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Public Safety, Virginia

Norfolk man sentenced for shooting woman, taking phone after offering ride to store

Crystal Graham
judge banging gavel in courtroom
(© francescosgura – stock.adobe.com)

A 46-year-old Virginia man was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court to 10 years in prison after a guilty plea related to a March 7 shooting and robbery.

Lavar Montrail Reid pleaded guilty to malicious wounding, robbery and two counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. Judge Mary Jane Hall accepted his plea and imposed an agreed active sentence of 10 years.

Judge Hall suspended an additional 10 years on the conditions that Reid have no contact with the victims or witnesses and complete seven years of uniform good behavior as well as five years of supervised probation upon his release from prison.

According to court records, on March 7, a woman who used to date Reid encountered him during the course of her errands and agreed to give him a ride to a convenience store. Reid got in the back seat of the car with the woman’s grandson and a friend of the woman rode in the front passenger seat.

Near the intersection of B Avenue and Hunter Street, Reid told the woman stop the car. Then, he pulled out a firearm, shot the front passenger in her breast, cursed at the driver and demanded her phone while holding her at gunpoint.

The victim who was shot was able to open her door and run to a nearby house for help.

Reid fled on foot after the driver handed over her phone.

No argument precipitated the shooting and robbery, and no other occupant of the car was armed.

Reid was arrested by Norfolk Police 10 days later.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jessica L. Terkovich prosecuted Reid’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Andrew J. Jowdy led the investigation.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.