Alcohol addiction nets Providence Forge man four years of incarceration

A Providence Forge man with a history of alcohol addiction will serve the next four years incarcerated.

Daniel Wayne New, 54, of the 6000 block of Greenyard Estate, will serve one year in jail after being convicted on one count of misdemeanor assault and battery during Mar. 21 Charles City Circuit Court proceedings.. That conviction triggered a probation violation, earning him three additional years in prison.

During the contested trial, Michael Childress testified that last Nov. 16, he was attacked by New while watching a UFC pay-per-view fight with friends. New stumbled into the house, allegedly intoxicated, during the event and smacked Childress in the back of the head before leaving. About an hour later the defendant returned, arguing with Childress and asking if he had “a problem” with him. New punched the victim, leading to an altercation.

Jonathan Abbott, a friend of the victim, testified that he separated the two after the first occasion. Abbott also indicated New had a knife in his hand when he returned, waving it back and forth threatening those in the room. Abbott concluded his testimony, saying he wrestled the knife from the defendant’s hand.

New elected not to testify. Judge Thomas B. Hoover quickly convicted the defendant, sentencing him to one year in jail. The defendant’s probation violation trial immediately followed, with Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler asking for a significant sentence.

“This man obviously has a serious alcohol problem,” said Tyler. “He hadn’t been out of jail for three weeks when he picked up this charge.”

Tyler referenced the defendant’s previous charges, listing back to the early 1990’s. The prosecuting attorney also informed Hoover that most of his crimes were a result of his consumption of alcohol. The judge agreed with Tyler’s recommendation of a lengthy sentence.

“Mr. New was not even out a month before picking up these charges,” said Hoover. “He has a serious addiction to alcohol and he needs to be in an in-patient program.”

Hoover revoked three years of a 13-year suspended sentence, recommending the defendant to be placed in a rehabilitation program in prison.