By Nancy Drury Duncan —
An Onancock man who was charged with several felony firearms violations after a roadway shooting pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges of reckless handling of a firearm in a deal with prosecutors.
Joshua Ryan Bale, 23, had been charged with several felony firearms violations.
In the early morning hours of Nov. 7, 2020, a witness told police a Ford F-150 pickup truck came up behind him at a high rate of speed with bright headlights, honking his horn.
He said the truck passed him and the driver fired six to eight shots as he went by, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan.
He said police were able to identify Bale as the driver from information obtained from cameras at a grading shed on Mink Farm Road, where the incident occurred. The rifle was located and taken into evidence.
Bale will be sentenced Nov. 10.
***
An Accomac man pleaded guilty to a third offense in 10 years of driving under the influence of alcohol and felony eluding.
A state trooper using radar on U.S. Route 13 saw 25-year-old Erik Castillo Garcia driving at a high rate of speed and attempted to stop him.
Defense attorney Garrett Dunham asked that his client be evaluated for the CCAP program to get help for his substance abuse. He is set to be sentenced Oct. 13.
***
A Painter man was sentenced to three years of active prison time for two counts of felony eluding, destruction of cemetery property, and two firearms charges.
In June 2020, an Accomack County deputy recognized the vehicle of 31-year-old Keshaun Lamar Coston as one sought in connection with a firearms incident and tried to stop him, testimony showed.
Coston did not stop and a pursuit began, reaching speeds of 100 mph, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan. Coston drove into the cemetery of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Painter, damaging headstones, and then fled on foot.
A police dog did not locate Coston but found a bag containing methamphetamine. Coston eluded capture for almost a year.
In May 2021, he was spotted by police in the Onley area. Another chase began, ending with Coston crashing his car.
He got out and ran across U.S. Route 13 into the woods by the Bojangles restaurant, where he was apprehended.
***
Two South Carolina men pleaded guilty to drug charges in Accomack Circuit Court.
Jaheim Graham, 19, and Nathanial Singletary, 21, both of Myrtle Beach, pleaded guilty to felony eluding and possession of cocaine in a plea agreement.
In March 2022, a Virginia state police trooper working radar clocked a car going 74 mph on U.S. Route 13 in the Parksley area and attempted a traffic stop.
A chase ensued reaching speeds over 100 mph.
The car turned off the highway into a chicken farm and crashed into a tree. The occupants fled on foot.
A K-9 found the pair after a 911 caller reported two men near a shed on his property. When the men were taken into custody, police found a backpack containing crack cocaine and ammunition. A pistol discovered near the car was later found to be stolen.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Baker said he made the agreement and did not prosecute a firearm charge because there was not enough evidence to support a conviction in the case. Both men were sentenced to two years on each charge with all suspended but time served.
