Two indicted for Accomack County crime spree

By Linda Cicoira

A Norfolk man, who was previously accused of the attempted murder of two police officers in Northampton County, was indicted by an Accomack Grand Jury this week on seven more charges including robbery, abduction, and malicious wounding.

Thirty-two-year-old Brandon Theophilus Gibson, of Lens Avenue, was indicted Monday in connection with a crime spree that spanned across the two-county region and ended with a high-speed police chase on Dec. 7.

The Accomack indictments were: robbery with serious bodily injury to Roy Reed of Bloxom, malicious wounding of Reed, abduction of Reed by depriving him of personal liberty, eluding police at a speed of more than 20 mph over the limit, robbery by force of Paul Griner, felony theft of Griner, and illegally obtaining a credit card.

Gibson’s accomplice, 28-year-old Christopher Orbeta, of George Drive in Chesapeake, was indicted in Accomack on counts of robbery of Reed as a principal in the second degree, abduction of Reed in the second degree, robbery of Griner, felony theft of Griner, and illegally obtaining a credit card.

     Both men are being held without bond in the Eastern Shore Regional Jail, in Eastville.

In Northampton last month, Gibson was indicted on counts of the attempted aggravated premeditated murder of Exmore Police Chief Angelo DeMartino to interfere. with his duties; attempted murder of Northampton Deputy Lt. Steve Lewis to interfere with his duties; abduction with intent to extort money from a Royal Farms worker and a Hampton Inn worker; disarming a police officer of a gun; eluding police; use of a firearm in a felony; obstruction of justice by resisting arrest and committing a violent felony; stabbing, cutting, or wounding a person; robbery of the Hampton Inn with a deadly weapon, and assault and battery of Lewis.

Also in Northampton, both men were indicted on counts of robbery with a weapon of an Exmore Hampton Inn worker and robbery with a weapon of a Kiptopeke Royal Farms worker. Orbeta was also indicted on a count of abduction of another woman with intent to extort money.

At about 4:35 a.m. that day, the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a robbery at the Kiptopeke convenience store. About an hour later, another robbery was reported at Hampton Inn & Suites. Then at about 7:40 a.m., the Accomack Sheriff’s Office received a report of an armed robbery at the Nelsonia Corner Mart. A second armed robbery was reported about 20 minutes later at the Temperanceville Corner Mart. Then an armed robbery report was made to Maryland’s Worcester County police at the Pocomoke Advance Auto Parts store.

It was concluded that two men had committed the crimes. A description of the vehicle was made and officers began canvasing the three counties to find the culprits.

     According to court records, at about 9 a.m., Accomack deputies observed a suspected vehicle going south through the Temperanceville area. A traffic stop was attempted, but the vehicle fled at speeds of 120 mph. Police pursued it with lights and sirens. The chase continued for around 10 minutes when the suspect lost control of the vehicle near the Hardees in Exmore, crossed the median, and collided with two northbound vehicles.

    The suspects attempted to exit the vehicle and flee on foot, the court records continued. They were quickly apprehended. The record said Gibson physically resisted arrest, and an Accomack K-9 unit was deployed.