. We lived through this in Virginia in Charlottesville in 2017. I promise Henricoans that this egregious criminal act will not go unpunished. Hate has no place here under my watch.”

Social media posts last night showed what appeared to be images of Rogers marching at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville three years ago, and a newspaper article from 2016 described him dressing in a KKK robe and holding a Confederate battle flag at the Colonial Heights War Memorial.

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