New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

Virginia Beach man enters guilty plea to driving under influence of cocaine in New Kent

By Andre Jones | March 6, 2023 5:53 pm

A Virginia Beach man who drove intoxicated on Interstate 64 in New Kent County has pled guilty to multiple offenses.

Enrico Florio Jr., 67, entered a guilty plea to on one charge of possession of a Schedule I/II drug and an amended charge of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated on drugs (first offense), which was originally a second charge of possession of a Schedule I/II drug, as part of afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court.

In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick, on May 22, 2021, a Virginia State Trooper traveling eastbound on Interstate 64 noticed a 2016 Ford vehicle weaving in the right lane near mile marker 223. When the vehicle came to a complete stop on the interstate and started again, the officer executed a traffic stop and pulled the vehicle over. When the trooper approached the driver, later identified at Florio, he noticed the defendant sweating and slurred speech. A field sobriety test was conducted, with the driver failing all of the test, resulting in Florio’s arrest. A search of the vehicle discovered a pipe with a white powdery substance in it, later identified as cocaine after a lab analysis.

Under the plea agreement, Florio received a three-year sentence with all time suspended on the possession of a Schedule I/II drug conviction. He also received all 12-months suspended on the misdemeanor DWI conviction, but he was fined $500.

In an unrelated case, a Charles City man entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of misdemeanor possession of a concealed weapon (first offense) as part of a plea deal.

Kevin Alonza Braxton Jr., 32, of the 8600 block of Church Lane, accepted the agreement after he was originally charged with possession of a concealed weapon (second offense).

In a summary of evidence, on Mar. 22, 2022, a New Kent deputy noticed a vehicle pulling out of Taco Bell in Quinton when the vehicle stopped and put on its hazard lights. The car had no back license plate, and the officer executed a traffic stop. Upon the stop, Braxton, who was a passenger, told the officer that he had a Blackstar nine-millimeter handgun. Braxton did not have a concealed weapons permit at the time.

Under the agreement, Braxton received a 90-day sentence with all time suspended on the conviction. He must pay a fine of $250 and the weapon was forfeited for destruction.