Woman receives two years in jail for attacking tow truck driver in Charles City

A Charles City woman who attacked a tow truck driver in June 2017 will spend the next two years in jail.

Carrie Faye Neal, 30, of the 6700 block of Church Lane, received formal sentencing during Mar. 23 proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court.

During a contested trial last January, Duane Hardy was repossessing a vehicle belonging to Thomas Quigg, who is Neal’s fiancé. After hooking up the car, Hardy approached the door to inform Neal that he was taking the car.

Neal responded by screaming obscenities and Hardy retreated to his truck. While in his truck, Hardy called Charles City Sheriff’s Office. As the scene escalated, the defendant continued to attack the truck, eventually heaving a rock through the driver’s side window. The rock not only shattered the glass but struck Hardy in the face. As a result, Hardy received bruises and lacerations because the defendant’s actions.

According to Neal’s testimony at the trial, she said her actions was a reflection of her being upset about another vehicle in the yard being struck allegedly by the tow truck. But there was no evidence of such vehicle and she was found guilty of the crimes.

Neal received a 10-year sentence with eight years suspended on the malicious wounding conviction. All 12 months on the misdemeanor destruction of property charge were suspended, but she has to pay $318.18 in restitution.

In an unrelated case, a Providence Forge man will spend close to four years in jail after accepting terms of a plea deal.

Bernard Lee Adkins, 52, of the 7800 block of Courthouse Road, entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of distribution of cocaine (first offense-originally distribution of cocaine third offense). One charge of possession of cocaine was dropped.

In a summary of evidence, on Sept. 26, 2017, deputies went to Adkins’ residence to serve a warrant on him for violating probation. As they approached, the defendant ducked into a shed before running into the woods. After being apprehended by officers, a cigar box was recovered near the shed. Among items inside the box included drugs, drug paraphernalia, smoking devices, and pill bottles. The pill bottles consisted of a white substance, later identified as cocaine through laboratory tests.

Under the plea agreement, Adkins received a 20-year prison sentence, with 17 years, four months suspended (two years, eight months to serve). He also received an additional one year, three months for violating terms of his probation.