Portsmouth man receives year in jail for assaulting emergency worker in Charles City

Croom

A Portsmouth man will spend a year in jail for assaulting a medical emergency officer in Charles City.

Derek Tracy Croom, 61, of the 2200 block of Queen Street, entered the plea to one count of assault and battery on an emergency worker as part of a plea agreement reached Friday morning in Charles City Circuit Court. Two additional charges of assault and battery on a law enforcement officer were dropped as part of the deal.

In a summary of evidence provided by Charles City Commonwealth’s Attorney Tyler Klink, on June 9, 2024, a Charles City deputy was operating radar when they noticed a driver on a moped driving erratically. The driver, later identified as Croom, knocked on the officer’s window and indicated that they were being chased. The officer secured Croom in the back of their patrol vehicle when the defendant became irate. Other officers arrived on scene and Croom was removed from the vehicle on the condition that he behaved. Croom became unruly and officers took him to the back of an ambulance for a medical evaluation. Inside the back of the ambulance, he headbutted an emergency worker, leading to the charge and subsequent conviction.

Croom received a 12-month sentence with no time suspended.

In other circuit court proceedings:

–Timothy Michael English, 35, of the 11000 block of Greenyard Estates, Providence Forge, entered guilty pleas to two counts of possession of a Schedule I/II substance with intent to distribute. One additional count of the same charge was dropped as part of the deal.

In a summary of evidence, on two separate dates in Feb. 2024, the Twin Rivers Drug Task Force conducted a controlled buy, with English being one of the suspects in question. A confidential informant purchased approximately .3492 grams of methamphetamine on the first buy, and approximately .64 grams of methamphetamine on a subsequent purchase. The items were turned into authorities who arrested English on the offenses.

Under the agreement, English received a five-year sentence with four years, three months suspended (nine months to serve) on the first possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I/II conviction. All five years on the second conviction were suspended. English must also serve 10 days in jail for failing to appear for an earlier trial.

–Shauntae Ryneil Paige, 33, of the 12000 block of John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City received formal sentencing on a single charge of assault and battery on a family member (third or subsequent offense). During an Aug. 2, 2024 trial, Paige admitted to assaulting a family member during a confrontation on Mar. 17, 2024. Paige was placed on deferred disposition in an attempt to complete courses and requirement to see the charge reduced to a misdemeanor. Paige failed to meet those requirements and was convicted on the felony charge.

Paige received a five-year prison sentence with all time suspended.