DANVILLE — The suspect in the attack on Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler is being held at a psychiatric facility in Petersburg.
Meanwhile, Vogler’s wife, Blair Vogler, said Tuesday in a social media post that he faces at least six months of hospitalization. Vogler sustained severe burns July 30 when he was doused with gasoline and set on fire outside his workplace, Showcase Magazine.
Shotsie Michael Buck-Hayes is charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding in the attack on Vogler.
Danville Sheriff Mike Mondul told the Register & Bee on Wednesday morning that he decided to have Buck-Hayes evaluated by mental health professionals after Buck-Hayes displayed concerning behavior while in the Danville City Jail the day of the attack.
“They decided he needed to be in-patient,†Mondul said.
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Buck-Hayes, 29, was evaluated at Sovah Health-Danville by staff from Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services, he said. He was transported early July 31 to Central State Hospital in Petersburg.
Mondul would not say what Buck-Hayes said or did to prompt Mondul to seek an evaluation.
“He had some behaviors that caused us concerns,†he said.
A temporary detention order is usually issued for someone displaying suicidal or homicidal behaviors or other mental instability.
“He met some of those criteria,†Mondul said.
Mondul said he was not sure how long Buck-Hayes will be held at the facility in Petersburg.
“Our goal is to keep him safe during the process until it’s time for him to come back and stand trial on charges,†Mondul said.
A temporary detention order is a court order issued by a magistrate. It allows a person believed to be mentally ill to be taken into custody and temporarily held in a psychiatric facility.
“When they call us, we’ll come get him,†Mondul said. “It’s the most secure [psychiatric] facility Virginia has.â€
Vogler, 38, is in critical condition at UNC Health Burn Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
A for medical expenses and other costs related to his hospitalization has brought in more $100,000 in donations. There have been more than 700 donations as of Wednesday morning.

Vogler
The goal of $100,000 has been increased to $250,000 due to the expected lengthy hospitalization, loss of both family incomes and the cost of long-term rehabilitation and recovery, according to his wife, Blair Vogler.
“Every message, every donation, every prayer has lifted us up,†Blair Vogler wrote in an update shared on GoFundMe and social media. “Seeing how people from all over are standing with Lee has given us so much strength. Thank you for believing in him and in our family. Your kindness is carrying us through this unimaginable time.
“Lee’s injuries will permanently impact his and his family’s lives, and the sheer amount of financial resources required for long-term care is difficult to even estimate,†she wrote. “But thanks to your generosity, a considerable part of this burden is being lifted, giving Lee and his family the ability to focus on healing rather than overwhelming financial stress.â€