A federal judge has rejected an appeal from convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad, who was sentenced to death for masterminding a 2002 killing rampage that left 10 people dead in Virginia, Maryland and Washington. Muhammad, who is on death row in Virginia, claimed that there were numerous errors at his 2003 trial. But U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady in Alexandria rejected all of Muhammad’s claims.

A Chester man was killed in a single-vehicle wreck late Tuesday night in Chesterfield County, Virginia State Police report. Keith Pommerville, 44, ran off the right side of Bradley Bridge Road in the 14200 block, just south of Amstel Bluff Way, when his pickup truck flipped several times and he was ejected about 10:10 p.m. He died at the scene at 10:47 p.m., police said.

At least five Virginia State Police chaplains have resigned after being told they must abstain from using religious words like “Jesus” and “Christ” during department-sanctioned events. Concerned about offending people of other faiths, state police Superintendent W. Steven Flaherty recently directed the agency’s 17 chaplains to begin delivering neutral or nondenominational prayers at such functions as trooper graduation ceremonies and its annual memorial service for fallen officers.

A fire near Short Pump that apparently took two lives early today was reported by one of the victims in a 911 call to Henrico police. Henrico County Division of Fire spokesman Capt. Christopher H. Buehren said the distress call suggests that the fire was well under way before authorities were called about 4:35 a.m. The victims were found in separate parts of the second floor, Buehren said, adding that he could not disclose the contents of the 911 call because he has not heard it. The bodies were removed tonight around 6, he said.

Following is a summary of some burglary reports made to police recently in Richmond and in Chesterfield and Henrico counties. RICHMOND POLICE 900 block of St. Paul Street, between 12:01 a.m. Sept. 7 and 2 p.m. Sept. 20, someone stole a PlayStation 2, jewelry and a TV. 2400 block of Columbia Street, between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Sept. 19, someone stole jewelry.

A 36-year-old woman is facing a court appearance this morning after being arrested yesterday on a driving-under-the-influence charge and two felony child-neglect charges. Henrico County police identified the woman as Sharon Breeden Wood of the 300 block of Clovelly Road in Windsor Farms. Wood was located by police in front of a PetSmart store at the Libbie Place shopping center.

The state NAACP held separate news conferences yesterday to publicize a woman’s accusation of excessive force by Richmond police and allegations of racial discrimination by a nightclub. Joanne Jefferson said she filed an excessive-force complaint after she was arrested by officers performing crowd control as bars in Shockoe Bottom let out around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Grundy, in Buchanan County, has fired its police chief after Town Council members discovered he tried to tape a closed-door council meeting, according to town officials. Fired chief Mike Cox insisted publicly Monday that he was investigating the council for possible wrongdoing. Cox, who was fired Monday night, declined to comment further yesterday, saying he is speaking to attorneys and has been advised to keep quiet.

Five men have been held in a Fairfax County jail for nearly a month, because they might have witnessed a killing. The men, undocumented immigrants, are being held as witnesses to the fatal stabbing of Adulio Morales-Bonilla, 36, in the city of Fairfax last month. Federal immigration officials told Fairfax police that the men were waiving deportation hearings and could return to Honduras before the trial.

A Ruckersville man died hours after his parachute became tangled with another skydiver’s during a group jump Sunday afternoon at the Orange County Airport, according to Virginia State Police. Francis Wootten III, 54, died early yesterday at the University of Virginia Medical Center, said state police spokesman Sgt. Les Tyler. According to the report, Wootten and Robert G. Kotenko, 29, of Washington, were in a group that included 20 other parachutists with Skydive Orange who jumped about 1 p.m. During the fall, Wootten’s and Kotenko’s parachutes became tangled and collapsed, sending the two men freefalling to the ground.

Merchants slowly began opening for business yesterday afternoon after fire and smoke damaged portions of Southside Plaza on Sunday night. At a Maxway discount variety store, employees taped up handwritten signs reading “Yes, we are open,“ but at the adjacent Shoe City store, where the fire started, there was no sign of activity. The shopping center is at Hull Street Road and Belt Boulevard.

Henrico County police are seeking help in locating Raymond Seward, who may have information about the August shooting death of 17-year-old Ricky M. Burton. Authorities described Seward as possibly armed and dangerous and said he has outstanding warrants on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and on a federal probation violation.

A man was killed yesterday evening when he lost control of his motorcycle on U.S. 1 near Elletts Crossing Road, north of Ashland in Hanover County, a sheriff’s office dispatcher said. The victim, who wasn’t identified, died at the scene about 6:15 p.m. Authorities said the motorcyclist was driving at a high speed. Additional details were not immediately available.

Coins and other personal items indicate that human remains found in Mountain Lake during the weekend may have been there for decades, Giles County authorities said. People walking along the dried-up lake’s bed discovered the skeletal remains Saturday afternoon. Lt. Ron Hamlin, a Giles County investigator, said some coins, a class ring and shoes were found near the body. Hamlin said the latest coin was dated 1920. Also, he said, some pieces of fabric and a pair of extremely old shoes were found nearby.

A gas leak at Richmond’s wastewater-treatment plant forced an evacuation of the plant at about 7:30 p.m. yesterday and sent seven people to area hospitals as a precaution. “We’re taking this very seriously,“ said Robert C. Steidel, deputy director of the city’s Department of Public Utilities and one of the first people to respond. Police said 11 people apparently were affected by the leak of sulfur dioxide gas.